Intel core i5 4590 processor reviews. L3 cache size, MB

Intel is known for its efficient, versatile and high-tech processors. To the most demanded lines of chips produced by this American brand in the world market - Core i5.

The optimal solution for many users is the installation of an Intel Core i5 4590 processor, which operates on the Haswell microarchitecture. What is the peculiarity of this chip? What performance does this component of a personal computer demonstrate?

Core i5 4590 processor: general information

The Core i5 4590 belongs to the fourth generation of the Core line. The processor is based on the Haswell architecture. It emerged as a result of the further development of Ivy Bridge. This chip is intended to be installed on a motherboard using an LGA 1150 socket. This processor can be considered compatible with motherboards designed to accommodate Intel processors in the 8 series. The microcircuit has four cores and supports 64-bit mode.

The Core i5 4590 is manufactured in a 22nm process using FinFET transistors. The clock frequency of the chip is 3.3 GHz with a multiplication factor of 22. The value can be increased up to 3.7 GHz with Turbo Boost technology. The Core i5 4590 has a 6MB L3 cache. The volume of the second level cache memory on the chip is 1 MB, the first - 64 KB. The processor is equipped with Intel HD Graphics 4600, which is capable of operating at a frequency of 1.15 GHz.

The processor has 4 cores. The chip is also equipped with its own memory controller. The Core i5 4590 processor functions only when using the system bus DMI. The heat dissipation level of the chip is approximately 84 W. The device supports DDR3 PC3 RAM modules in various modifications. When using the processor, the maximum amount of RAM is 32 GB. Unlike the Core i7, the Core i5 processors do not support Hyper Threading technology. The only exceptions are the Intel Core i5 4570T models. Intel Core i5 chips also have less L3 memory.

Core i5 4590: Standards Supported

Let's see what technological standards the Core i5 4590 supports. These include:

- NX Bit standard;
- AMD64 / EM64T technology;
- Vitrualization Technology concept;
- a set of instructions MMX;
- AVX extension to version 2.0.

The chip also supports the AES encryption algorithm, Intel VPro technology and Intel TSX-NI.

Core i5 4590: microarchitecture

After examining the detailed information about the Core i5 4590 processor, let's move on to a more detailed examination of its characteristics. Haswell-based chip functions. This technology is seen as a result of the development of the Ivy Bridge concept. These microarchitectures are made within a single 22 nm process. Transistors with a three-dimensional gate system were also involved. Haswell technology is also used for Intel chips, which are in the eighth series.

They are installed on motherboards with an LGA 1150 socket. The new microarchitecture is distinguished by support for a number of useful standards, as well as low power consumption. The chip supports reading technology through serial interfaces within 4 threads. Another interesting fact about Haswell is that Intel, having developed the standard on which processors are based, divides the entire range of available chips into two groups: processors that are adapted for desktop modifications, and processors that are optimized for installation in ultrabooks. This means that processors based on the Haswell microarchitecture are presented on the market with a wide range of modifications.

Haswell Benefits

Haswell's technological advantages include an updated cache design, an optimized power-saving mechanism, Thunderbolt support, and a built-in vector coprocessor. The Haswell microarchitecture also supports new instructions such as AVX version 2, BMI and BMI2, and FMA. The microarchitecture is compatible with TSX instructions, which are used to provide support for transactional memory. A separate die houses 64 MB eDRAM. It should be noted that the power consumption level of processors based on Haswell is about a third lower than that of chips based on Sandy Bridge. In some operating modes, the difference in power consumption reaches 20 times.

Core i5 4590: graphics module

As noted above, the Core i5 4590 processor uses the HD Graphics 4600 graphics module. This component is designed specifically for the Haswell microarchitecture. The main feature of this graphics chip is that when using Turbo Boost technology, the frequency can be increased. However, depending on the specific chip model, many chips are based on the Haswell microarchitecture. Actual frequency and rated frequency of hardware components differ. The performance metrics of personal computers in terms of graphics processing may also differ.

