Intel Core i5-1035G1 vs Intel Core i7-4790 Comparison

The recorded data shows two quad-core, eight-thread processors from Intel separated by five years of architecture and design intent. The Intel Core i7-4790, a desktop Haswell part, wins 14 of the 17 head-to-head benchmark comparisons, while the Intel Core i5-1035G1, a mobile Ice Lake-U part, claims victory in only three. Despite the i5 being built on a smaller process node with a newer core design, the i7-4790 maintains a consistent, though often narrow, lead in CPU-bound workloads. The i5-1035G1 counters with decisive wins in specific instruction-level and floating-point tasks, highlighting its architectural strengths. The overall database percentiles are nearly identical, with the i7-4790 at 66 and the i5-1035G1 at 65, placing both in the same performance tier among all recorded CPUs.

The Verdict

The data supports a clear split: the Intel Core i7-4790 is the stronger all-around processor for general compute and legacy desktop workloads, while the Intel Core i5-1035G1 is the better choice for tasks that leverage its newer instruction set and energy-efficient design. Users running classic desktop applications, compression tasks, or prime number calculations should prefer the i7-4790, as it outperforms the i5-1035G1 by margins ranging from 1.2% to 68.4% across those specific tests. The i7-4790 also holds a narrow but consistent lead in every Cinebench version recorded, from R15 multicore (621 vs. 611, a 1.6% advantage) through R23 singlecore (871 vs. 855, a 1.9% advantage), indicating a small but genuine edge in both single-threaded and multi-threaded rendering workloads.

The i5-1035G1 is the pick for users prioritizing data encryption and floating-point math. It beats the i7-4790 by 50.3% in Passmark data encryption (4094 vs. 2035) and by 15.4% in floating-point math (15483 vs. 13104). It also edges out the i7-4790 in integer math by 1.9% (26645 vs. 26129). Given its 15W TDP compared to the i7-4790's 84W TDP, the i5-1035G1 delivers these wins in a mobile package, making it the logical choice for battery-powered systems where those specific workloads matter more than the i7's broader dominance. For a desktop user with no power constraints, the i7-4790's 14 wins make it the default recommendation from the benchmark data.

Architecture Differences

The two processors represent distinct Intel design eras. The i7-4790 uses the Haswell architecture on a 22 nm process node, fabricated by Intel with a die size of 177 mm² and 1,400 million transistors. It is a desktop part on the Intel Socket 1150 platform. The i5-1035G1 uses the Ice Lake architecture, specifically Ice Lake-U, on a 10 nm process node with a smaller die size of 123 mm², and it is a mobile part on the Intel BGA 1526 socket. The process node shrink from 22 nm to 10 nm is the most fundamental difference, allowing the i5-1035G1 to achieve a substantially lower 15W TDP while maintaining comparable performance in many tests.

Cache layouts differ as well. The i7-4790 has 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 8 MB of shared L3 cache. The i5-1035G1 has a larger L1 cache at 80 KB per core, the same 256 KB L2 per core, but a smaller 6 MB shared L3 cache. Memory support also diverges: the i7-4790 uses DDR3 with dual-channel memory and a memory bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s, while the i5-1035G1 uses DDR4 with dual-channel memory and a significantly higher memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. The i5-1035G1's doubled memory bandwidth and larger L1 cache are architectural upgrades that likely contribute to its wins in encryption and floating-point math. Both processors have integrated graphics, with the i7-4790 featuring Intel HD 4600 and the i5-1035G1 featuring UHD Graphics, and neither has an unlocked multiplier. The i7-4790 supports PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU, while the i5-1035G1 supports PCIe Gen 3 without specifying lane count. The i7-4790 was released on 2014-04-30 and is end-of-life, while the i5-1035G1 was released on 2019-07-31 and remains active.

Where Each One Wins

The i7-4790 wins across the majority of the benchmark suite, with its largest margins in data compression, random string sorting, and prime number finding. In Passmark data compression, it scores 109623 against 80534, a 36.1% lead. In random string sorting, it scores 14790 against 9782, a 51.2% lead. In find prime numbers, it scores 32 against 19, a 68.4% lead. These are substantial, workload-specific advantages that suggest the i7-4790's older Haswell core handles certain integer-heavy, data-manipulation tasks more efficiently than the newer Ice Lake design. It also wins extended instructions by 23.7% (6835 vs. 5524) and physics by 17.7% (498 vs. 423), indicating strengths in SIMD-heavy and simulation-style workloads.

The i5-1035G1 wins in only three tests, but its victories are decisive and concentrated. The most striking is data encryption, where it scores 4094 against 2035, a 50.3% advantage. This is the largest delta in either direction across the entire head-to-head set. The i5-1035G1 also wins floating-point math by 15.4% (15483 vs. 13104) and integer math by a narrow 1.9% (26645 vs. 26129). The encryption result is particularly notable because it shows the newer Ice Lake architecture has a major advantage in cryptographic workloads, likely due to hardware acceleration features present in the newer core. For users running encryption routines, the i5-1035G1 is the clear choice from the data.

In multi-threaded throughput, the i7-4790 holds a slim edge. Passmark multithread scores are 7264 for the i7-4790 and 7211 for the i5-1035G1, a 0.7% difference. The Cinebench multicore tests show a similar pattern: R15 multicore is 621 vs. 611 (1.6%), R20 multicore is 2591 vs. 2546 (1.8%), and R23 multicore is 6171 vs. 6062 (1.8%). These margins are small enough that real-world differences would be difficult to perceive, but they are consistent across all recorded tests. Single-thread performance follows the same trend, with the i7-4790 ahead in every single-core test by margins between 1.2% and 1.9%. The i7-4790's higher boost clock of 4.00 GHz compared to the i5-1035G1's 3.60 GHz likely explains this consistent single-thread lead, as both processors have the same core and thread counts.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in multi-core rendering?

