Intel Core i7-3770K vs Intel Core i5-4590

Processor comparisons 17-03-2021

   Let's say you are thinking about choosing a processor, you will be able to make a choice by looking at the Intel Core i7-3770K vs Intel Core i5-4590 tests and decide which is better for games or simple use for programming, machine learning, rendering, video editing, streaming. Here is all information from real streaming and video editing tests or many benchmarks. A thorough analysis of all the specifications, so that it can be easier to read, is summarized in the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of joint testing in software tests such as AIDA64, WPrime, SuperPi, VeraCrypt, 3DMark, UserBenchmark, RealBench, MATLAB, Blender, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, Dolphin Emulator, Handbrake, DaVinci Resolve Studio, PCMark 10, 7zip, PassMark, Gears 5, Prime95, Blender, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), GeekBench 6, 5.2, Furmark.
   And how good the processors are in games:

Borderlands 3
Apex Legends
Halo Infinite
Rainbow Six Siege
Red Dead Redemption 2
Valorant
Fallout 76
Death Stranding
Valheim
Cyberpunk 2077
DOOM: Eternal
Fortnite
Last Man Standing
Assassin's Creed Valhalla
Grand Theft Auto V
Overwatch
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Warzone
World of Warcraft: Shadowlands
Watch Dogs Legion

After reading the results of parallel benchmarks and videos, you already be able to know which CPU is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i5-4590 or Intel Core i7-3770K.

Summary benchmark results

As a percentage of the maximum value based on a sample from the entire base of all processors
Processor Benchmark

Core i7-3770K

51%

Core i5-4590

51%

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i7-3770K

52%

Core i5-4590

51%

The maximum result in this parameter is 100 percent, which is the performance of the most powerful processor at the moment. And of course, this is a server processor, on which no one will play games. Because the cost of this processor reaches several tens of thousands of dollars. And if it seems to you that the selected CPU has a small game result, look at the FPS that it produces in real games in the summary table below.
List of other games in which processors were compared: Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Battlefield V, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Metro Exodus, Hitman 3, NBA 2K20, Half-Life: Alyx, DOTA 2A, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Control, Ghostrunner, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Forza Horizon 4, Horizon Zero Dawn, League of Legends (LOL), Monster Hunter World.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	92.1	91.4
Valorant	104.7	103.9
Cyberpunk 2077	58.6	58.2
Apex Legends	98.4	97.6
Call of Duty Warzone	78.5	77.9
Overwatch	84.8	84.1
Red Dead Redemption 2	72.2	71.7
DOOM Eternal	52.4	51.9
Warzone	81.7	81.0
Assassin's Creed	88.0	87.2
Valheim	86.9	86.2

The numbers in this table indicate the maximum FPS that was received on the device with the corresponding processor. Depending on the configuration of the computer (RAM size and Video Card) and graphics quality settings (Ultra, Medium, Normal), the results may differ quite significantly. We recommend that you better study the results of the Cinebench, GeekBench and Passmark becnmarks.
The computers participating in the comparing not only were the equipped with different video cards and different amounts of RAM. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 2K, FullHD or 4K. So the game benchmark data is approximate. But all video cards met the average system requirements of games. To be sure exactly how much performance the processor will be in games, if you compare it in one assembly with the video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

Core i7-3770K

42%

Core i5-4590

39%

To make a final decision on which processor is better, you should also consider the generation of its core. The newer the processor generation, the better its performance in games and benchmarks, as well as its energy efficiency. In this case the Core i7-3770K is more energy efficient than the Core i5-4590 since it has less power consumption: 77W vs. 84W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. And TDP should be taken into account when choosing a processor cooling system. You need to buy a cooler that has the TDP data specified in the specification was greater than the TDP of the compared processor.

Software benchmarks

For example you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for programming, streaming, video rendering or video editing, machine learning, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to achieve maximum efficiency, the processor uses all threads and cores that it has. You will find out this data from the benchmark tables below. Before you take into account the data from these tests, be sure to check whether the software you are going to use on your computer supports multi-threaded mode. Since there are still many programs that use only one core to run, and all the benefit of multi-core mode turns out to be unnecessary.

Cinebench 23, 20 an 15
The results of this benchmark show Single-threaded and Multi-threaded CPU performance

	Intel Core i7-3770K	Intel Core i5-4590
Cinbench 15 Single-core	137	144
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	672	505
Cinbench 20 Single-core	286	319
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	1391	1227
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1016	1024
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	3503	4088

Passmark
This popular benchmark displays Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Intel Core i7-3770K	Intel Core i5-4590
Single-Core	2049	2060
Multi-Core	6445	5285

GeekBench 6, 5.2
This benchmark shows Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Intel Core i7-3770K	Intel Core i5-4590
Single-Core	979	1005
Multi-Core	4061	3327

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the most useful will be the release date of the processor and the possibility of overclocking it. The newer the processor, the longer it will last you. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system later. The same benefits from the presence of overclocking. If the processor can be overclocked, increasing its performance, then it will still be able to produce maximum FPS in new games. Accordingly, you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The savings are obvious!

	Intel Core i7-3770K	Intel Core i5-4590
Announcement date	April 01, 2012	April 01, 2014
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	LGA1155	LGA1150
Core name	Ivy Bridge	Haswell
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	3	4
Turbo Frequency	3.9 MHz	3.7 MHz
Frequency	3.5 MHz	3.3 MHz
Cores	4	4
Threads	8	4
Bus rate	5 GT/s	5 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	22 nm	22 nm
Transistors count	2460 millions	2460 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	77 W	84 W
Memory type	DDR3 1333/1600	DDR3-1333/1600, DDR3L-1333/1600 @ 1.5V
Max. Memory	32 Gb	32 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth	25.6 GB/s	25.6 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache
L3 cache	8 MB	6 MB
Overclocking	Yes	No
Supports ECC	No	No
Part number

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here Core i7-3770K is 5% better than Core i5-4590 in terms of CPU frequency. Also keep in mind that high CPU frequency affects battery life through power consumption (relevant for laptops).

Result:
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i7-3770K is better: 21
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i5-4590 is better: 8
However, it should be realized that all the number that you have looked at here do not mean that taking them into account you should entirely trust a simple quantitative comparison. Better to watch the testing video and read the opinion of of people who bought Intel Core i7-3770K and Intel Core i5-4590 before deciding which of the CPUs to buy for gaming.

• Intel Core i7-3770K specs and review.

• Intel Core i5-4590 specs and review.