AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 vs Intel Core i7-4790K Comparison

The Intel Core i7-4790K and AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 represent two vastly different eras of processor design. The data shows a complete dominance by the AMD part in every shared benchmark, with the gap ranging from roughly 82.7% to 82.8% in the Ryzen’s favor across all Cinebench tests. While the Intel chip holds a respectable position for its age, the benchmark results place the Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 in a different performance class entirely, despite both CPUs sharing the same 67th percentile ranking among all tested processors.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking pattern in the head-to-head data is the uniformity of the performance gap. Across all six Cinebench tests, the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 wins by a delta of -82.7% or -82.8% (the negative sign indicates the Intel chip is trailing by that margin). This consistency suggests the advantage is not tied to any specific workload type but reflects a fundamental throughput difference between the two architectures.

In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Intel Core i7-4790K scores 690 points while the Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 reaches 3996. That is a 5.8x raw score advantage for AMD. The single-core R15 test shows a similar story: 97 points for Intel versus 564 for AMD, a 5.8x gap. Moving to Cinebench R20, the Intel part scores 2879 multi-core and 406 single-core, while the AMD part scores 16654 multi-core and 2351 single-core. The deltas remain pinned at -82.7% for both.

The Cinebench R23 results mirror this pattern exactly. Intel’s multi-core score of 6855 is dwarfed by AMD’s 39653, and the single-core score of 967 is overwhelmed by AMD’s 5598. In every case, the deltaPct is -82.7%, indicating that the Intel processor is delivering roughly one-sixth of the AMD processor’s performance. The fact that this ratio holds for both single-threaded and multi-threaded tests is notable — it suggests the Ryzen’s advantage comes from both higher per-core efficiency and its larger core count, not just raw parallelism.

For context on where the Intel i7-4790K sits relative to its own peers, its average benchmark score of 11745 places it near the Intel Core i7-1185G7 (11697, 0.4% behind) and the Intel Xeon Gold 6342 (11574, 1.5% ahead). The AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 7945, with an average score of 11469, sits near the Intel Xeon Gold 6342 (11574, 0.9% behind) and the AMD EPYC 73F3 (11334, 1.2% ahead). Despite the massive head-to-head gap, both CPUs occupy nearly identical positions in the overall average-score distribution.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 wins every single benchmark where both were tested. There are no exceptions in the data. This makes the use-case split unusually clear: for any workload captured by Cinebench R15, R20, or R23 — whether single-core or multi-core — the Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 is the definitive choice.

The Intel Core i7-4790K, however, is not without its own strengths when viewed in isolation. Its Passmark results show a single-thread score of 2466 and a multithread score of 8062. In Passmark integer math it reaches 29163, in floating point math 14597, and in extended instructions 7579. Its data compression score is 121722 and data encryption is 2264. These are respectable numbers for a 22 nm Haswell part, and its percentile ranking of 67 means it outperforms a majority of all CPUs in the database.

The use-case split, therefore, is not about which CPU wins a given test — the AMD part wins all shared tests — but rather about which workloads are even feasible. The Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 is designed for server and workstation segments, with 12 cores, 24 threads, and a 65 W TDP. The Intel i7-4790K is a desktop part from 2014 with 4 cores and 8 threads. For modern multi-threaded rendering, the Ryzen’s 39653 Cinebench R23 score versus Intel’s 6855 makes the comparison moot. For legacy single-threaded tasks, the Ryzen’s 5598 R23 single-core score versus Intel’s 967 still leaves Intel far behind.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 is the superior processor in every measured dimension. Anyone choosing between these two for a new build should select the AMD part without hesitation. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 39653 is 5.8x higher than the Intel’s 6855, and its single-core score of 5598 is 5.8x higher than the Intel’s 967. The Ryzen also offers 12 cores versus 4, 24 threads versus 8, and a lower TDP of 65 W versus 88 W.

The only scenario where the Intel Core i7-4790K makes sense is if the use case is strictly limited to software that requires the Intel Socket 1150 platform or DDR3 memory, or if the system must run on a 2014-era board. The Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 requires AMD Socket AM5 and DDR5, so platform compatibility is a hard constraint. But for raw compute performance, the Ryzen wins every benchmark by the same 82.7% margin. The Intel part is end-of-life; the AMD part is active. The verdict writes itself.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher single-core Cinebench R23 score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 scores 5598 in Cinebench R23 single-core, while the Intel Core i7-4790K scores 967. The AMD part leads by 82.7%.

Q: How many cores and threads does each CPU have?

A: The Intel Core i7-4790K has 4 cores and 8 threads. The AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 has 12 cores and 24 threads.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference between the two?

A: The Intel Core i7-4790K supports DDR3 with 25.6 GB/s bandwidth, while the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 supports DDR5 with 83.2 GB/s bandwidth, both on dual-channel memory buses.

Q: Do both processors have integrated graphics?

A: Yes. The Intel Core i7-4790K includes Intel HD 4600, and the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 includes Radeon Graphics.

Q: What is the production status of each CPU?

A: The Intel Core i7-4790K is end-of-life, while the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 is active.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 supports ECC memory; the Intel Core i7-4790K does not.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gulf between these two parts is vast. The Intel Core i7-4790K uses the Haswell architecture on a 22 nm process node manufactured by Intel, with 1,400 million transistors on a 177 mm² die. The AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 uses the Zen 4 architecture (codenamed Raphael) on a 5 nm process node from TSMC, with 13,140 million transistors spread across a 2x 71 mm² die configuration. That is a 9.4x transistor count increase for AMD.

Cache hierarchies differ substantially. The Intel part has 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 8 MB of shared L3. The AMD part has the same 64 KB L1 per core, but expands L2 to 1 MB per core and L3 to a shared 64 MB. The L3 cache alone is 8x larger on the AMD side. The process node difference (22 nm versus 5 nm) explains much of the efficiency gap, as does the newer architecture generation.

Memory architecture also diverges completely. Intel uses DDR3 with 25.6 GB/s bandwidth, while AMD uses DDR5 with 83.2 GB/s bandwidth. PCIe support differs too: Intel provides Gen 3 with 16 lanes, while AMD provides Gen 5 with 24 lanes. The AMD part also supports ECC memory, which Intel does not. These are not incremental differences; they represent two separate generations of platform design.

Specification Differences

The two CPUs differ on nearly every specification field. The Intel Core i7-4790K has a base clock of 4.00 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz, while the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 has a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. The AMD part boosts 1.0 GHz higher despite having a lower base clock. The Intel part has a TDP of 88 W, while the AMD part is rated at 65 W — a lower power draw despite far more cores and threads.

The sockets are incompatible: Intel uses Socket 1150, while AMD uses Socket AM5. The Intel part is unlocked (multiplier unlocked: true), while the AMD part is locked (multiplier unlocked: false). The Intel part launched with an MSRP of $350 in its release year, while the AMD part has no launch MSRP listed. The market segments differ as well: Intel targets desktop, while AMD targets server/workstation. The AMD part belongs to the 7000 series with part number 100-000000598, while the Intel part is part number SR219. The release dates are separated by roughly nine years, with Intel launching in 2014 and AMD in 2023.