i7-6700 (non k) vs i7-4790k

[okramlol]

Greetings, I'm in the process of replacing a very old computer to be mainly used for higher end gaming, streaming, music production, and a tad of video editing. I noticed the current price of the i7-6700 is about the same as the older i7-4790k and was wondering what people's opinions were of making the change to Skylake comparatively. I've spent quite a while looking at comparisons but they mainly seem to be against the 6700k which does not fit my budget.

With overclocking it seems as if the i7-4790k is easily a stronger cpu overall at this point but with the Skylake's ability to utilize DDR4 as well as easier upgrading in the farther future, would it be a smarter move? I tend to keep my computers as long as possible before upgrading so upgrading could be a smaller factor. Also to note the builds I constructed ended with the Skylake's total to $30 less overall so not a major difference. Thanks for your time and any info!

 

[RobCrezz]

I would go for the 6700. If you get the right z170 motherboard you can still overclock if you wish

 

[okramlol]

I would go for the 6700. If you get the right z170 motherboard you can still overclock if you wish

Thanks for the reply, Rob. I also was curious about this. I heard Microsoft and/or Intel were putting a stop to this with microcode updates that you could not override. Perhaps short of disabling updates?

 

[RobCrezz]

Asrock have been pushed into releasing bios updates to stop this (no one forces you to update though..), but as far as I know its still possible, could be worth investigating what the best motherboard would be.

 

[DonkeyOatie]

This sort of thing happened when Haswell came out too. In the end, microcode update to BIOS and OS shut the door permanently, unless you were prepared to lock yourself at one place in time, with no future updates.

I expect the assume thing to happen with Skylake. Might be fun for a tertiary system, but I would not do it for either of may 'main ' ones.

 

[synphul]

Personally I'd opt for the 4790k and overclock it stably on a z97 motherboard. Ddr4 sounds good but doesn't really offer a lot of improvement. I'd opt for the stronger cpu. There are improved features on the skylake platform, like better m.2 support and a few others but unless you're going to use them it's not much benefit.

 

[RobCrezz]

This sort of thing happened when Haswell came out too. In the end, microcode update to BIOS and OS shut the door permanently, unless you were prepared to lock yourself at one place in time, with no future updates.

I expect the assume thing to happen with Skylake. Might be fun for a tertiary system, but I would do it for either of may 'main ' ones.

Its not really the same - skylake bclk doesnt affect other parts like it did with haswell, you couldnt really overclock a haswell effectively using the bclk, but on skylake you can.

 

[DonkeyOatie]

Sorry BobCrezz, but I was meaning that Intel/Microsoft shut it down, and I expect that to be the same here, not that the BCLK overclocking and other tricks were the same.

Intel's market plan cannot allow for an overclocked i3, I think.

 

[RobCrezz]

What did Intel microsoft shut down with Haswell?

Intel didnt plan for it, but doesn't mean its not possible. Its only been recent times Intel has embraced overclocking, and thats only by charging a premium for the K edition chips. Some of us have been overclocking to get free performance on the lower chips for years. Intel didnt like it, but it still happened.

 

[DonkeyOatie]

Non-Z overclocking IIRC. http://wccftech.com/intel-blocking-haswell-non-z-oc-k-series-processors-h87-b75-motherboards/

 

[RobCrezz]

Yeah thats not really the same at all.

 

[DonkeyOatie]

I think we are talking past each other here. When people/manufacturers/whatever, finesse what Intel intends to be possible by exploiting things in a way Intel does not want, they respond. Non-K overclocking was stopped. ASRock has withdrawn SkyOC. If a way was discovered to re-activate iGPUs on Haswell Xeons, they'd stop that too.

 

[RobCrezz]

Non K was only stopped if you choose to update your bios to the version that removes the ability. As far as i know, no other manufacturers have stopped it on z170 boards?

