Intel Core i7-4790 vs AMD FX-6300

The AMD FX-6300, introduced in October 2012, was aimed at budget-conscious users and mainstream gamers.

It is based on the Vishera (Bulldozer) architecture and is manufactured using a 32 nm process. This processor features 6 cores, consisting of three modules each with two integer units, and offers 6 threads. It has 8 MB of Level 3 Cache and a maximum memory bandwidth of 30 GB/s. The Intel Core i7-4790, launched in May 2014, targeted demanding users and gamers.

It utilizes the Haswell S architecture and is manufactured using the more efficient 22 nm process. This processor offers 4 physical cores and, thanks to Hyper-Threading, 8 threads. It features 8 MB of Level 3 Cache, integrates Intel HD Graphics 4600, and achieves a maximum memory bandwidth of 26 GB/s.

In performance comparison, the Intel Core i7-4790 shows significantly higher single-core performance than the AMD FX-6300. In multi-core applications, the Intel processor also delivers noticeably higher performance in most scenarios. For gaming scenarios, the Intel Core i7-4790 is the clearly better choice due to its superior single-core performance and better IPC (Instructions Per Cycle), as many games greatly benefit from high core performance.

Regarding energy efficiency, the Intel Core i7-4790 with a TDP of 84W is more efficient than the AMD FX-6300, whose TDP typically lies at 95W, even though the Intel processor offers higher computing power. On the used market, the AMD FX-6300 was often the cheaper option.

However, for demanding tasks and games, the Intel Core i7-4790 offers a more advantageous performance-to-cost ratio, as its significantly higher performance justifies the generally higher price. In summary, the Intel Core i7-4790 is the clear recommendation for users who require high performance for gaming, video editing, or demanding productivity software.

The AMD FX-6300 is more suitable for very budget-conscious systems, mainly used for basic computing tasks or as an office PC.