Intel Core i7-4790 vs Intel Core i5-6600

The Intel Core i7-4790 (Haswell S, 22 nm, Q2 2014) features 4 cores and 8 threads thanks to Hyper-Threading, 8 MB Level 3 Cache, and Intel HD Graphics 4600.

It supports PCIe 3.0 and offers a maximum memory bandwidth of 26 GB/s. The Intel Core i5-6600 (Skylake S, 14 nm, Q3 2015) has 4 cores and 4 threads, 6 MB Level 3 Cache, and Intel HD Graphics 530.

It also supports PCIe 3.0, but with a maximum memory bandwidth of 34 GB/s. Thanks to Hyper-Threading, the Intel Core i7-4790 offers higher multi-core performance, ideal for parallel workloads. The Intel Core i5-6600 shows slightly improved single-core performance due to its newer Skylake architecture, thus offering an advantage in many gaming scenarios and everyday applications.

The higher instructions per cycle (IPC) of the Intel Core i5-6600 is crucial here. The Intel Core i5-6600 benefits from the more efficient 14 nm manufacturing process, leading to lower power consumption and better thermal efficiency. Both processors are older and primarily available on the used market.

The Intel Core i7-4790 might command a slightly higher price due to its thread count, while the Intel Core i5-6600 offers good value for money for modern everyday tasks. For compute-intensive multi-threaded applications, the Intel Core i7-4790 is the better choice.

For general use and gaming with lower power consumption, the Intel Core i5-6600 is recommended.