Intel Core i5-4590 vs Intel Core i9-9990XE Comparison

The Intel Core i5-4590 and the Intel Core i9-9990XE represent two entirely different eras and market positions within Intel’s desktop lineup. The i5-4590 is a 2014 Haswell part aimed at mainstream quad-core systems, while the i9-9990XE is a 2018 Skylake-X extreme processor with 14 cores and a 255W TDP. Benchmark results show a complete sweep for the i9-9990XE across all six shared tests, with the i5-4590 trailing by roughly 82% in every single-core and multi-core Cinebench workload. Despite this dominance, both processors occupy the same 63rd percentile among all CPUs, which is a direct result of the benchmark database’s averaging methodology, where the i5-4590’s broader suite of tests (including PassMark workloads) balances its average score against the i9-9990XE’s narrower Cinebench-only profile.

FAQ

Q: How does the Intel Core i9-9990XE compare to the Intel Core i5-4590 in multi-core performance?

A: The i9-9990XE wins all multi-core Cinebench tests by a consistent margin. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the i9-9990XE scores 25,637 versus the i5-4590’s 4,573, a delta of -82.2%. The same -82.2% delta appears in Cinebench R15 multi-core (2,584 vs 460) and Cinebench R20 multi-core (10,767 vs 1,920).

Q: Is the single-core performance gap as large as the multi-core gap?

A: Yes, the single-core deficit is nearly identical. The i9-9990XE leads by -82.4% in Cinebench R15 single-core (364 vs 64) and by -82.2% in both Cinebench R20 (1,519 vs 270) and Cinebench R23 (3,619 vs 645). This indicates the i9-9990XE’s higher 5.10 GHz boost clock provides a substantial per-thread advantage over the i5-4590’s 3.70 GHz boost.

Q: What is the average benchmark score for each processor, and what does that imply?

A: The i5-4590 has an average benchmark score of 7,609, while the i9-9990XE averages 7,415. Both sit at the 63rd percentile of all CPUs. The i5-4590’s higher average stems from its inclusion of additional PassMark tests (e.g., integer math, floating point math, data compression), which the i9-9990XE lacks, thereby skewing the average comparison.

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The i9-9990XE has 14 cores and 28 threads, while the i5-4590 has 4 cores and 4 threads. This 10-core difference explains the i9-9990XE’s decisive multi-core wins, as it can process far more parallel workloads simultaneously.

Q: What memory technologies do the two CPUs support?

A: The i5-4590 supports DDR3 memory over a dual-channel bus. The i9-9990XE supports DDR4 memory over a quad-channel bus with a memory bandwidth of 85.3 GB/s. The i9-9990XE’s newer memory standard and wider bus provide higher theoretical throughput.

Q: Are both processors unlocked for overclocking?

A: No. The i5-4590 has a locked multiplier, while the i9-9990XE has an unlocked multiplier. The i9-9990XE also has a higher base clock of 4.00 GHz versus the i5-4590’s 3.30 GHz, further contributing to its performance lead.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide between the i5-4590 and i9-9990XE is generational and foundational. The i5-4590 uses the Haswell architecture on a 22 nm process node, fabricated by Intel with 1,400 million transistors on a 177 mm² die. The i9-9990XE uses the Skylake architecture (specifically Skylake-X) on a 14 nm process node, with no transistor or die size data available. The i5-4590 belongs to the Core i5 (Haswell) generation, while the i9-9990XE belongs to the Core i9 Extreme (X-Series 9th Gen) family, marking a shift toward high-core-count desktop processors.

Cache layouts differ substantially. Both CPUs share a 64 KB L1 cache per core, but the L2 cache scales from 256 KB per core on the i5-4590 to 1 MB per core on the i9-9990XE. L3 cache jumps from 6 MB shared on the i5-4590 to 19.25 MB shared on the i9-9990XE. This larger cache hierarchy on the i9-9990XE reduces memory latency for frequently accessed data, complementing its higher core count.

The i5-4590 includes integrated graphics (Intel HD 4600), whereas the i9-9990XE has none, reflecting its intended use with discrete graphics in high-end desktop systems. The i9-9990XE also supports PCIe Gen 3 with 44 lanes from the CPU only, while the i5-4590 supports PCIe Gen 3 without a lane count specified. The i5-4590 uses the Intel Socket 1150, while the i9-9990XE uses the Intel Socket 2066, which are physically incompatible. Finally, the i9-9990XE is marked as end-of-life production status, while the i5-4590’s production status is unspecified.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head results are unambiguous: the i9-9990XE wins all six shared benchmarks, with identical deltas of -82.2% in five tests and -82.4% in one. Starting with Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i9-9990XE scores 2,584 against the i5-4590’s 460. This 2,124-point gap reflects the i9-9990XE’s 14 cores versus 4 cores, making it over five times faster in this heavily threaded render workload.

In Cinebench R15 single-core, the i9-9990XE scores 364 versus 64, a delta of -82.4%. This slightly larger delta than the multi-core tests suggests the i9-9990XE’s 5.10 GHz boost clock provides a stronger single-thread advantage than its core count does for multi-threaded tasks. The same pattern holds in Cinebench R20, where the i9-9990XE leads multi-core 10,767 to 1,920 and single-core 1,519 to 270, both at -82.2%.

