Intel Core i9-10850K vs Intel Core i7-4790K

Processor comparisons   17-03-2021
   For example you are thinking about choosing a CPU, you will be able to make a choice after reading the comprehensive tests Intel Core i9-10850K vs Intel Core i7-4790K and see which is better for games or simple use for machine learning, rendering, video editing, streaming, programming. Here you can find useful information from real video editing and streaming tests or many benchmarks. A careful review of all the technical characteristics, to make it easier to understand, is presented in the form of the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of joint testing in special testing software such as GeekBench 6, 5.2, Blender, Gears 5, 7zip, PCMark 10, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), Dolphin Emulator, PassMark, AIDA64, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, RealBench, MATLAB, Blender, 3DMark, SuperPi, Handbrake, VeraCrypt, Furmark, DaVinci Resolve Studio, UserBenchmark, Prime95, WPrime.
   And how good the processors are in games:

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

After reading the results of joint benchmarks and videos, you already be able to understand which processor is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i7-4790K or Intel Core i9-10850K.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i9-10850K

57%

Core i7-4790K

52%

This parameter shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i9-10850K is 8% better than Core i7-4790K. The data source is several popular tests. Detailed information can be found below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i9-10850K

56%

Core i7-4790K

52%

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 run games. Because this processor costs several tens of thousands of dollars. And if it seems to you that the selected CPU has a little game result, just look at the FPS that it produces in real games in the summary table below.
List of less popular games in which processors were compared: Horizon Zero Dawn, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Hitman 3, Forza Horizon 4, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Control, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Monster Hunter World, Ghostrunner, Metro Exodus, League of Legends (LOL), Battlefield V, Half-Life: Alyx, Microsoft Flight Simulator, NBA 2K20, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, DOTA 2A.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	99.8	92.8
Valorant	113.4	105.5
Cyberpunk 2077	63.5	59.1
Apex Legends	106.6	99.2
Call of Duty Warzone	85.1	79.1
Overwatch	91.9	85.5
Red Dead Redemption 2	78.3	72.8
DOOM Eternal	56.7	52.8
Warzone	88.5	82.3
Assassin's Creed	95.3	88.6
Valheim	94.1	87.6

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 that were in the comparisons not only did they have different amounts of RAM and different video cards. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 2K, FullHD or 4K. Therefore, the game benchmark data is approximate. But all video cards met the average system requirements of games. You will get more accurate information about how powerful 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 i9-10850K

36%

Core i7-4790K

46%

To make a finishing decision on which processor is better, you should also consider the generation of its core. It is clear that the newer the generation, the better the performance of the processor in games and benchmarks, as well as its energy efficiency. In this case the Core i7-4790K is more energy efficient than the Core i9-10850K as it consumes less power: 125W vs. 88W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, you must know its TDP. It is necessary to calculate so that the TDP data specified in the cooler specification is 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 machine learning, video rendering or video editing, programming, streaming, then first of all you need to pay attention to the performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, the CPU uses all cores and threads that it has to the maximum to reach maximum performance. You will find out this data from the benchmark tables below. Before you take into account the data from these tests, be sure to find out whether the software that you are going to use on your computer can work in multi-threaded mode. Because there are still many programs that can use only one core to work, and all the advantages of multi-core mode are unused.
Cinebench 23, 20 an 15
The results of this benchmark show Single-threaded and Multi-threaded CPU performance

	Intel Core i9-10850K	Intel Core i7-4790K
Cinbench 15 Single-core	229	169
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	2616	854
Cinbench 20 Single-core	536	411
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	6318	1982
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1367	1069
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	16820	4936

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

	Intel Core i9-10850K	Intel Core i7-4790K
Single-Core	3074	2491
Multi-Core	23350	8030

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

	Intel Core i9-10850K	Intel Core i7-4790K
Single-Core	1383	1230
Multi-Core	11578	4747

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the most helpful will be the the possibility of overclocking it and release date of the processor. The newer the processor, the longer it will last in your computer. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system later. The same benefits from the presence of overclocking. When the processor can be overclocked, thereby increasing its performance, then it will still be able to produce maximum FPS in the newest games. Accordingly, there is no longer a need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The savings are obvious!

	Intel Core i9-10850K	Intel Core i7-4790K
Announcement date	April 01, 2020	April 01, 2014
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	FCLGA1200	LGA1150
Core name	Comet Lake	Devil's Canyon
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	10	4
Turbo Frequency	5.1 MHz	4.4 MHz
Frequency	3.6 MHz	4 MHz
Cores	10	4
Threads	20	8
Bus rate	8 GT/s	5 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	14 nm	22 nm
Transistors count	9200 millions	1420 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	125 W	88 W
Memory type	DDR4-2933	DDR3-1333/1600, DDR3L-1333/1600 @ 1.5V
Max. Memory	128 Gb	32 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth	45.8 GB/s	25.6 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache
L3 cache	20 MB	8 MB
Overclocking	Yes	Yes
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 i7-4790K is 9% better than Core i9-10850K in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i9-10850K has 6 more core than Core i7-4790K. 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 i9-10850K is better: 31
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i7-4790K is better: 3
Although it should be understood that all the data in the text above do not mean that taking them into account you should undividedly trust a simple comparison of these numbers. Better to watch benchmarks video and read the opinion of of people who bought Intel Core i9-10850K and Intel Core i7-4790K before making a choice which processor to buy for gaming and which not.

• Intel Core i9-10850K specs and review.

• Intel Core i7-4790K specs and review.