 

[okramlol]

So more researching brings about the same info. At this point in time you can overclock the non k skylakes depending on mobo and bios version but "could" potentially be stopped. It may be too early to tell so it sounds safer to go with the 4790k route until Intel and/or Microsoft decide to drop their update and see if it actually does its intention. As I've mentioned, I'm trying to avoid upgrading for quite awhile if possible (that money) and being able to overclock should be able to keep the cpu relevant for longer. By the time I upgrade the skylake i may need to replace everything anyways. So the 4790k may be better in this situation unless you like to keep to the new and improved. Although ddr4 is tempting...

Thanks for the responses. Keep em coming. I'm surprised I could not find as many comparisons. I thought it's pretty obvious the 6700k is better than the 4790k if you're starting from scratch but this seems a bit tougher when you throw an overclockable skylake non k in the equation. Time is apparently what we need to know for sure.

 

[okramlol]

Any thoughts on Intel Xeon E3-1231 V3 compared to the 2 processors we've been discussing? Much cheaper w/o unnecessary igpu. I've read comparisons but how does it hold up now that it's 2016? Is it better to invest another whole $100 for the better base and overclocking ability of say 4970k?

 

[DonkeyOatie]

I use a Xeon 1231v3 here and I also have a 4790K running at 4.6Mhz.

I see the Xeon as being the 'best' locked Haswell. It is at a 'price' performance sweet spot. Only a bit more and as fast as an i5, but with Hyperthreading.

I lacks pure performance with a 3.3Ghz base clock, but it can do anything, well, like the i7 5820K which also does anything well (at 4.4 - 4.6Ghz), only better. If you are looking, the 5820K needs to be in the mix.

The Xeon 1231v3 is like a 6700, but 5% to 10% slower and a lot cheaper
The 4790K is the pure fastest.
The 5820K is the most powerful and would be very suitable for your needs and a similar price.

What IS your budget and peripheral needs? At the level we are talking a 4790K and a 6700K are not THAT different. Are you in the USA?

Here's a start.

Xeon 1231v3

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Xeon E3-1231 V3 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($239.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: CRYORIG H7 49.0 CFM CPU Cooler ($34.50 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97X-SLI ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($108.88 @ OutletPC)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-2400 Memory ($72.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 950 PRO 256GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive ($181.95 @ SuperBiiz)
Storage: Western Digital BLACK SERIES 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($119.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti 6GB Superclocked+ ACX 2.0+ Video Card ($629.99 @ Micro Center)
Case: Corsair Graphite Series 230T Black ATX Mid Tower Case ($54.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA 1050W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($139.99 @ Amazon)
Optical Drive: LG GH24NSC0B DVD/CD Writer ($15.89 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home Full - USB (32/64-bit) ($105.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Monitor: Asus PB258Q 60Hz 25.0" Monitor ($329.10 @ B&H)
Total: $2034.25
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-03-11 16:33 EST-0500

4790K

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($329.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D15 82.5 CFM CPU Cooler ($88.75 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock Fatal1ty Z97X Killer ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($131.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-2400 Memory ($72.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 950 PRO 256GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive ($181.95 @ SuperBiiz)
Storage: Western Digital BLACK SERIES 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($119.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti 6GB Superclocked+ ACX 2.0+ Video Card ($629.99 @ Micro Center)
Case: Corsair Graphite Series 230T Black ATX Mid Tower Case ($54.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA 1050W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($139.99 @ Amazon)
Optical Drive: LG GH24NSC0B DVD/CD Writer ($15.89 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home Full - USB (32/64-bit) ($105.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Monitor: Asus PB258Q 60Hz 25.0" Monitor ($329.10 @ B&H)
Total: $2201.60
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-03-11 16:32 EST-0500