Cinebench R23 shows the largest absolute multi-core gap: 25,637 for the i9-9990XE versus 4,573 for the i5-4590. This 21,064-point difference underscores the scaling advantage of 28 threads. In single-core R23, the i9-9990XE’s 3,619 versus 645 confirms that even a single thread on the newer architecture runs nearly 5.6 times faster than the i5-4590’s best effort.

The consistent -82.2% delta across R15, R20, and R23 multi-core tests indicates the performance ratio is stable across workload iterations, suggesting the i9-9990XE’s advantage is not workload-specific but intrinsic to its core count and clock speeds. For single-core, the -82.2% to -82.4% range shows a similarly consistent per-thread lead, driven by the i9-9990XE’s 4.00 GHz base clock, which exceeds the i5-4590’s 3.70 GHz boost clock.

Specification Differences

The specification table reveals fundamental divergences beyond performance. Core and thread counts differ dramatically: the i5-4590 has 4 cores and 4 threads, while the i9-9990XE has 14 cores and 28 threads. Base clocks are 3.30 GHz for the i5-4590 and 4.00 GHz for the i9-9990XE; boost clocks are 3.70 GHz and 5.10 GHz, respectively. Thermal design power scales from 84W on the i5-4590 to 255W on the i9-9990XE, reflecting the latter’s higher core count and clock speeds.

Sockets are incompatible: Intel Socket 1150 for the i5-4590 versus Intel Socket 2066 for the i9-9990XE. Process nodes differ (22 nm vs 14 nm), and the i5-4590 has a listed transistor count of 1,400 million and a die size of 177 mm², while the i9-9990XE has neither listed. Cache configurations differ: L2 cache is 256 KB per core on the i5-4590 versus 1 MB per core on the i9-9990XE, and L3 cache is 6 MB shared versus 19.25 MB shared. Memory support changes from DDR3 dual-channel on the i5-4590 to DDR4 quad-channel with an 85.3 GB/s bandwidth on the i9-9990XE.

The i5-4590 includes integrated Intel HD 4600 graphics, while the i9-9990XE has none. PCIe support is Gen 3 on both, but the i9-9990XE specifies 44 lanes from the CPU only, whereas the i5-4590 does not list a lane count. The multiplier is locked on the i5-4590 and unlocked on the i9-9990XE. Release dates are 2014-04-30 for the i5-4590 and 2018-10-18 for the i9-9990XE. The i9-9990XE has a launch MSRP of $2800 and a part number of SREZA, while the i5-4590 has neither. Finally, the i9-9990XE is marked end-of-life, while the i5-4590’s production status is not specified.

Where Each One Wins

The i9-9990XE wins every benchmark category in the head-to-head comparison, making its advantage universal across both single-core and multi-core workloads. For single-threaded tasks, its 5.10 GHz boost clock and Skylake architecture deliver a consistent -82.2% to -82.4% lead over the i5-4590 in all three Cinebench versions. This makes the i9-9990XE the clear choice for lightly threaded applications such as older games, legacy productivity software, or any workload that relies on a single fast core.

For multi-threaded workloads, the i9-9990XE’s 14 cores and 28 threads provide a decisive advantage, as evidenced by its 25,637 score in Cinebench R23 multi-core versus the i5-4590’s 4,573. This positions the i9-9990XE for rendering, video encoding, scientific simulation, and other parallel compute tasks. Its 19.25 MB of shared L3 cache and 1 MB per-core L2 cache further enhance performance in data-intensive workloads, and the quad-channel DDR4 memory with 85.3 GB/s bandwidth provides the memory throughput necessary to feed 28 threads.

The i5-4590, while losing all head-to-head benchmarks, still has a niche based on its lower TDP of 84W versus 255W, its integrated Intel HD 4600 graphics, and its older 22 nm process node. For systems that do not require extreme multi-core performance, such as basic office tasks or legacy applications, the i5-4590 offers a lower power footprint and does not need a discrete GPU. Its 4.0 GHz boost clock (3.70 GHz) and 6 MB L3 cache are sufficient for entry-level productivity, though its 4 cores and 4 threads limit modern multitasking.

The average benchmark scores tell a more nuanced story: the i5-4590’s 7,609 average exceeds the i9-9990XE’s 7,415, and both share the 63rd percentile. This occurs because the i5-4590 has additional PassMark benchmarks in its dataset—such as data compression (76,800), integer math (15,862), and floating point math (12,057)—which inflate its average relative to the i9-9990XE’s Cinebench-only results. Therefore, while the i9-9990XE is superior in every shared test, the i5-4590’s broader benchmark coverage artificially raises its average score, explaining why its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX (delta 0.4%) and Intel Core i5-6500 (delta 0.5%). The i9-9990XE’s nearest rivals include the Intel Core i5-4570 (delta -0.1%) and AMD EPYC 7282 (delta 0.1%), showing that average-score comparisons can obscure the massive head-to-head deltas.