Intel Core i7-4790K vs Intel Core i7-6700K Comparison

The Intel Core i7-6700K and Intel Core i7-4790K are both 4-core, 8-thread desktop processors, but the benchmark data shows a clear overall winner. The 6700K wins 16 of 19 head-to-head tests, with an average benchmark score of 12237 against 11745 for the 4790K. The 4790K does take three specific workloads, but the 6700K's margins in encryption, floating point, and physics are substantial.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The 6700K dominates the most demanding workloads. Its largest victory comes in Passmark data encryption, where it scores 3067 against the 4790K's 2264, a 35.5% lead. Floating point math also favors the 6700K heavily: 17375 versus 14597, a 19% advantage. Physics simulation shows a 16.2% gap, with scores of 637 and 548. These three wins alone establish the 6700K as the stronger compute part.

Multi-threaded rendering follows the same pattern. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the 6700K scores 765 versus 690, a 10.9% win. R20 multicore gives 3189 against 2879, a 10.8% margin, and R23 multicore shows 7594 versus 6855, also 10.8%. The Passmark multithread test adds a 10.7% win (8927 vs 8062). Single-core performance also leans to the 6700K: Cinebench R15 singlecore 108 vs 97 (11.3%), R20 singlecore 450 vs 406 (10.8%), R23 singlecore 1072 vs 967 (10.9%), and Geekbench singlecore 1442 vs 1361 (6%). Passmark single thread is closer, 2500 vs 2466, a 1.4% edge.

The 6700K also wins in extended instructions (8248 vs 7579, 8.8%), data compression (125659 vs 121722, 3.2%), and Geekbench multicore (5011 vs 4569, 9.7%). These results indicate a consistent advantage across rendering, encryption, and general compute.

The 4790K claims three wins, all in integer-oriented tasks. It leads in Passmark find prime numbers with 34 versus 30, an 11.8% margin. Integer math goes to the 4790K at 29163 versus 28144, a 3.5% win. Random string sorting also favors the 4790K, 16431 versus 15788, a 3.9% edge. These are narrow victories compared to the 6700K's larger margins in other areas.

Context from the database's nearest rivals reinforces the gap. The 6700K's average score of 12237 sits 0.6% behind the Intel Core i3-10105, while the 4790K's 11745 is 0.4% ahead of the Intel Core i7-1185G7. Both processors rank at the 67th percentile among all CPUs, but the 6700K's raw average is 492 points higher.

Architecture Differences

The two processors share the same core and thread count, the same L1 and L2 cache per core, and the same 8 MB shared L3 cache. Both have a 4.00 GHz base clock, dual-channel memory bus, PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes, no ECC support, and an unlocked multiplier. The differences start with the underlying design.

The 6700K uses the Skylake architecture on a 14 nm process, while the 4790K uses Haswell on a 22 nm process. The die size reflects this: the 6700K measures 122 mm², the 4790K 177 mm². The 4790K integrates 1,400 million transistors; the 6700K's transistor count is not listed. The 6700K supports both DDR3 and DDR4 memory depending on the motherboard, whereas the 4790K is limited to DDR3. Memory bandwidth is higher on the 6700K at 34.1 GB/s versus 25.6 GB/s.

The boost clock is the one specification where the 4790K is higher: 4.40 GHz versus 4.20 GHz. The 4790K also has a slightly lower TDP at 88 watts compared to 91 watts. The integrated graphics differ: the 6700K has HD Graphics 530, the 4790K has Intel HD 4600. The sockets are different as well, with the 6700K on Intel Socket 1151 and the 4790K on Intel Socket 1150. Release dates are 2015-08-04 for the 6700K and 2014-04-30 for the 4790K. The launch MSRP was $339 for the 6700K and $350 for the 4790K.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the Intel Core i7-6700K is the faster processor in the vast majority of workloads. It wins every Cinebench test, every Geekbench test, and the Passmark multithread, physics, floating point, encryption, extended instructions, and data compression tests. The 4790K's higher boost clock and lower TDP do not translate into performance wins. The 6700K's architectural advantages, including a smaller process node and higher memory bandwidth, give it a decisive edge in compute-heavy tasks.

The 4790K is not without merit. It leads in integer math, prime number finding, and random string sorting, but these are narrow margins and represent a small slice of the benchmark suite. For users whose workloads are dominated by integer operations, the 4790K remains competitive. However, for general productivity, rendering, encryption, and physics simulation, the 6700K is the clear choice. The 6700K also offers the flexibility of DDR4 memory support, which may be a consideration for platform longevity.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has a higher single-core score?

A: The 6700K leads in all single-core tests: Cinebench R15 108 vs 97, R20 450 vs 406, R23 1072 vs 967, Geekbench 1442 vs 1361, and Passmark single thread 2500 vs 2466.

Q: Which CPU supports DDR4 memory?

A: The 6700K supports DDR3 and DDR4 depending on the motherboard, while the 4790K supports only DDR3.

Q: Which CPU has a higher boost clock?

A: The 4790K has a boost clock of 4.40 GHz, while the 6700K has 4.20 GHz.

Q: Which CPU wins in encryption?

A: The 6700K wins by 35.5% in Passmark data encryption, scoring 3067 versus 2264.

Q: Which CPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The 6700K has an average score of 12237, compared to 11745 for the 4790K.

Q: Which CPU uses a smaller process node?

A: The 6700K uses a 14 nm process, while the 4790K uses 22 nm.

Where Each One Wins

The 6700K is the pick for encryption, floating point math, physics simulation, and multi-threaded rendering. Its 35.5% encryption lead and 19% floating point advantage make it the obvious choice for cryptographic workloads and scientific computing. The 10.8% to 10.9% margins in Cinebench multicore tests show clear superiority in 3D rendering and video encoding. The 6700K also wins in data compression, extended instructions, and multithread, making it the better all-round performer.

The 4790K holds a niche in integer-heavy tasks. It wins in prime number finding by 11.8%, integer math by 3.5%, and random string sorting by 3.9%. These are the only areas where the 4790K outperforms the 6700K, and the margins are modest. For users running integer-bound algorithms or sorting workloads, the 4790K is a viable alternative, but it does not match the 6700K's breadth of performance.

Specification Differences

| Field | Intel Core i7-6700K | Intel Core i7-4790K |

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

| Socket | Intel Socket 1151 | Intel Socket 1150 |

| Architecture | Skylake | Haswell |

| Codename | Skylake | Haswell |

| Generation | Core i7 (Skylake) | Core i7 (Haswell) |

| Process Node | 14 nm | 22 nm |

| Die Size | 122 mm² | 177 mm² |

| Transistors | Not listed | 1,400 million |

| Memory Support | DDR3, DDR4 (depends on motherboard) | DDR3 |

| Memory Bandwidth | 34.1 GB/s | 25.6 GB/s |

| Integrated Graphics | HD Graphics 530 | Intel HD 4600 |

| Boost Clock | 4.20 GHz | 4.40 GHz |

| TDP | 91 W | 88 W |

| Release Date | 2015-08-04 | 2014-04-30 |

| Launch MSRP | $339 | $350 |

| Part Number | SR2L0SR2BR | SR219 |

The two processors share identical core counts, thread counts, cache sizes, base clock, PCIe configuration, ECC support, market segment, production status, and unlocked multiplier. The differences above are the only specification gaps that matter for performance and platform compatibility.