Core i5-8260U vs Core i7-4790

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.

Core i5-8260U vs Core i7-4790 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Core i5-8260U vs Core i7-4790: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Core i5-8260U

2019

Why buy it

✅+0.7% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 1W instead of 84W, a 83W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-4790 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (6 MB vs 8 MB).

Core i7-4790

2014

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +15.2% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 6 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (7,263 vs 7,316).
❌Launch MSRP is still $339 MSRP, while Core i5-8260U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌8300% higher power demand at 84W vs 1W.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-8260U better than Core i7-4790?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Core i7-4790 is ahead with a 15.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-8260U pulls ahead with 0.7% better PassMark. Core i7-4790 also has the bigger cache pool with 33.3% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 6 MB).

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-8260U is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.7% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 8 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Core i5-8260U is still the much better call for a fresh build. Core i5-8260U comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $339 MSRP, and it still gives you 0.7% better PassMark. Core i7-4790 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2014 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (21.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on LGA1150.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Core i5-8260U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2019 vs 2014) and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 8 threads instead of 4/8. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Core i5-8260U vs Core i7-4790 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

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.

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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	256K (per core)+25500%
Process	14 nm-36%	22 nm
Architecture	Coffee Lake (2017−2019)	Haswell (2013−2015)
PassMark	7,316	7,263

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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.