HD Graphics 4600 enables the use of advanced technology standards such as OpenCL 1.2, Direct X 11.1, Open GL 4.0. Other notable features of the Intel graphics card include an optimized decoder for 4K video streams. It should also be noted that this graphics adapter supports Quick Sync. There are twenty additional devices in the HD Graphics 4600 module. To compare, the previous graphics adapter used only sixteen matching hardware components. The performance of this module in the Core i5 4590 processor has been increased by 20% over previous models.

Let's compare the speed of the considered graphics cores with different video cards. It is comparable to the performance of the GeForce GT 525M from Nvidia. The fact that a powerful graphics processing module is present in the processor structure is a huge advantage in terms of promoting the device on the market. Such devices are especially in demand today in the laptop segment. These devices are not intended to host the graphics card as a standalone hardware component.

Another technological advantage of the graphics module is the presence of 3D Tri-Gate transistors. These hardware components enable high power efficiency of the graphics module. The total TDP of this hardware component does not exceed 57 W. HD Graphics 4600 supports Shader Model 5.0 standard. The value of the RAMDAC value of the graphics core is 350 MHz. The graphics module takes the required amount of memory from the computer's RAM.

This value does not exceed 1792 MB. The adapter supports Blu-ray and HD DVD formats. The graphics module supports working with three monitors at the same time. The maximum value of the resolution at which the graphics core can function is 4096 by 2160 at a frequency of 24 Hz when connecting a monitor that works with the HDMI standard. At the disposal of the user is a high-tech modern graphics module supplied with the processor.

LGA 1150 Features

Pay special attention to the LGA 1150 socket, which has an Intel Core i5 4590 processor. This slot is also called SocketH3. It is optimized for use with processors based on the Haswell microarchitecture. S-1150 is another connector with which the Core i5 4590 is compatible. This connector is used on some motherboard models. This standard is a development of LGA 1155 technology, which is also called Socket H2. Based on LGA 1150, the LGA 1151 standard has been developed, which is optimized for the latest processors based on the Skylake architecture.

The LGA 1150 socket with the processor uses soft contacts. The parameters of the mounting holes used when installing cooling systems are the same for the LGA 1156, LGA 1155, LGA 1150 sockets. This makes it possible to simultaneously use the same coolers for different computers. It also makes it easier to update your computer's hardware components to be compatible with the latest processors.

Core i5 4590: overclocking

Another notable feature of the Core i5 4590 processor is the overclocking capability. Many IT experts note that the corresponding operating mode is best compared with similar software solutions. The results of microcircuit tests show that the Core i5 4590 processor works about 2.3% faster than the Core i5 4570. However, in turn, the Core i5 4590 is slightly inferior to older models such as the Core i5 4670 and Core i5 4690. Also, experts note, that Core i5 processors outperform many competitive solutions by about 3% in terms of speed.

conclusions

So what conclusion can you draw after studying the basic information about the Core i5 4590 processor? The technical characteristics of this device make it one of the most competitive solutions on the market. In the manufacture of the processor, a 22 nm technological process was used. The device includes a high-performance graphics module. The processor supports all modern technological standards.

However, at the same time, the chip demonstrates not very high operating speed during overclocking. In general, the performance of the Core i5 4590 is kept at the level of the models adjacent to this processor in the Core i5 line. Basically, the difference is determined only by the indicators of the frequency of operation of these microcircuits. Thus, the considered processor can be described as a fairly productive and competitive solution from Intel. The Core i5 4590 processor can be used for a wide variety of tasks.

Core i5 4590: reviews

Now let's see how the owners of personal computers, in which this processor is used, evaluate the Core i5 4590. All reviews of owners using this chip can be divided into several types. In some, users talk about the stability and performance of the processor when using the standard mode. In other reviews, you can find an assessment of the quality of the processor overclocking. Some reviews reveal the opinion of users about the ratio of the characteristics of this microcircuit and its cost. Let's pay attention to these reviews.

