Core i7-4790K vs Ryzen 5 7520C
Core i7-4790K
Ryzen 5 7520C
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 i7-4790K is positioned at rank 726 and the Ryzen 5 7520C is on rank 400, so the Ryzen 5 7520C offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i7-4790K
Performance Per Dollar Ryzen 5 7520C
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i7-4790K | Ryzen 5 7520C |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($93) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Devil's Canyon / 22 nm) | ✨ Modern (Mendocino (Zen 2) (2022−2023) / 6 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i7-4790K | Ryzen 5 7520C |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($93) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
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 i7-4790K and Ryzen 5 7520C
Core i7-4790K
The Core i7-4790K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in Junho 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Devil's Canyon architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 4 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1150. Thermal design power (TDP): 88 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 8,063 points. Launch price was $339.
Ryzen 5 7520C
The Ryzen 5 7520C is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 23 May 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Mendocino (Zen 2) (2022−2023) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 4.3 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 6 nm process technology. Socket: FT6. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: LPDDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 8,104 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
Both the Core i7-4790K and Ryzen 5 7520C share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i7-4790K versus 4.3 GHz on the Ryzen 5 7520C — a 2.3% clock advantage for the Core i7-4790K (base: 4 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The Core i7-4790K uses the Devil's Canyon architecture (22 nm), while the Ryzen 5 7520C uses Mendocino (Zen 2) (2022−2023) (6 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-4790K scores 8,063 against the Ryzen 5 7520C's 8,104 — a 0.5% lead for the Ryzen 5 7520C. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the Core i7-4790K vs 4 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 7520C.
| Feature | Core i7-4790K | Ryzen 5 7520C |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 8 | 4 / 8 |
| Boost Clock | 4.4 GHz+2% | 4.3 GHz |
| Base Clock | 4 GHz+43% | 2.8 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 8 MB (total)+100% | 4 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 512 kB (per core)+100% |
| Process | 22 nm | 6 nm-73% |
| Architecture | Devil's Canyon | Mendocino (Zen 2) (2022−2023) |
| PassMark | 8,063 | 8,104 |
Memory & Platform
The Core i7-4790K uses the LGA1150 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 5 7520C uses FT6 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i7-4790K | Ryzen 5 7520C |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1150 | FT6 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 4.0+33% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1600 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 32 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | — |
Advanced Features
The Core i7-4790K includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 4600), while the Ryzen 5 7520C requires a dedicated GPU.
| Feature | Core i7-4790K | Ryzen 5 7520C |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | — |
| IGPU Model | Intel HD Graphics 4600 | — |
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The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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