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A9 9420 vs Core i7-4790


Description
The 9420 is based on Excavator architecture while the i7-4790 is based on Haswell.

Using the multithread performance as a reference, the 9420 gets a score of 46.3 k points while the i7-4790 gets 173.9 k points.

Summarizing, the i7-4790 is 3.8 times faster than the 9420. To get a proper comparison between both models, take a look to the data shown below.

Specs
CPUID
670f00
306c3
Core
Stoney Ridge
Haswell
Architecture
Base frecuency
3 GHz
3.6 GHz
Boost frecuency
3.6 GHz
4 GHz
Socket
Micro-BGA
LGA 1150
Cores/Threads
2/2
4/8
TDP
15 W
84 W
Cache L1 (d+i)
96+2x32 kB
32+32 kB
Cache L2
1024 kB
256 kB
Cache L3
0 kB
8192 kB
Date
April 2017
May 2014
Mean monothread perf.
33.09k points
44.73k points
Mean multithread perf.
46.33k points
173.89k points

Non-optimized benchmark
The benchmark in Mode 0 (FPU) measures cpu performance with non-optimized software. It uses the basic µinstructions from the i386 architecture with the i387 floating point unit. This mode is compatible with all CPUs so it's practical to compare very different CPUs
Monothread
9420
i7-4790
Test#1 (Integers)
2.56k
4.51k (x1.76)
Test#2 (FP)
9.97k
11.24k (x1.13)
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
2.96k
5.03k (x1.7)
Test#1 (Memory)
2.12k
5.02k (x2.36)
TOTAL
17.61k
25.8k (x1.47)

Multithread

9420

i7-4790
Test#1 (Integers)
3.88k
15.72k (x4.05)
Test#2 (FP)
9.26k
54.99k (x5.94)
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
3.9k
23.87k (x6.11)
Test#1 (Memory)
1.74k
5.48k (x3.15)
TOTAL
18.79k
100.06k (x5.33)

SSE3 optimized benchmark
The benchmark in mode I (SSE) is optimized for the use of SIMD instructions with 128 bits register and the SSE set up to version 3. Nearly every modern CPU has support for this mode.
Monothread
9420
i7-4790
Test#1 (Integers)
8.41k
13.52k (x1.61)
Test#2 (FP)
11.48k
11.94k (x1.04)
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
3.29k
4.96k (x1.51)
Test#1 (Memory)
2.24k
4.84k (x2.16)
TOTAL
25.41k
35.25k (x1.39)

Multithread

9420

i7-4790
Test#1 (Integers)
11.25k
54.7k (x4.86)
Test#2 (FP)
13.69k
52.41k (x3.83)
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
2.09k
24.5k (x11.75)
Test#1 (Memory)
1.87k
6.77k (x3.62)
TOTAL
28.89k
138.37k (x4.79)

AVX optimized benchmark
The benchmark in mode II (AVX) is optimized to used 256 bits registers beside the first version of the Advanced Vector Extensions (AVX). The first AVX compatible CPU was released in 2011.
Monothread
9420
i7-4790
Test#1 (Integers)
7.55k
14.07k (x1.86)
Test#2 (FP)
13.9k
12.63k (x0.91)
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
3.11k
5.35k (x1.72)
Test#1 (Memory)
2.18k
4.98k (x2.29)
TOTAL
26.74k
37.03k (x1.39)

Multithread

9420

i7-4790
Test#1 (Integers)
9.09k
57.88k (x6.37)
Test#2 (FP)
12.25k
60.83k (x4.97)
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
3k
24.4k (x8.13)
Test#1 (Memory)
1.81k
6.95k (x3.85)
TOTAL
26.15k
150.07k (x5.74)

AVX2 optimized benchmark
The benchmark in mode III (AVX2), like AVX1, is optimized to used 256 bits registers beside the second version of the Advanced Vector Extensions (AVX). The first AVX2 compatible CPU was released in 2013.
Monothread
9420
i7-4790
Test#1 (Integers)
11.74k
22.19k (x1.89)
Test#2 (FP)
16.05k
12.45k (x0.78)
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
3.26k
5.11k (x1.57)
Test#1 (Memory)
2.05k
4.98k (x2.43)
TOTAL
33.09k
44.73k (x1.35)

Multithread

9420

i7-4790
Test#1 (Integers)
18.57k
87.14k (x4.69)
Test#2 (FP)
20.11k
58k (x2.88)
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
5.27k
22.75k (x4.31)
Test#1 (Memory)
2.38k
6k (x2.52)
TOTAL
46.33k
173.89k (x3.75)

Performance/W
9420
i7-4790
Test#1 (Integers)
1238 points/W
1037 points/W
Test#2 (FP)
1340 points/W
691 points/W
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
352 points/W
271 points/W
Test#1 (Memory)
159 points/W
71 points/W
TOTAL
3089 points/W
2070 points/W

Performance/GHz
9420
i7-4790
Test#1 (Integers)
3260 points/GHz
5547 points/GHz
Test#2 (FP)
4458 points/GHz
3113 points/GHz
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
905 points/GHz
1279 points/GHz
Test#1 (Memory)
570 points/GHz
1244 points/GHz
TOTAL
9192 points/GHz
11183 points/GHz

Monothread performance graph
Monothread performance graphics gives the performance vs time. They are useful to measure the time it takes to the CPU to reach the maximum performance.

Usually, CPU's performance will be steady during these tests but if it has a slow frequency strategy, the first samples will show a lower score.


Test#1 (Integers) [points vs time]

grafica bm.hardlimit.com


Test#2 (FP) [points vs time]

grafica bm.hardlimit.com


Test#3 (Generic, ZIP) [points vs time]

grafica bm.hardlimit.com


Test#1 (Memory) [points vs time]

grafica bm.hardlimit.com

Multithread performance graph
Multithread graphs measure the performance against a heavy load during certain time.

If CPU's TDP doesn't limit the frequency and the machine is properly cooled, performance should remain steady vs time. Otherwise, the performance score will oscillate or decrease over time.


Test#1 (Integers) [points vs time]

grafica bm.hardlimit.com


Test#2 (FP) [points vs time]

grafica bm.hardlimit.com


Test#3 (Generic, ZIP) [points vs time]

grafica bm.hardlimit.com


Test#1 (Memory) [points vs time]

grafica bm.hardlimit.com

Hardlimit Benchmark Central - Ver. 3.11.4