Intel delivers efficient, high-performance, versatile processors to the market. Among the most popular in the global market are the lines of chips produced by the American brand - Intel Core i5. For many users, the optimal solution is to install the 4590 processor based on the Haswell microarchitecture. What is the specificity of this chip? How powerful is this PC hardware component?

General processor information

The Core i5 4590 belongs to the 4th generation of the Core line. It is based, as we noted above, on the Haswell microarchitecture, which appeared as a result of the further development of the Ivy Bridge technology. This chip is supposed to be installed on a motherboard using the LGA 1150 socket. Thus, it can be considered as compatible with motherboards designed to accommodate Intel processors, also related to the 8th series. The microcircuit has 4 cores, supports 64-bit mode. The Intel Core i5 4590 chip is manufactured in a 22 nm process using FinFET transistors. The clock frequency of the microcircuit is 3.3 GHz with a multiplication factor of 33. It can be increased to 3.7 GHz using the technology The processor has a 6 MB level 3 cache. Cache memory of the 2nd level in the chip - 1 MB, 1st - 64 KB. The chip is equipped with a 4600 graphics module, capable of operating at a frequency of 1.15 GHz.

There are 4 cores in the processor structure. The chip has its own memory controller. The i5 4590 operates with a DMI system bus. The heat dissipation level of the chip is about 84 W. The main type of supported RAM modules is DDR3 PC3 in various modifications. The maximum amount of RAM when using the processor is 32 GB.

Unlike Core i7, they do not support HyperThreading technology - with the exception of such models as Intel Core i5 4570T, as well as i5-4570TE. The chips also have less L3 cache.

Supported standards

Consider what technological standards are supported by the Intel Core i5 4590 processor.

Among those:

AMD64 / EM64T technology;

NX Bit Standard;

Virtualization Technology concept;

Instruction set MMX, SSE - in the basic version, as well as 2, 3 and 4;

AVX extensions in version 2.0.

It can also be noted that the chip implements hardware support for AES encryption, Intel vPro technology, and Intel TSX-NI.

Microarchitecture of the processor

Having examined the basic information about the Intel Core i5 4590 processor, let's move on to a more detailed examination of its characteristics.

The chip operates on the basis of the Haswell microarchitecture. This technology is seen as a result of the development of the Ivy Bridge concept. Both microarchitectures, however, are made within the framework of the same technical process - 22 nm, as well as with the use of transistors, which has a three-dimensional gate circuit. Based on Haswell technology, Intel chips belonging to the 8 series are produced, installed on motherboards with an LGA 1150 socket.

The new microarchitecture is characterized by more efficient power consumption, support for a number of useful standards, such as, for example, technologies for reading through serial interfaces within 4 threads.

Another noteworthy fact about the Haswell microarchitecture is that Intel, having developed an appropriate standard on which processors are based, divides the range of chips into 2 categories:

Processors adapted for desktops and laptops;

Chips optimized for installation on Ultrabooks.

Thus, Haswell-based processors are presented on the market in the widest range of modifications.

Haswell microarchitecture advantages

Key technological advantages of Haswell microarchitecture:

Updated cache design;

Optimized energy saving mechanisms;

Thunderbolt support;

Equipped with a built-in vector coprocessor;

Support for new instructions - such as AVX in version 2, FMA, as well as BMI and BMI2;

Compatible with TSX instructions used to provide support for transactional memory;

Availability of 64 MB eDRAM located on a separate die.

It can be noted that the level of power consumption of processors based on the Haswell microarchitecture is about 30% lower than the corresponding figure for chips based on Sandy Bridge. Moreover, in some operating modes of the microcircuit, the difference is up to 20 times.

Graphics module

The Intel Core i5 4590 processor is equipped, as we noted above, with the HD Graphics 4600 graphics module. This hardware component was created specifically for the Haswell microarchitecture.

