Core i7-4790S vs Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U

Core i7-4790S vs Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U Performance Spectrum

Core i7-4790S

4 / 8

6,973

+0.6%

6,928

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper 3970X

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7965WX

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.

Core i7-4790S vs Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U 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 i7-4790S vs Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Core i7-4790S

2014

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +7.3% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 4 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $312 MSRP, while Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌333.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 15W.

Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U

2019

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 65W, a 50W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-4790S across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (6,928 vs 6,973).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 8 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-4790S better than Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U?

Yes. Core i7-4790S is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 7.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.6% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i7-4790S is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 7.3% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-4790S is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.6% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 8 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 100% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 4 MB).

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

Core i7-4790S is the better buy right now. Core i7-4790S comes in at an unclear MSRP at $312 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 7.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (22.3 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2019 vs 2014). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Core i7-4790S vs Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U Technical Specifications

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

Core i7-4790S

The Core i7-4790S 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 3.2 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): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 6,973 points. Launch price was $303.

Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U

The Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 8 April 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Picasso (2019−2022) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 12 nm process technology. Socket: FP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 6,928 points. Launch price was $149.

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Processing Power

Both the Core i7-4790S and Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the Core i7-4790S versus 3.7 GHz on the Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U — a 7.8% clock advantage for the Core i7-4790S (base: 3.2 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Core i7-4790S uses the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U uses Picasso (2019−2022) (12 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-4790S scores 6,973 against the Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U's 6,928 — a 0.6% lead for the Core i7-4790S. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the Core i7-4790S vs 4 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U.

Feature	Core i7-4790S	Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	4 / 8
Boost Clock	4 GHz+8%	3.7 GHz
Base Clock	3.2 GHz+52%	2.1 GHz
L3 Cache	8 MB (total)+100%	4 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	512K (per core)+100%
Process	22 nm	12 nm-45%
Architecture	Haswell (2013−2015)	Picasso (2019−2022)
PassMark	6,973	6,928

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Memory & Platform

The Core i7-4790S uses the LGA1150 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U uses FP5 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.