i5 4690k vs i5 4790k 2018

[Componentgirl90]

A few years ago I opted to buy a 4690k over the 4790k as the performance at the time was very similar most of the time. It was sometimes said back then that the 4790k would be a better performer in games that come out in a few years because of the hyperthreading.

It is now a few years since that point. Does the 4790k perform better than the 4690k in the latest titles now or has nothing really changed? (When clocks are identical). I noticed a review with a 7700k outpeforming a 7600k in todays games but always I wonder if they have other software running in the background which would affect the test result.

 

[sizzling]

The 4790k is better in many of the AAA games released in the last 2 years. These are games that can utilise more than 4 threads.

As the owner of a 4670k @ 4.3Ghz (basically the same as the 4690k) I have found a handful of games where the quad core gets maxed out and the cpu causes dips under 60 FPS. Quad core is now the minimum really for gaming and we see Intel has realised that quad core is low end with i3’s now being quads, i5’s are now hex cores.

 

[boju]

My experience with Farcry5 with 2600k at 4.5 HT off, cpu usage (4c 4t) was 95%. HT on cpu usage dropped to 60ish, increased gpu usage and 20odd more fps with 1080Ti.

Some games do run better without HT though like Dying Light.

In multi threaded games, an i7 with HT can make a huge difference.

 

[Componentgirl90]

I did some more research about this after posting the topic. I think that hyperthreading does make a difference but most of the time it doesn't. It depends on how the game is written, if it is loading things as the level is ending and such things like that (as in Crysis 3).

 

[boju]

Dying Light doesn't agree with HT either, this game runs better with it off. But Farcry5 is another matter and other games that are multi threaded HT is handy to have. Nuisance having to enter bios to toggle but least it's an option and potential money saver.