The peculiarity of this graphics chip is that its frequency can be increased with the use of Turbo Boost technology - just like in the processor itself. However, depending on the specific chip model, a lot of chips are based on the Haswell architecture, the nominal frequency of the hardware components and the actual one may differ. As a result, PC performance indicators for graphics processing may be dissimilar.

The HD Graphics 4600 module supports a number of leading technology standards such as Direct X in version 11.1, OpenCL in version 1.2, and Open GL 4.0. Other notable features of the Intel graphics card include an optimized decoder for 4K video streams. It can also be noted that the graphics adapter in question supports the Quick Sync standard.

There are 20 actuators in the structure of the HD Graphics 4600 module. For comparison: in the previous modification of the graphics adapter - HD Graphics 4000, there were only 16 corresponding hardware components. As a result, the performance of this module, which is equipped with an Intel Core i5 4590 processor, increases in comparison with previous models by about 20%.

If we compare the speed of the graphics core in question with individual video cards, then it becomes comparable to the performance of the GeForce GT 525M device manufactured by NVIDIA. The presence of a powerful graphics processing module in the processor structure, which is comparable to a separate video card, is a huge advantage of the chip in terms of market promotion. Such microcircuits are in great demand, in particular, in the segment of laptops, in which video cards are not supposed to be placed as an independent hardware component.

Another noticeable technological advantage of the graphics module with which the Intel Core i5 4590 processor is equipped is that it contains transistors made using 3D Tri-Gate technology. The corresponding hardware components ensure the high energy efficiency of the graphics processing module. Thus, the total TDP of the corresponding hardware component does not exceed 57 W.

HD Graphics 4600 supports Shader Model in version 5.0. The RAMDAC indicator of the graphics core is 350 MHz. The module takes the required amount of memory from the computer's RAM - within 1792 MB. The adapter is capable of working with Blu-ray picture as well as HD DVD. The module provides a PC with 3 monitors at the same time. The maximum resolution at which the graphics core, included in the structure of the Intel Core i5 4590 processor, can function is 4096 by 2160 pixels at a frequency of 24 Hz and connected to a monitor that works in the HDMI standard.

Thus, the user has at his disposal a modern and high-tech graphic module supplied with the processor.

Features of the LGA 1150 socket

It will be useful to pay attention to the characteristics of the LGA 1150 socket, on which the Intel Core i5 4590 processor is installed. This slot, also called Socket H3, is optimized, again, for processors based on the Haswell microarchitecture. Another connector that the Intel Core i5 4590 chip is compatible with is S1150. It is installed on some motherboard models. The standard in question is a further development of the LGA 1155 technology, also called Socket H2. In turn, on the basis of LGA 1150, the modern LGA 1151 standard has been developed, optimized for the latest processors from Intel based on the Skylake microarchitecture.

The LGA 1150 socket is designed to use soft contacts with the processor. It is noteworthy that the parameters of the mounting holes used when installing cooling systems - on the LGA 1150, 1155, and also, in particular, LGA 1156 - are the same. This allows you to use the same coolers for different PCs, and also makes it easier to update your PC's hardware to make it compatible with the latest processors.

Overclocking

Let's take a look at another notable aspect of using an Intel Core i5 4590 processor - overclocking. As noted by many IT experts, it is optimal to test the corresponding operating mode of the chip in comparison with the performance of similar solutions. As shown by the results of microcircuit tests, the Intel Core i5 4590 processor is about 2.3% faster than the Intel Core i5-4570 chip, but, in turn, it is inferior to the older models - Intel Core i5-4670 and i5-4690. Experts note that Intel Core i5 processors outperform many competitive solutions in terms of operating speed, however, not much - as a rule, by about 3%.