A: The Intel Core i7-4790 wins all three recorded Cinebench multicore tests. It scores 621 vs. 611 in R15 multicore, 2591 vs. 2546 in R20 multicore, and 6171 vs. 6062 in R23 multicore, with deltas between 1.6% and 1.8%.

Q: Does the newer i5-1035G1 have any major performance advantage?

A: Yes, in two notable areas. It beats the i7-4790 by 50.3% in Passmark data encryption (4094 vs. 2035) and by 15.4% in Passmark floating-point math (15483 vs. 13104). It also wins integer math by 1.9% (26645 vs. 26129).

Q: How do their overall benchmark percentiles compare?

A: They are nearly identical. The i7-4790 has a 66th percentile versus all CPUs, and the i5-1035G1 has a 65th percentile. Their average benchmark scores are 10556 and 9684, respectively.

Q: Which processor is better for data compression?

A: The i7-4790 is significantly better. In Passmark data compression, it scores 109623 compared to the i5-1035G1's 80534, a 36.1% advantage. It also wins random string sorting by 51.2% (14790 vs. 9782).

Q: Do both processors have the same core and thread counts?

A: Yes, both have 4 cores and 8 threads. They also both have 256 KB of L2 cache per core. The i7-4790 has 8 MB of shared L3 cache, while the i5-1035G1 has 6 MB.

Q: What are the power consumption differences?

A: The i7-4790 has a TDP of 84W, while the i5-1035G1 has a TDP of 15W. This makes the i5-1035G1 far more suitable for mobile devices, as it is a mobile segment processor on the Intel BGA 1526 socket.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The i7-4790's largest head-to-head wins come in integer-heavy and memory-intensive tasks. In Passmark find prime numbers, the i7-4790 scores 32 against 19, a 68.4% advantage that is the largest single delta in the entire comparison. This is followed by random string sorting, where the i7-4790 scores 14790 against 9782, a 51.2% lead. Data compression shows a 36.1% gap, with the i7-4790 at 109623 and the i5-1035G1 at 80534. Extended instructions also favor the i7-4790 by 23.7% (6835 vs. 5524), and physics by 17.7% (498 vs. 423). These wins demonstrate that the older Haswell design retains a clear edge in several computational patterns, even against a much newer core.

The i5-1035G1's wins are fewer but include the single largest margin in the dataset. Its Passmark data encryption score of 4094 crushes the i7-4790's 2035, a 50.3% difference. This is the only test where either processor leads by more than 50%. The i5-1035G1 also wins floating-point math with a 15.4% margin (15483 vs. 13104) and integer math with a 1.9% margin (26645 vs. 26129). These results point to the newer Ice Lake core's strengths in cryptographic acceleration and floating-point throughput, areas where architectural improvements over Haswell are most visible.

The Cinebench series shows a consistent pattern of narrow i7-4790 wins. In R15, the i7-4790 wins multicore by 1.6% (621 vs. 611) and singlecore by 1.2% (87 vs. 86). In R20, it wins multicore by 1.8% (2591 vs. 2546) and singlecore by 1.7% (365 vs. 359). In R23, it wins multicore by 1.8% (6171 vs. 6062) and singlecore by 1.9% (871 vs. 855). The margins are remarkably stable across all three Cinebench versions, suggesting a fundamental clock-speed advantage for the i7-4790 rather than any architectural superiority in rendering workloads. Passmark multithread and single-thread tests follow the same pattern, with the i7-4790 ahead by 0.7% (7264 vs. 7211) and 1.4% (2228 vs. 2198), respectively.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every physical and platform specification. The i7-4790 has a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.00 GHz, while the i5-1035G1 has a base clock of 1000.00 MHz (listed as 1.00 GHz) and a boost clock of 3.60 GHz. The i7-4790's TDP is 84W, versus 15W for the i5-1035G1. The socket types are incompatible: the i7-4790 uses Intel Socket 1150, while the i5-1035G1 uses Intel BGA 1526. The process nodes are 22 nm for the i7-4790 and 10 nm for the i5-1035G1, with die sizes of 177 mm² and 123 mm², respectively. The i7-4790 has 1,400 million transistors; no transistor count is recorded for the i5-1035G1.

L1 cache differs, with the i7-4790 offering 64 KB per core and the i5-1035G1 offering 80 KB per core. L2 cache is identical at 256 KB per core. L3 cache is 8 MB shared for the i7-4790 and 6 MB shared for the i5-1035G1. Memory support is DDR3 for the i7-4790 and DDR4 for the i5-1035G1, with memory bandwidths of 25.6 GB/s and 51.2 GB/s, respectively. Both use dual-channel memory and do not support ECC. The i7-4790 supports PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU, while the i5-1035G1 supports PCIe Gen 3 without a lane count. Integrated graphics are Intel HD 4600 for the i7-4790 and UHD Graphics for the i5-1035G1. The i7-4790 is a desktop part with a launch MSRP of $312, while the i5-1035G1 is a mobile part with no recorded launch MSRP. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier. Release dates are 2014-04-30 for the i7-4790 and 2019-07-31 for the i5-1035G1, with production statuses of end-of-life and active, respectively. Part numbers are SR1QF for the i7-4790 and SRGKGSRGKL for the i5-1035G1.