CPU Comparison

The Intel Core i7-980 and Intel Core i5-4690K are both end-of-life desktop processors, but benchmark results show a decisive split in performance characteristics. The Core i7-980 wins every single head-to-head benchmark in this comparison, taking all six tests with a consistent performance advantage of roughly 21% across the board. However, the Core i5-4690K counters with modern platform features, PCIe Gen 3, integrated graphics, and a 25.6 GB/s memory bandwidth figure, that the older Westmere chip lacks. The data shows the i7-980 is the clear performance king in raw compute, while the i5-4690K offers a more feature-complete package for a system builder prioritizing connectivity and convenience over raw throughput.

Where Each One Wins

The performance landscape is unambiguous: the Intel Core i7-980 wins every benchmark in the head-to-head comparison. In Cinebench R15 multicore, it scores 589 against the i5-4690K’s 486, a 21.2% advantage. That margin holds almost perfectly across every test, R20 multicore shows a 21.3% lead (2458 vs 2027), and R23 multicore shows a 21.2% lead (5853 vs 4828). Single-core tests tell the same story: the i7-980 leads by 22.1% in R15 single-core (83 vs 68), 21% in R20 single-core (346 vs 286), and 21.3% in R23 single-core (826 vs 681). With six wins out of six, the i7-980 is the unequivocal compute winner.

The i5-4690K’s wins are not in benchmark scores but in platform attributes. It carries a smaller 88 W TDP versus the i7-980’s 130 W, making it a more thermally manageable part for compact builds. It also includes integrated graphics (Intel HD 4600) where the i7-980 has none, eliminating the need for a discrete GPU in basic systems. The i5’s PCIe Gen 3, 16 Lanes (CPU only) support is a generation ahead of the i7-980’s Gen 2, which matters for modern graphics cards and NVMe storage. Its memory bus is dual-channel, but the listed 25.6 GB/s bandwidth figure is a concrete spec the i7-980 lacks entirely. For a user who values efficiency, integrated display output, and modern I/O, the i5-4690K wins where it counts, just not in raw compute.

Architecture Differences

The two chips come from different architectural eras. The i7-980 uses the Westmere architecture under the Gulftown codename, built on a 32 nm process node at Intel’s foundry. It packs 1,170 million transistors on a 239 mm² die, with six cores and twelve threads via Hyper-Threading. Its cache hierarchy includes 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, and a shared 12 MB L3. Memory support is DDR3 over a triple-channel bus. This is a high-core-count design aimed at heavy multi-threaded workloads, with a 3.33 GHz base clock and 3.60 GHz boost.

The i5-4690K uses the Haswell architecture, also from Intel, on a 22 nm process node. It integrates 1,400 million transistors on a smaller 177 mm² die, reflecting a denser manufacturing process. It has four cores and four threads, no Hyper-Threading, with the same per-core L1 and L2 cache sizes (64 KB and 256 KB), but only 6 MB of shared L3, half of the i7-980’s allocation. Its base clock is 3.50 GHz with a 3.90 GHz boost, higher than the i7-980’s frequencies. The chip supports DDR3 over a dual-channel bus with a rated 25.6 GB/s bandwidth, and it includes Intel HD 4600 integrated graphics. Crucially, the i5-4690K has an unlocked multiplier, while the i7-980 does not, meaning the i5 is designed for overclocking. The i7-980 uses the older Intel Socket 1366; the i5-4690K uses Intel Socket 1150.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data is remarkably consistent, with the i7-980 winning every test by a narrow band of 21% to 22.1%. Starting with Cinebench R15 multicore, the i7-980 scores 589 against the i5-4690K’s 486, a 21.2% lead. The single-core R15 test shows an even larger gap: 83 versus 68, a 22.1% advantage for the i7-980. This pattern repeats in Cinebench R20, where the multicore result is 2458 versus 2027 (21.3% delta) and the single-core result is 346 versus 286 (21% delta). The newest test, Cinebench R23, shows 5853 versus 4828 in multicore (21.2%) and 826 versus 681 in single-core (21.3%).

