CPU Comparison

The Intel Core i3-9320 and Intel Core i7-4790S are both end-of-life desktop processors that occupy the same 42nd percentile in the database, yet they represent two distinct generations of Intel design. The i3-9320, a Coffee Lake Refresh part, and the i7-4790S, a Haswell part, deliver nearly identical average benchmark scores, 1808 for the i3 versus 1827 for the i7, but they achieve that parity through very different means. The data shows a curious matchup: a newer, lower-tier chip with fewer threads outperforming an older, once-flagship processor across every single benchmark in the head-to-head comparison.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking aspect of this comparison is the consistency of the results. The i3-9320 wins all six head-to-head benchmark comparisons, with no wins recorded for the i7-4790S. The margins are narrow but uniform, ranging from 4.8% to 5.9%. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the i3-9320 scores 630 against the i7-4790S’s 595, a 5.9% advantage. The single-core test in the same suite shows the i3-9320 at 88 versus 84, a 4.8% lead. This pattern holds across newer Cinebench versions; in R20 multicore, the i3-9320 posts 2626 against 2482, a 5.8% edge, and in R23 multicore, the scores are 6254 versus 5911, another 5.8% margin.

The single-core results in the newer workloads remain equally lopsided. The i3-9320’s R20 single-core score of 370 beats the i7-4790S’s 350 by 5.7%, and the R23 single-core result of 882 versus 834 represents an identical 5.8% gap. Notably, the i7-4790S does have additional Geekbench scores in its profile, 3307 multicore and 1056 single-core, but no corresponding Geekbench data exists for the i3-9320 in this comparison, so those results cannot be directly contrasted.

What makes these victories notable is the thread-count disparity. The i7-4790S has eight threads through Hyper-Threading, while the i3-9320 is a pure quad-core with four threads. Despite having half the logical processors, the i3-9320 still manages to win every multicore test. The average benchmark scores tell a similar story: the i3-9320 sits at 1808, just 0.1% behind its closest rival, the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 4650U, while the i7-4790S’s 1827 average places it 0.2% behind the Intel Xeon D-1537. Both CPUs land in the same performance tier, but the i3-9320 achieves its score with a significantly simpler architecture.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different eras of Intel manufacturing. The i3-9320 uses the Coffee Lake architecture built on a 14 nm process node, with a die size of 126 mm². In contrast, the i7-4790S is a Haswell part manufactured on a 22 nm process, with a much larger die at 177 mm² and a transistor count of 1,400 million. The i3-9320’s smaller, denser process allows for higher clock speeds at a similar power envelope, its base clock of 3.70 GHz boosts to 4.40 GHz, while the i7-4790S operates at a 3.20 GHz base and 4.00 GHz boost. Both are rated at similar TDPs, 62 watts for the i3 and 65 watts for the i7.

Cache configurations are identical at first glance: both have 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 8 MB of shared L3 cache. However, the memory support differs substantially. The i3-9320 supports DDR4 memory with a dual-channel bus and a theoretical bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s. The i7-4790S is limited to DDR3, also dual-channel, but with a lower maximum bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s. This 12.8 GB/s difference in memory bandwidth likely contributes to the i3-9320’s consistent advantage in memory-sensitive workloads.

Platform compatibility is a major divider. The i3-9320 uses Intel Socket 1151, while the i7-4790S uses the older Intel Socket 1150. The i3-9320’s integrated graphics are UHD Graphics 630, compared to the Intel HD 4600 on the i7-4790S. The i3-9320 also supports ECC memory, a feature absent from the i7-4790S. Both processors use PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU, but the i3-9320’s newer platform offers a more modern feature set overall. The i3-9320 launched on 2019-04-22 with a launch MSRP of $154, while the i7-4790S launched on 2014-05-10 at a launch MSRP of $312.

Where Each One Wins

Based strictly on the benchmark data, the i3-9320 wins everywhere. It takes all six head-to-head tests, covering both single-core and multicore workloads across three versions of Cinebench. The i3-9320’s highest relative advantage comes in Cinebench R15 multicore, where its 5.9% lead over the i7-4790S is the largest margin recorded. The smallest gap is in R15 single-core, a 4.8% difference. In every other test, R20 multicore, R20 single-core, R23 multicore, and R23 single-core, the margin sits at 5.7% or 5.8%.

The i7-4790S, however, has no wins in this comparison. Its only distinction is the availability of Geekbench scores, which show a 3307 multicore and 1056 single-core result, but there is no matched i3-9320 score to compare. The i7-4790S does have a higher average benchmark score overall (1827 versus 1808), but that figure includes the Geekbench results, which are not part of the head-to-head dataset. Within the direct comparisons, the i3-9320 is the clear winner in every workload type, from lightly threaded tasks to fully loaded multicore rendering.

For users of older software or workloads that heavily favor DDR3 memory, the i7-4790S might still be a functional choice, but the data does not support any performance advantage. The i3-9320’s higher clock speeds, newer process node, and superior memory bandwidth appear to overcome the i7-4790S’s thread advantage entirely. In every measurable benchmark available, the newer chip is faster, even when the older chip has twice the threads.

The Verdict

The data points decisively toward the Intel Core i3-9320 for anyone choosing between these two processors. It wins every benchmark in the comparison, with consistent margins between 4.8% and 5.9%. The i3-9320 offers a modern 14 nm process, DDR4 support with higher bandwidth, and a smaller die, all of which contribute to its performance edge. The i7-4790S, despite having eight threads to the i3-9320’s four, cannot overcome the generational gap in IPC, clock speed, and memory throughput.

For single-threaded tasks, the i3-9320’s 4.40 GHz boost clock versus the i7-4790S’s 4.00 GHz gives it a clear edge, reflected in the R15 single-core score of 88 versus 84. For multithreaded workloads, the i3-9320’s 6254 R23 multicore score versus 5911 shows that raw thread count is not a substitute for architectural efficiency. The i7-4790S’s only advantage is its lower launch MSRP in historical terms, but that figure is not relevant to current performance comparisons.

Users with a Socket 1150 platform looking to upgrade may find the i7-4790S a drop-in option, but the benchmark results show it is the slower processor in this matchup. The i3-9320 is the better performer across the board, and its support for ECC memory and newer DDR4 standard makes it the more forward-looking choice. The i7-4790S, with its 22 nm process and 25.6 GB/s memory bandwidth, is a capable processor for its era, but the data shows it is outclassed by the newer Coffee Lake part in every test.

FAQ

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

A: The Intel Core i3-9320 scores 882 in Cinebench R23 single-core, which is 5.8% higher than the Intel Core i7-4790S’s score of 834.

Q: How do the two processors compare in terms of thread count?

A: The Intel Core i7-4790S has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the Intel Core i3-9320 has 4 cores and 4 threads. Despite having fewer threads, the i3-9320 wins all multicore benchmarks.

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

A: The Intel Core i3-9320 supports DDR4 with a memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s, while the Intel Core i7-4790S supports DDR3 with a bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s.

Q: Which processor has a smaller die size?

A: The Intel Core i3-9320 has a die size of 126 mm², which is smaller than the Intel Core i7-4790S’s die size of 177 mm².

Q: Does the i3-9320 support ECC memory?

A: Yes, the Intel Core i3-9320 has ECC memory support. The Intel Core i7-4790S does not support ECC memory.

Q: What are the average benchmark scores for each CPU?

A: The Intel Core i3-9320 has an average benchmark score of 1808, while the Intel Core i7-4790S has a slightly higher average of 1827, though the i3-9320 wins all direct head-to-head comparisons.