5820K
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-5820K 3.3GHz 6-Core Processor ($376.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D15 82.5 CFM CPU Cooler ($88.75 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-X99M-GAMING 5 Micro ATX LGA2011-3 Motherboard ($176.13 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 32GB (4 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($179.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 950 PRO 256GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive ($181.95 @ SuperBiiz)
Storage: Western Digital BLACK SERIES 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($119.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti 6GB Superclocked+ ACX 2.0+ Video Card ($629.99 @ Micro Center)
Case: Corsair Graphite Series 230T Black ATX Mid Tower Case ($54.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA 1050W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($139.99 @ Amazon)
Optical Drive: LG GH24NSC0B DVD/CD Writer ($15.89 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home Full - USB (32/64-bit) ($105.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Monitor: Asus PB258Q 60Hz 25.0" Monitor ($329.10 @ B&H)
Total: $2399.75
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-03-11 16:29 EST-0500

6700

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-6700 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($329.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: CRYORIG H7 49.0 CFM CPU Cooler ($34.50 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock Z170M Extreme4 Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($101.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws Series 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR4-2400 Memory ($74.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 950 PRO 256GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive ($181.95 @ SuperBiiz)
Storage: Western Digital BLACK SERIES 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($119.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti 6GB Superclocked+ ACX 2.0+ Video Card ($629.99 @ Micro Center)
Case: Corsair Graphite Series 230T Black ATX Mid Tower Case ($54.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA 1050W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($139.99 @ Amazon)
Optical Drive: LG GH24NSC0B DVD/CD Writer ($15.89 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home Full - USB (32/64-bit) ($105.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Monitor: Asus PB258Q 60Hz 25.0" Monitor ($329.10 @ B&H)
Total: $2119.35
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-03-11 16:37 EST-0500

All of these systems are SLI 980ti capable and have blazing fast NVMe x4 SSDs.

The SLI capability could be removed and save $100 and the Xeon system is intended to run with overclocked memory.

 

[BadActor]

http://www.eteknix.com/asrock-finds-way-bypass-intels-non-k-bclk-oc-limits/

 

[okramlol]

Firstly, thanks for all your time in this, it's quite appreciated. Those price points are quite larger than what I was going for. Below are more so what I'm looking at. Note, I already have a case with fans, as well as OS - Win 10 and necessary peripherals. I really do like the savings and value for the Xeon but from asking around some users are starting to lose fps while playing the newest games on high settings and using OBS to stream Twitch - 720p 60fps. I'm starting to think it may be more beneficial to spend the extra on the 4790k for a 10%-20% push (rough numbers). Especially ability to overclock down the road if I need even more oomph. I should also mention that I'm not looking to push overclock settings too much out of the box but I like the ability to do so when the time (or cpu eating monster) comes The graphics card would more likely be a 970 as well

Xeon
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Xeon E3-1231 V3 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($239.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: ASRock H97 PRO4 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($83.89 @ OutletPC)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($44.89 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Kingston SSDNow V300 Series 240GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($64.99 @ Adorama)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 960 4GB Video Card ($199.99 @ Micro Center)
Power Supply: EVGA 600B 600W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($39.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $673.74
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-03-12 02:22 EST-0500

i7 4790k
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($329.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($25.75 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: MSI Z97 PC MATE ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($87.88 @ OutletPC)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($44.89 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Kingston SSDNow V300 Series 240GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($64.99 @ Adorama)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 960 4GB Video Card ($199.99 @ Micro Center)
Power Supply: EVGA 600B 600W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($39.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $793.48
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-03-12 02:33 EST-0500

i7 6700
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-6700 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($329.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-B150M-D3H Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($81.97 @ Newegg)
Memory: Kingston HyperX Fury Black 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR4-2133 Memory ($35.88 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Kingston SSDNow V300 Series 240GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($64.99 @ Adorama)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 960 4GB Video Card ($199.99 @ Micro Center)
Power Supply: EVGA 500W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($19.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $732.81
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-03-12 02:34 EST-0500

 

[DonkeyOatie]

Sorry. I was under the impression from your secondary uses that you were using the system to generate income. In which case, so long as it is reasonable, price is semi-irrelevant.

