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Core i7-4790 vs i3-4160


Description
Both models i7-4790 and i3-4160 are based on Haswell architecture.

"Haswell is known as fourth-generation core too. It uses 22nm Tri-Gate FinFET (non-planar, ""3D"") technology. It includes four arithmetic logic unit (ALU) and three address generation unit (AGU). This generation is able to run Advanced Vector Extensions 2 (AVX2) instruction set among BMI1, BMI2, ABM and FMA3. At this time, Intel used new sockets: LGA 1150 for desktops and BGA1364 for the mobile CPUs."

Using the multithread performance as a reference, the i7-4790 gets a score of 150.1 k points while the i3-4160 gets 74 k points.

Summarizing, the i7-4790 is 2 times faster than the i3-4160 . To get a proper comparison between both models, take a look to the data shown below.

Specs
CPUID
306c3
306c3
Core
Haswell
Haswell
Architecture
Base frecuency
3.6 GHz
3.6 GHz
Boost frecuency
4 GHz
3.6 GHz
Socket
LGA 1150
LGA 1150
Cores/Threads
4/8
2/4
TDP
84 W
54 W
Cache L1 (d+i)
32+32 kB
32+32 kB
Cache L2
256 kB
256 kB
Cache L3
8192 kB
3072 kB
Date
May 2014
July 2014
Mean monothread perf.
44.73k points
34.16k points
Mean multithread perf.
173.89k points
74k 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
i7-4790
i3-4160
Test#1 (Integers)
4.51k
4.13k (x0.92)
Test#2 (FP)
11.24k
10.33k (x0.92)
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
5.03k
4.64k (x0.92)
Test#1 (Memory)
5.02k
3.95k (x0.79)
TOTAL
25.8k
23.06k (x0.89)

Multithread

i7-4790

i3-4160
Test#1 (Integers)
15.72k
7.46k (x0.47)
Test#2 (FP)
54.99k
26.62k (x0.48)
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
23.87k
11.46k (x0.48)
Test#1 (Memory)
5.48k
6.27k (x1.14)
TOTAL
100.06k
51.81k (x0.52)

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
i7-4790
i3-4160
Test#1 (Integers)
14.07k
13.02k (x0.93)
Test#2 (FP)
12.63k
12k (x0.95)
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
5.35k
4.91k (x0.92)
Test#1 (Memory)
4.98k
4.23k (x0.85)
TOTAL
37.03k
34.16k (x0.92)

Multithread

i7-4790

i3-4160
Test#1 (Integers)
57.88k
27.45k (x0.47)
Test#2 (FP)
60.83k
28.96k (x0.48)
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
24.4k
11.83k (x0.48)
Test#1 (Memory)
6.95k
5.77k (x0.83)
TOTAL
150.07k
74k (x0.49)

Performance/W
i7-4790
i3-4160
Test#1 (Integers)
689 points/W
508 points/W
Test#2 (FP)
724 points/W
536 points/W
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
291 points/W
219 points/W
Test#1 (Memory)
83 points/W
107 points/W
TOTAL
1786 points/W
1370 points/W

Performance/GHz
i7-4790
i3-4160
Test#1 (Integers)
3518 points/GHz
3616 points/GHz
Test#2 (FP)
3157 points/GHz
3334 points/GHz
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
1338 points/GHz
1363 points/GHz
Test#1 (Memory)
1245 points/GHz
1175 points/GHz
TOTAL
9258 points/GHz
9488 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