Intel Core i7-3820 vs Intel Core i7-4790K

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Core i7-3820 compared with Core i7-4790K

	IntelCore i7-3820	IntelCore i7-4790K
Overview
Released
Released	February 2012	June 2014
Cores and clocks
Cores
Cores	4	4
Threads
Threads	8	8
Base clock
Base clock	3.6 GHz	4 GHz
Boost clock
Boost clock	3.8 GHz	4.4 GHz (better)
L3 cache
L3 cache	10 MB (better)	8 MB
Cores
Cores	Four cores and eight threads; Sandy Bridge-E with Hyper-Threading. The multiplier is only partly unlocked, as both exact reviews explain; unlocked is false here because it is not fully unlocked.	Four cores with Hyper-Threading; Intel Turbo Boost 2.0 supported. The current maker page lists Transactional Synchronization Extensions as unsupported, superseding early review specifications.
Clocks
Clocks	Turbo Boost 2.0 up to 3.80 GHz from Intel’s current sheet; KitGuru’s engineering-sample review table instead states 3.90 GHz. Intel staff acknowledged release in February 2012; month precision is retained rather than treating the forum’s proposed day as verified sale.	Maximum turbo is a single-core frequency; overclocking requires an appropriate motherboard and cooling. Intel publishes TDP without a separate maximum turbo-power figure.
Cache
Cache	10 MB Intel Smart Cache; L3 level confirmed by both exact reviews.	–
Graphics and AI
Built-in graphics
Built-in graphics	No	Yes
Graphics
Graphics	No integrated graphics or Quick Sync, confirmed by KitGuru’s exact-model review.	Intel HD Graphics 4600; 20 execution units; 350 MHz base, up to 1.25 GHz; three displays; Quick Sync Video. HDMI up to 3840×2160 at 24 Hz; DisplayPort and eDP up to 3840×2160 at 60 Hz; VGA up to 1920×1200 at 60 Hz.
Platform
Socket
Socket	LGA2011	LGA1150
Base power
Base power	130 W	88 W
Unlocked
Unlocked	No	Yes
Cooler in the box
Cooler in the box	No	–
Memory support
Memory support	Four channels of DDR3-1066/1333/1600; 51.2 GB/s maximum published bandwidth; no ECC. Intel’s anomalous 64.23 GB maximum-memory value is not normalised into a guessed capacity.	Up to 32 GB; two channels; DDR3-1333/1600 or DDR3L-1333/1600 at 1.5 V, as listed by Intel; 25.6 GB/s maximum bandwidth; ECC not supported.
PCIe
PCIe	40 CPU lanes; Intel’s current sheet lists PCIe 2.0, while both contemporary reviews describe PCIe 3.0 capability. The manufacturer’s current literal figure is retained with this conflict explicit.	PCIe 3.0; 16 CPU lanes, configured as 1×16, 2×8 or 1×8+2×4.
Chipsets
Chipsets	Intel X79; LGA2011.	–
Process
Process	32 nm; Sandy Bridge-E.	22 nm; Devil's Canyon, a Haswell refresh; 37.5 × 37.5 mm package; 74.04°C Tcase limit, not a junction-temperature limit. New polymer thermal interface and additional capacitors, described in Intel's Computex launch coverage and the exact-model reviews.
Cooler
Cooler	Exact BX80619I73820 Newegg listing states cooling device not included. Intel gives a case-temperature limit of 66.8°C.	Intel lists both ordinary boxed and explicitly fanless boxed SKUs; cooler contents should be checked for the particular package. Compatible Intel 8- and 9-series chipsets require the appropriate motherboard BIOS. Intel's June 2014 fact sheet confirms volume availability that month; the announcement itself is not used as the on-sale day.