Core i5-8260U vs Core i7-4790
Core i5-8260U
Core i7-4790
Performance Spectrum - CPU
About PassMark
PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Core i5-8260U is positioned at rank 239 and the Core i7-4790 is on rank 762, so the Core i5-8260U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i5-8260U
Performance Per Dollar Core i7-4790
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i5-8260U | Core i7-4790 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($60) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Coffee Lake (2017−2019) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i5-8260U | Core i7-4790 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($60) |
Performance Check
To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.
Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-8260U and Core i7-4790
Core i5-8260U
The Core i5-8260U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 21 August 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1528. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 7,316 points. Launch price was $297.
Core i7-4790
The Core i7-4790 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 May 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1150. Thermal design power (TDP): 84 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 7,263 points. Launch price was $303.
Processing Power
Both the Core i5-8260U and Core i7-4790 share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.9 GHz on the Core i5-8260U versus 4 GHz on the Core i7-4790 — a 2.5% clock advantage for the Core i7-4790 (base: 1.6 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Core i5-8260U uses the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i7-4790 uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-8260U scores 7,316 against the Core i7-4790's 7,263 — a 0.7% lead for the Core i5-8260U. L3 cache: 6 MB on the Core i5-8260U vs 8 MB (total) on the Core i7-4790.
| Feature | Core i5-8260U | Core i7-4790 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 8 | 4 / 8 |
| Boost Clock | 3.9 GHz | 4 GHz+3% |
| Base Clock | 1.6 GHz | 3.6 GHz+125% |
| L3 Cache | 6 MB | 8 MB (total)+33% |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB+300% | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 14 nm-36% | 22 nm |
| Architecture | Coffee Lake (2017−2019) | Haswell (2013−2015) |
| PassMark | 7,316 | 7,263 |
Memory & Platform
The Core i5-8260U uses the FCBGA1528 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-4790 uses LGA1150 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i5-8260U | Core i7-4790 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA1528 | LGA1150 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 |
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The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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