Upgraded i7-4790k processor=worse benchmarks

[Gr Taylor]

Title says it all...

I upgraded from my lowly AMD-450 3X core processor @3.2 GHZ to an Intel i7-4790K with a new Sabertooth Z97 MOBO. I kept the GPU the same (Radeon 7850 HD).

Somehow I not only don't stay the same with the Heaven Benchmark but I actually DROP in score. So my questions are...

1) Is the Intel i7-4790K really useless for Benchmarking/playing games?

2) How is it my $60 AMD processor got better results than my $340 Intel processor with the exact same GPU when the AMD benchmark actually had higher settings applied?

Please help.

 

[arnold_al_qadr]

-do clean/fresh os install.
-update all to latest driver.
-i dont think different version of benchmark is comparable.

 

[pbm86]

You cannot compare results from Heaven 3.0 and Heaven 4.0. 4.0 is definitely more demanding and the results depend heavily on the GPU. So even an 8-core i7 cannot compensate for the GPU.

 

[Jetster]

Yep not the same benchmark

 

[GreiverBlade]

Yep not the same benchmark

and also a heavily GPU dependent bench ... i got better result with a Athlon X4 760K than a Xeon E3-1275v2 with the same R9-270, but just like the OP within the bench result variance... nothing to see here in the end.

unless you upgrade a GPU heaven/valley or any other GPU dependent bench will not see much improvement and a variance of 153pts is nothing.

 

[rtwjunkie]

Welcome to TPU!

If you have before and after of say Valley, which is still at version 1.0, that would be more useful. The differeing version results in Heaven don't mean a thing. Heaven became a more intense benchmark in 4.0 compared to 3.0.

To answer the rest of your question, yes, the cpu "feeds" the gpu. But for the most part, having a faster cpu will usually only result in higher MINIMUM frame rates.

 

[neatfeatguy]

It took a bit of digging, but I came across the benchmark of my Phenom II x4 940 on Haven 3.0 and 4.0 benchmarks. My performance took a big hit in 4.0. Granted under 3.0 the CPU is at 3.5 and in 4.0 it's at stock 3.0, but both still use dual GTX 570s. Also, ignore on the 4.0 benchmark that it shows a "x1" for the GPU - for some reason at the release of the benchmark, it wasn't reporting the number of GPUs correctly.

 

[Ikaruga]

Your new CPU is definitely much faster in pretty much everything. It will chew through multiplayer games smooth and easy compared to your old AMD CPU, the difference is night and day really. But most games and benchmarks doing "gamish" graphics are GPU limited, so it doesn't matter how fast the CPU can feed them with new "tasks" and "commands", they just can't keep up rendering so many pixels and texcels. If you want to compare benchmark results, you should test your CPUs with the same benchmark in very low resolutions (like 640x480 or even lower if possible), then you will see the difference between the two CPUs.

 

[BarbaricSoul]

1) Is the Intel i7-4790K really useless for Benchmarking/playing games?

2) How is it my $60 AMD processor got better results than my $340 Intel processor with the exact same GPU when the AMD benchmark actually had higher settings applied?

The words of someone that doesn't understand what the heck they are doing or what they spent their money on.

 

[zenlaserman]

Rookies have to start somewhere. Hence why this thread exists.

OP: real-world experience trumps benchmarks every time.

 

[GreiverBlade]

The words of someone that doesn't understand what the heck they are doing or what they spent their money on.

Rookies have to start somewhere. Hence why this thread exists.

