Intel Core i5-4690K vs Intel Core i7-990X Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded benchmark data presents a striking split between the two processors, with the Intel Core i7-990X winning six of the eight head-to-head tests, while the Intel Core i5-4690K claims the remaining two. The most dramatic separation occurs in Geekbench, where the i5-4690K establishes a commanding advantage. In Geekbench single-core, the i5-4690K scores 1292 against the i7-990X's 556, a difference of 57 percent. The Geekbench multi-core test also favors the i5-4690K, with a score of 3789 versus 2612, placing it 31.1 percent ahead.

The rest of the benchmark suite tells a different story, one dominated by the older six-core design. Across all Cinebench iterations, the i7-990X holds a remarkably consistent lead over the i5-4690K, with delta percentages hovering between 25.5 and 26.5 percent. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i7-990X scores 611 against the i5-4690K's 486, a 25.7 percent advantage. The single-core variant of R15 shows an even larger gap, with the i7-990X at 86 points and the i5-4690K at 68 points, translating to a 26.5 percent lead. This pattern repeats in Cinebench R20, where the i7-990X posts 2549 multi-core and 359 single-core, while the i5-4690K manages 2027 and 286 respectively. The deltas are 25.8 percent for multi-core and 25.5 percent for single-core. The latest Cinebench R23 results continue the trend, with the i7-990X scoring 6071 multi-core and 857 single-core, compared to the i5-4690K's 4828 and 681, both representing a 25.7 percent and 25.8 percent gap respectively.

The aggregate picture from the database's average benchmark score shows a near-tie, with the i7-990X at 1713 and the i5-4690K at 1682. This places both processors at the 40th percentile versus all CPUs tracked in the database, indicating that their overall performance levels sit in the same broad tier despite the divergent test results. The i7-990X's nearest rivals, including the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 2700U and Intel Core i7-4910MQ, both score 1715 and 1716 respectively, with delta percentages of -0.1 percent against the i7-990X. The i5-4690K's closest competitor, the Intel Xeon D-1528, scores 1677, placing it 0.3 percent behind. These figures suggest that while the Cinebench suite heavily favors the six-core i7-990X, the Geekbench results pull its average down to parity with the i5-4690K.

Architecture Differences

The two processors belong to completely different design eras and microarchitectural families. The Intel Core i7-990X is built on the Westmere architecture, specifically the Gulftown codename, and represents the Core i7 Extreme generation. It uses a 32 nm process node and contains 1,170 million transistors on a 239 mm² die. The Intel Core i5-4690K, by contrast, uses the Haswell architecture with the same Haswell codename, built on a more advanced 22 nm process. It packs 1,400 million transistors into a smaller 177 mm² die, demonstrating the density improvements that came with the newer manufacturing technology.

Core configuration differences are substantial. The i7-990X offers 6 physical cores with 12 threads via Hyper-Threading, while the i5-4690K provides 4 cores and 4 threads without Hyper-Threading. The i7-990X's base clock is 3.47 GHz with a boost clock of 3.73 GHz, while the i5-4690K starts at 3.50 GHz and boosts to 3.90 GHz. Despite the i5-4690K's higher clock speeds, the i7-990X's additional cores and threads give it the edge in the Cinebench workloads that scale with core count. Thermal design power also differs significantly, with the i7-990X rated at 130 watts compared to the i5-4690K's 88 watts, reflecting the energy demands of the older six-core design.

Cache hierarchies show a clear divergence. Both processors share identical L1 cache at 64 KB per core and L2 cache at 256 KB per core. The L3 cache, however, is doubled in the i7-990X, which provides 12 MB shared across all cores, while the i5-4690K offers only 6 MB shared. This larger pool of L3 cache likely contributes to the i7-990X's performance in multi-threaded rendering tasks. Memory support also differs: both use DDR3 memory, but the i7-990X implements a triple-channel memory bus, while the i5-4690K uses a dual-channel configuration. The i5-4690K's memory bandwidth is listed at 25.6 GB/s, a figure not recorded for the i7-990X.

