Core i7-4790S vs Ryzen 3 1300X

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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Core i7-4790S

2014

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 22.3 vs 53.7 PassMark/$ ($312 MSRP vs $129 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 3 1300X.

Ryzen 3 1300X

2017

Why buy it

✅Costs $183 less on MSRP ($129 MSRP vs $312 MSRP).
✅Delivers 140.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 53.7 vs 22.3 PassMark/$ ($129 MSRP vs $312 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i7-4790S.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (6,923 vs 6,973).

Core i7-4790S

2014

Ryzen 3 1300X

2017

Why buy it

✅Costs $183 less on MSRP ($129 MSRP vs $312 MSRP).
✅Delivers 140.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 53.7 vs 22.3 PassMark/$ ($129 MSRP vs $312 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i7-4790S.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 22.3 vs 53.7 PassMark/$ ($312 MSRP vs $129 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 3 1300X.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (6,923 vs 6,973).

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-4790S better than Ryzen 3 1300X?

Yes. Core i7-4790S is the better overall CPU here. You are getting 0.7% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i7-4790S is the better fit because it leads the single-thread side of the matchup with 8.1% higher max boost clock.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-4790S is the better 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 i7-4790S is the smarter buy by a wide margin for a fresh build. Core i7-4790S is 141.9% more expensive on MSRP at $312 MSRP versus $129 MSRP, and it gives you 0.7% higher PassMark. Ryzen 3 1300X only looks stronger on raw value math because it is so cheap, but its absolute performance tier is too low to be the smarter recommendation now. At roughly 6,923 PassMark with 4 cores and 4 threads, it only makes sense as a bare-minimum stopgap or a very constrained existing-platform upgrade.

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

Ryzen 3 1300X is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2017 vs 2014). That makes it the safer long-term pick.

Games Benchmarks

Paired with RTX 4090

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.

Core i7-4790S Benchmark Check

Ryzen 3 1300X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-4790S	Ryzen 3 1300X
1080p
low	171 FPS	173 FPS
medium	144 FPS	156 FPS
high	116 FPS	127 FPS
ultra	92 FPS	99 FPS
1440p
low	144 FPS	151 FPS
medium	120 FPS	124 FPS
high	95 FPS	98 FPS
ultra	75 FPS	75 FPS
4K
low	66 FPS	67 FPS
medium	58 FPS	59 FPS
high	46 FPS	46 FPS
ultra	36 FPS	36 FPS

Open Core i7-4790S Open Ryzen 3 1300X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-4790S	Ryzen 3 1300X
1080p
low	174 FPS	173 FPS
medium	174 FPS	169 FPS
high	164 FPS	157 FPS
ultra	129 FPS	124 FPS
1440p
low	174 FPS	169 FPS
medium	153 FPS	145 FPS
high	141 FPS	133 FPS
ultra	116 FPS	110 FPS
4K
low	137 FPS	132 FPS
medium	124 FPS	117 FPS
high	103 FPS	96 FPS
ultra	78 FPS	72 FPS

Open Core i7-4790S Open Ryzen 3 1300X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-4790S	Ryzen 3 1300X
1080p
low	174 FPS	173 FPS
medium	174 FPS	173 FPS
high	174 FPS	173 FPS
ultra	174 FPS	173 FPS
1440p
low	174 FPS	173 FPS
medium	174 FPS	173 FPS
high	174 FPS	173 FPS
ultra	174 FPS	173 FPS
4K
low	174 FPS	173 FPS
medium	174 FPS	173 FPS
high	174 FPS	160 FPS
ultra	174 FPS	128 FPS

Open Core i7-4790S Open Ryzen 3 1300X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-4790S	Ryzen 3 1300X
1080p
low	174 FPS	173 FPS
medium	174 FPS	173 FPS
high	174 FPS	173 FPS
ultra	174 FPS	173 FPS
1440p
low	174 FPS	173 FPS
medium	174 FPS	173 FPS
high	174 FPS	173 FPS
ultra	174 FPS	173 FPS
4K
low	174 FPS	173 FPS
medium	174 FPS	173 FPS
high	174 FPS	173 FPS
ultra	174 FPS	173 FPS

Open Core i7-4790S Open Ryzen 3 1300X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-4790S and Ryzen 3 1300X

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 3 1300X

The Ryzen 3 1300X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 27 July 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Zen (2017−2020) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 6,923 points. Launch price was $129.

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Processing Power

The Core i7-4790S packs 4 cores / 8 threads, matching the Ryzen 3 1300X's 4 cores. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the Core i7-4790S versus 3.7 GHz on the Ryzen 3 1300X — a 7.8% clock advantage for the Core i7-4790S (base: 3.2 GHz vs 3.4 GHz). The Core i7-4790S uses the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Ryzen 3 1300X uses Zen (2017−2020) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-4790S scores 6,973 against the Ryzen 3 1300X's 6,923 — a 0.7% lead for the Core i7-4790S. Both processors carry 8 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Core i7-4790S	Ryzen 3 1300X
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	4 / 4
Boost Clock	4 GHz+8%	3.7 GHz
Base Clock	3.2 GHz	3.4 GHz+6%
L3 Cache	8 MB (total)	8 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	512K (per core)+100%
Process	22 nm	14 nm-36%
Architecture	Haswell (2013−2015)	Zen (2017−2020)
PassMark	6,973	6,923
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	3,486
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,120
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	3,155

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-4790S uses the LGA1150 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 3 1300X uses AM4 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i7-4790S	Ryzen 3 1300X
Socket	LGA1150	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR4-2666
Max RAM Capacity	—	64 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	Yes
PCIe Lanes	—	24

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core i7-4790S) / AMD-V (Ryzen 3 1300X). Primary use case: Ryzen 3 1300X targets Gaming.

Feature	Core i7-4790S	Ryzen 3 1300X
Integrated GPU	—	No
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	AMD-V
Target Use	—	Gaming

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-4790S launched at $312 MSRP, while the Ryzen 3 1300X debuted at $129. On MSRP ($312 vs $129), the Ryzen 3 1300X is $183 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-4790S delivers 22.3 pts/$ vs 53.7 pts/$ for the Ryzen 3 1300X — making the Ryzen 3 1300X the 82.4% better value option.