The solutions above a too 'cheap'. You are making decisions to a budget and are cutting corners or buying pow-performance parts. I help my Middle School (11 - 14) students build computers, so I am very familiar with building budget and good.

Here my 'budget' thinking.

Xeon

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Xeon E3-1231 V3 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($239.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: ASRock Z97 PRO3 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($80.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: Mushkin Blackline 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-2400 Memory ($66.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: A-Data Premier SP550 240GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($57.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon R9 380 4GB NITRO Dual-X OC Video Card ($174.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($48.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $669.93
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-03-12 08:22 EST-0500

Extra speed available by using the Z 97 board to overclock the memory to it's stock 2400Mhz. The board is unsuitable for any other really serious overclocking.

i7 4790K system need to be better. A weaker board may need more voltage for a stable overclock and memory overclocking is still available.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($329.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: CRYORIG H7 49.0 CFM CPU Cooler ($34.50 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock Z97 EXTREME4 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($102.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: Mushkin Blackline 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-2400 Memory ($66.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: A-Data Premier SP550 240GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($57.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon R9 380 4GB NITRO Dual-X OC Video Card ($174.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($48.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $816.43
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-03-12 08:26 EST-0500

i7 6700

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-6700 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($329.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: ASRock H170 Pro4S ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($93.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws 4 series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2133 Memory ($58.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: A-Data Premier SP550 240GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($57.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon R9 380 4GB NITRO Dual-X OC Video Card ($174.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($48.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $764.94
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-03-12 08:30 EST-0500

i7 5820K (for completeness)

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-5820K 3.3GHz 6-Core Processor ($376.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: CRYORIG H5 Universal 65.0 CFM CPU Cooler ($46.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-X99-SLI ATX LGA2011-3 Motherboard ($132.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws 4 series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2133 Memory ($58.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: A-Data Premier SP550 240GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($57.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon R9 380 4GB NITRO Dual-X OC Video Card ($174.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($48.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $897.92
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-03-12 08:32 EST-0500

 

[okramlol]

Thank you, I think I am going to go with your Xeon build. I actually ran into a video showcasing a 4790k (@4.7) vs the xeon that showed very similar fps in modern games and I don't see the reason to lay another $100 for that at least in my situation. I've also read that you can utilize the "turbo" of the Xeon to 3.8 on all cores instead of utilizing it on only one core depending on the mobo. Is this possible?

In case anyone is interested, here is the youtube video of the 4790k and xeon e3-1231v3 - I'll be happy to remove link if it's against the rules - i7-4790k vs Xeon e3-1231v3 Of course you can't see the overall cpu utilization but interesting none the less

 

[DonkeyOatie]

I did some tests over the summer, and by using a Z motherboard and 2400Mhz RAM (I used G.Skill TridentX) you can get a 5% or more speed improvement in many games. I also included 16Gb to make sure there was enough for the streaming, recording and editing tasks.

Check on the specific GPU in your market, you may be able to get a better deal for that one, or similar on the day that you buy.

I also did a test for another member which showed that my Xeon would record and stream OBS with no dropped frames in gaming.

 

[okramlol]

Just a quick post in case others are looking for more info (I know I spent many hours on this forum and many others ). Here is a great site with benchmarks and comparisons against other popular i5s and i7s in this price category (Site is in German, just use Google Translate).

http://www.computerbase.de/2014-07/intel-core-i5-4690k-test-uebertakten-benchmarks/2/#diagramm-rating-mit-anwendungen-und-spielen-1920-x-1080

As far as a mobo that can definitively turbo boost ALL the xeon's cores to max 3.8ghz I haven't found a clear cut answer. The option in your bios would be labeled "multicore enhancement" and you may need to try different bios versions before it will let you go through, but it seems a plethora of different brand boards will do it from b85 to h97 to z97.