OP: real-world experience trumps benchmarks every time.

both statement are true ... altho the OP could have gone with a i5-4690K which would be on par with the i7-4790K on daily use and gaming, and cost quite a bit less ... but you do mistake you solve the problem (well there is no problems to begin with ... since the variance is normal and the bench mentioned is a GPU hog no cpu or cpu OC do a thing on the final result, excepted the minimal FPS.)

with a 290 my result where almost same with a 4690K or a FX6300 and my first example stated the same: you don't quantify CPU power with a GPU benchmark (which is the only problem here ... )

and i've found back my result for the 1st example i stated

Athlon X4 760K 4.2GHz R9 270 1050/1500 714 GreiverBlade
Xeon E3 1275 V2 3.5GHz R9 270 1050/1500 702 GreiverBlade

 

[Gr Taylor]

The words of someone that doesn't understand what the heck they are doing or what they spent their money on.

Thanks for everyone's input; it seems the 3.0 really is vastly different than 4.0 in terms of gpu/cpu requirements.

Also, special shout-out to Barbaric for being a jag and providing no help what-so-ever.

 

[MrGenius]

Also, special shout-out to Barbaric for being a jag and providing no help what-so-ever.

It's a dirty job...but someone has to do it.

BTW, Heaven scores will not change significantly(if at all) based on CPU. It's based entirely(or practically entirely) on GPU performance. CPU is pretty much irrelevant. Based on my experiences.

 

[OneMoar]

3.0 != 4.0
sigh

 

[RealNeil]

Welcome to the OP.
Stick around, this place has a lot going for it.

 

[BarbaricSoul]

Also, special shout-out to Barbaric for being a jag and providing no help what-so-ever.

Sorry, but when someone buys the second best quad core CPU available, tries to compare its' results in Heaven 4.0 to the results of a lesser CPU on a different version of Heaven, and asks the question

Is the Intel i7-4790K really useless for Benchmarking/playing games?

, you really bought a CPU without properly researching it and IMHO, you really don't know what the heck you are doing or are talking about. Sorry if the truth hurts. Had you properly researched the 4790k before buying it, you would not be here asking these questions.

 

[Folterknecht]

Next time ask the questions before you spend $$$, especially if you re not an expert on the topic.

 

[GreiverBlade]

Sorry, but when someone buys the second best quad core CPU available

eh? second best quadcore? the 4790K? isn't it the best and the i5 4690K is the second? (well ... on par if no hyperthreading involved) (not counting the 5xxxX line as the platform and cpu's are over expensive and utterly useless outside heavy computational need ...or massive SLI/CFX setup well no quadcore on that line altho ...)

but yep to the OP... if the price difference bother you that much ... then you should have bought a i5 4440/4670(k)/4690(k) they are cheaper and even the 1st one is plenty, specially if only gaming and not video encoding or whatsoever that need more than 4 thread ... i bought a 4690K because i can't settle for less ... and a i7 was too much for too less (price/improvement)

 

[RealNeil]

I haven't used my 4690K all that much yet, but my 4790K is a damn good CPU.

The OP needs to test with the same version of software on both CPUs and look at those results.
An AMD-450 3X CPU can barely reach up to scratch an itch on the balls of the i7-4790K.

The performance is miles apart.

 

[Schmuckley]

Them..new Haswell thingies are weird..
One time I run a bench and get super-crappy score;next time with nothing changed a superb score is achieved.
4790K is a nice CPU..
Someday I may again run the one I have
I'm on 3770K + z77 OCF at the moment..no complaints...actually seems snappier for some things.

 

[BarbaricSoul]

eh? second best quadcore? the 4790K? isn't it the best and the i5 4690K is the second? (well ... on par if no hyperthreading involved) (not counting the 5xxxX line as the platform and cpu's are over expensive and utterly useless outside heavy computational need ...or massive SLI/CFX setup well no quadcore on that line altho ...)

4820k on socket 2011?

 

[GreiverBlade]

4820k on socket 2011?

too expensive... as the 2011v3 (oouuhhh a 4820K is now referenced cheaper than a 4770K )

but i get your meaning now indeed the 4790K is the second best quadcore (and again ... )

or i should say ... on par if no memory intensive involved ... which enforce my feeling about the 2011 platform, technically the 4820K is only a quad channel 3770K but at what price ...