Platform connectivity separates the two further. The i7-990X uses Intel Socket 1366 with PCIe Gen 2 support, while the i5-4690K uses Intel Socket 1150 with PCIe Gen 3 and 16 lanes from the CPU. The i5-4690K also includes integrated graphics in the form of Intel HD 4600, whereas the i7-990X has no integrated graphics unit. Both processors support unlocked multipliers for overclocking, though they target different platforms with different upgrade paths. The i7-990X was released in 2011, while the i5-4690K arrived in 2014, and both are now marked as end-of-life products.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins more benchmark tests?

A: The Intel Core i7-990X wins 6 out of 8 head-to-head tests, all of them being Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 variants. The Intel Core i5-4690K wins the remaining 2 tests, both in Geekbench.

Q: What is the largest performance gap in either direction?

A: The largest gap favors the Intel Core i5-4690K in Geekbench single-core, where it scores 1292 against the i7-990X's 556, a 57 percent difference. The largest gap favoring the i7-990X is 26.5 percent in Cinebench R15 single-core.

Q: How do the core counts compare?

A: The i7-990X has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the i5-4690K has 4 cores and 4 threads. The i7-990X also has double the L3 cache, with 12 MB shared compared to 6 MB shared on the i5-4690K.

Q: What are the clock speed differences?

A: The i5-4690K runs at a 3.50 GHz base clock and 3.90 GHz boost clock, while the i7-990X runs at 3.47 GHz base and 3.73 GHz boost. The i5-4690K has the higher clocks on both counts.

Q: Do both processors support overclocking?

A: Yes, both the i7-990X and the i5-4690K have unlocked multipliers. This allows user-controlled overclocking on both platforms, though the specific results are not recorded in this dataset.

Q: What is the average benchmark score for each?

A: The i7-990X has an average benchmark score of 1713, while the i5-4690K has an average of 1682. Both sit at the 40th percentile among all CPUs in the database.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i7-990X | Intel Core i5-4690K |

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

| Cores | 6 | 4 |

| Threads | 12 | 4 |

| Base Clock | 3.47 GHz | 3.50 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 3.73 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 recorded | 25.6 GB/s |

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

| Integrated Graphics | None | Intel HD 4600 |

| Release Date | 2011-02-23 | 2014-06-01 |

| Launch MSRP | Not recorded | $243 |

The Verdict

The benchmark data supports a clear choice based on workload characteristics. For multi-threaded rendering tasks as measured by the Cinebench suite, the Intel Core i7-990X is the definitive winner. It delivers a consistent 25.5 to 26.5 percent advantage across every Cinebench test, including single-core variants where its lower clock speed might have suggested a disadvantage. The six-core, twelve-thread configuration, combined with 12 MB of L3 cache and triple-channel memory support, provides a structural advantage that clock speed alone cannot overcome. Users whose primary applications resemble Cinebench's rendering workload should select the i7-990X without hesitation.

The Intel Core i5-4690K, however, demonstrates superiority in Geekbench workloads. Its single-core score of 1292 crushes the i7-990X's 556, and its multi-core score of 3789 beats the i7-990X's 2612 by 31.1 percent. This suggests that Geekbench exercises the newer Haswell architecture's strengths, likely including its higher clock speeds, smaller process node, and more efficient per-core execution. The i5-4690K also benefits from a lower TDP of 88 watts versus 130 watts, making it the more energy-conscious choice. Its PCIe Gen 3 support and integrated graphics add platform flexibility that the older i7-990X cannot match.

The average benchmark scores place both processors within 1.8 percent of each other, with the i7-990X at 1713 and the i5-4690K at 1682. Both are at the 40th percentile among all CPUs. This near-parity in aggregate performance masks the very different workload profiles revealed by the individual tests. For a user focused on rendering and compute-heavy multi-threaded tasks, the i7-990X offers a substantial edge. For a user running a mix of general-purpose and lightly threaded applications, the i5-4690K's Geekbench dominance and modern platform features make it the more balanced selection. The data does not support one processor as universally superior; instead, it points to workload-specific strengths that should guide the purchasing decision.