These numbers reveal that the i7-980’s advantage is not just about core count. Its six cores and twelve threads should dominate in multicore, and they do, but the 21% margin also appears in single-core tests, where the i5-4690K’s higher clock speed (3.90 GHz boost vs 3.60 GHz) should help. The consistency of the delta across all tests suggests the i7-980’s older Westmere architecture simply delivers more instructions per clock in Cinebench workloads, or the benchmark favors its larger 12 MB L3 cache. The i5-4690K’s avgBenchmarkScore is 1682, while the i7-980’s is 1693, a negligible 0.7% difference in overall averages, but the head-to-head Cinebench suite tells a different story. Both chips sit at the 40th percentile vs all CPUs, indicating they are mid-pack performers in the broader market.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU is faster in multi-core performance?

A: The Intel Core i7-980 wins all three multicore tests. It scores 589 in Cinebench R15, 2458 in R20, and 5853 in R23, versus the i5-4690K’s 486, 2027, and 4828 respectively, a consistent 21.2% advantage.

Q: Does the i5-4690K win any benchmark?

A: No. The head-to-head data lists six benchmarks, and the i5-4690K wins zero of them. The i7-980 takes all six wins, with deltas ranging from 21% to 22.1%.

Q: Can the i5-4690K be overclocked?

A: Yes. The i5-4690K has an unlocked multiplier, indicated by the "K" suffix. The i7-980 does not have an unlocked multiplier, so it cannot be overclocked in the same manner.

Q: Which CPU has integrated graphics?

A: Only the i5-4690K has integrated graphics, specifically Intel HD 4600. The i7-980 has no integrated graphics, requiring a discrete GPU for video output.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The i7-980 has an avgBenchmarkScore of 1693, while the i5-4690K scores 1682, a gap of just 11 points, or roughly 0.7%. Both are at the 40th percentile vs all CPUs.

Q: Which CPU has a higher boost clock?

A: The i5-4690K has a higher boost clock at 3.90 GHz, compared to the i7-980’s 3.60 GHz. The i5 also has a higher base clock at 3.50 GHz versus 3.33 GHz.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i7-980 | Intel Core i5-4690K |

|---|---|---|

| Cores | 6 | 4 |

| Threads | 12 | 4 |

| Base Clock | 3.33 GHz | 3.50 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 3.60 GHz | 3.90 GHz |

| TDP | 130 W | 88 W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 1366 | Intel Socket 1150 |

| Architecture | Westmere | Haswell |

| Codename | Gulftown | Haswell |

| Process Node | 32 nm | 22 nm |

| Transistors | 1,170 million | 1,400 million |

| Die Size | 239 mm² | 177 mm² |

| L3 Cache | 12 MB (shared) | 6 MB (shared) |

| Memory Bus | Triple-channel | Dual-channel |

| Memory Bandwidth | Not listed | 25.6 GB/s |

| PCIe | Gen 2 | Gen 3, 16 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | None | Intel HD 4600 |

| Multiplier Unlocked | No | Yes |

| Part Number | SLBYU | SR21A |

| Launch MSRP | Not listed | $243 |

The Verdict

The data is clear: the Intel Core i7-980 is the faster processor in every measurable compute benchmark. Its six cores and twelve threads deliver a 21% lead in Cinebench R15, R20, and R23, across both multicore and single-core tests. The margin is identical across all tests, 21% to 22.1%, which indicates a fundamental architectural advantage, not just a core-count benefit. Its 12 MB of shared L3 cache and triple-channel memory bus are superior for heavy workloads. If raw processing power is the only criterion, the i7-980 wins outright.

However, the i5-4690K is not without merit. Its 88 W TDP makes it significantly more power-efficient than the 130 W i7-980. It includes Intel HD 4600 integrated graphics, which the i7-980 lacks entirely, and its PCIe Gen 3 support is a full generation newer than the i7-980’s Gen 2. The i5-4690K also has an unlocked multiplier, allowing for overclocking that could narrow the performance gap in practice. Its launch MSRP is $243, while the i7-980 has no listed launch price. For a user building a new system today, the i5-4690K’s modern platform features, integrated graphics, newer PCIe, and lower power draw, make it the more practical choice despite losing every benchmark. For pure multi-threaded rendering or computation, the i7-980 remains the stronger part, but it requires a discrete GPU and an older socket platform. The verdict depends on priorities: performance leads to the i7-980, platform modernity leads to the i5-4690K.