Intel Core i7-4790K vs Intel Core i7-970

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CPU comparison with benchmarks

-VS-

CPU lineage

Intel Core i7-4790K or Intel Core i7-4790K – which processor offers superior performance? In this comparison, we examine disparities and assess which of these two CPUs outperforms the other. We delve into technical specifications and benchmark outcomes.
The Intel Core i7-4790K features 4 processor cores and has the capability to manage 8 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q2/2014 and belongs to the 4 generation of the Intel Core i7 series.
To use the Intel Core i7-4790K, you'll need a motherboard with a LGA 1150 socket.
The Intel Core i7-970 features 6 processor cores and has the capability to manage 12 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q3/2010 and belongs to the 1 generation of the Intel Core i7 series.
To use the Intel Core i7-970, you'll need a motherboard with a LGA 1366 socket.
Desktop / Server Segment Desktop / Server
Intel Core i7-4790K Name Intel Core i7-970
Intel Core i7 Family Intel Core i7
4 Generation 1
Intel Core i 4000 Group Intel Core i7 900
 
 

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

The Intel Core i7-4790K has 4 CPU cores and can calculate 8 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the Intel Core i7-4790K is 4.0 GHz
and turbo frequency for one core is 4.4 GHz.
The Intel Core i7-970 has 6 CPU cores and can calculate 12 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the Intel Core i7-970 is 3.2 GHz
and turbo frequency for one core is 3.46 GHz.
The number of CPU cores greatly affects the speed of the processor and is an important performance indicator.
4.4 GHz Turbo Frequency (1 core) 3.46 GHz
Yes Overclocking No
normal Core architecture normal
4.0 GHz Frequency 3.2 GHz
8 Threads 12
4.2 GHz Turbo Frequency (all cores) None
Yes Hyperthreading Yes
4 CPU Cores 6
4x Cores 6x
 
 

Internal Graphics

The Intel Core i7-4790K has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the Intel Core i7-4790K uses the Intel HD Graphics 4600, which has 160 texture shaders
and 20 execution units.
The iGPU uses the system's main memory as graphics memory and sits on the processor's die.
The Intel Core i7-970 does not have integrated graphics.
0.35 GHz GPU frequency --
Q2/2013 Release date --
11.1 Direct X --
Intel HD Graphics 4600 GPU name
22 nm Technology --
-- Max. displays --
160 Shaders --
2.0 GB Max. GPU Memory 0 bytes
20 Execution units --
7.5 Generation --
1.25 GHz GPU (Turbo) --
 
 

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

-- AI specifications --
-- AI hardware --
 
 

Hardware codec support

A photo or video codec that is accelerated in hardware can greatly accelerate the working speed of a processor and extend the battery life of notebooks or smartphones when playing videos.
Decode / Encode AVC --
Decode VC-1 --
No VP9 --
No h265 / HEVC (10 bit) --
Decode / Encode h264 --
No VP8 --
No h265 / HEVC (8 bit) --
Decode JPEG --
No AV1 --
 
 

Memory & PCIe

The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 32.0 GB distributed across 2 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 24.0 GB distributed across 3 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
2 Memory channels 3
32.0 GB Max. Memory 24.0 GB
pci PCIe pci
Yes AES-NI No
No ECC No
25.6 GB/s Bandwidth 25.6 GB/s
Memory type DDR3-1066
 
 

Thermal Management

The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 88 W watts.
TDP indicates the cooling solution needed to effectively manage the processor's heat. It generally provides an approximate indication of the actual power consumption of the CPU itself.
The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 130 W watts.
-- Tjunction max --
88 W TDP (PL1 / PBP) 130 W
 
 

Technical details

The Intel Core i7-4790K is manufactured using a 22 nm process.
A smaller manufacturing process indicates a more contemporary and energy-efficient CPU.
In total, this processor boasts a generous 8.0 MB cache.
A substantial cache can significantly enhance the processor's performance, particularly in scenarios like gaming.
The Intel Core i7-970 is manufactured using a 32 nm process.
In total, this processor boasts a generous 12.0 MB cache.
Q2/2014 Release date Q3/2010
-- Part Number --
0 bytes L2-Cache 1.5 MB
VT-x, VT-x EPT, VT-d Virtualization VT-x, VT-x EPT
SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX2 ISA extensions SSE4.1, SSE4.2
Monolithic Chip design Monolithic
Devils Canyon S Architecture Gulftown
22 nm Technology 32 nm
LGA 1150 Socket LGA 1366
Windows 10, Linux Operating systems Windows 10, Linux
310 $ Release price 594 $
Technical data sheet Documents Technical data sheet
x86-64 (64 bit) Instruction set (ISA) x86-64 (64 bit)
8.0 MB L3-Cache 12.0 MB
 
 

Benchmarks

Geekbench 6 (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i7-4790K
4C 8T @ 4.0 GHz
4674
4674
Intel Core i7-970
6C 12T @ 3.2 GHz
2654
2654

Geekbench 5, 64bit (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i7-4790K
4C 8T @ 4.0 GHz
4001
4001
Intel Core i7-970
6C 12T @ 3.2 GHz
3263
3263

CPU-Z Benchmark 17 (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i7-4790K
4C 8T @ 4.0 GHz
2311
2311
Intel Core i7-970
6C 12T @ 3.2 GHz
2209
2209

Geekbench 6 (Single-Core)

Intel Core i7-4790K
4C 8T @ 4.0 GHz
1387
1387
Intel Core i7-970
6C 12T @ 3.2 GHz
620
620

Geekbench 5, 64bit (Single-Core)

Intel Core i7-4790K
4C 8T @ 4.0 GHz
1073
1073
Intel Core i7-970
6C 12T @ 3.2 GHz
582
582