Summary

So what conclusions can we draw from examining the basics of the Intel Core i5 4590 processor? The characteristics of this chip make it one of the most competitive solutions on the market. The processor is made within the 22 nm process technology, includes a high-performance graphics module, and supports the main modern technological standards. At the same time, the chip shows not very outstanding overclocking speed. In general, the performance of the Intel Core i5 4590 Haswell is at the level of the models that are adjacent to it in the Core i5 line. The difference between the corresponding solutions is predetermined mainly by the indicators of the frequency of operation of the microcircuits.

Thus, the considered processor can be characterized as a powerful highly competitive solution from Intel, which can be used to solve the widest range of tasks of a modern user.

When Intel switched to using the Core microarchitecture in its processors in 2006 and introduced new design principles, which received the speaking nickname "tick-tock", it was assumed that the company would bring fundamentally new processors for personal computers to the market annually. However, in the future, this plan underwent certain changes: as it turned out, there is no point in such a high intensity of microarchitecture development. AMD has gradually abandoned the high-end processor segment, and this has allowed Intel to make noticeable indulgences in the original schedule without any risk of losing market share. And now, today no one is particularly surprised by the fact that Haswell processors are going to hold out in the role of advanced solutions for personal computers for at least eighteen months, and as the most relevant options for desktops - for almost two years.

However, initially nothing of the kind was supposed. The Broadwell processor microarchitecture was supposed to replace Haswell in the middle of this year, and the lifecycle of the fourth-generation Core processors would receive quite normal lengths. However, an unpleasant surprise came from the 14nm process technology that must be implemented for the release of Broadwell. Something went wrong, and the production schedule had to be adjusted, postponing the start of the mass production of promising semiconductor crystals by about six months. Now, the announcement of mobile energy-efficient Broadwell options is expected only on the eve of the New Year, and processors based on this design for mainstream computers will not be available until next year. Moreover, the commonly used desktop Broadwell will appear on the market only in May-June 2015.

And although the shift in the schedules of announcements by six months or a year does not threaten Intel with any special troubles, the company considered it necessary to carry out some kind of update of its own platform in the previously set terms - in the middle of this year. This is a kind of curtsey towards leading partners who are given the opportunity to refresh their own product lines. This promotion, codenamed Haswell Refresh, includes two components. Firstly, the actual launch of new processor models with the old microarchitecture, but with increased clock frequencies, and, secondly, the presentation of new sets of system logic of the ninth series.

The official announcement of new processors and chipsets was scheduled for May 11 - and it has already taken place. At first glance, the Haswell Refresh campaign turned out to be very large-scale. Intel has added 42 new processors to Intel's price list, 25 of which target desktop systems of various classes. In addition, the company's offerings include three new sets of logic. However, what lies behind the release of such a significant array of new products in reality - we will try to find out in this review. For him, our laboratory managed to get two senior desktop processors Haswell Refresh, Core i7-4790 and Core i5-4690, as well as a motherboard based on the Z97 logic set, ASUS Z97-Deluxe.

⇡ Haswell Refresh Processors

Strictly speaking, the Haswell Refresh family of processors is nothing special; in fact, we are talking about a simple increase in the clock frequencies of the Haswell processors that are well known to us. The only unusual thing here is that a large group of processors with increased frequencies is brought to the market simultaneously, within the framework of a single announcement. Previously, Intel preferred to raise the frequencies of their CPUs separately, without being tied to one date. The logic of the strategy applied this time is that in the absence of real new products, the company wants to find a reason to attract additional attention to its products.

In other words, all the hype around Haswell Refresh is artificial, it is intentionally generated by Intel itself, trying to create the impression of incessant innovation, even despite the postponement of the Broadwell announcement to a later date. In fact, the release of Haswell Refresh is quite an ordinary update, and the fresh processors differ from the old ones that have been on the market for almost a year Haswell, only by an increase of the frequency by a ridiculous 100-200 MHz, which occurred within the framework of the old thermal packages. In fact, we are talking about an insignificant increase in productivity, amounting to about 2-3 percent - and nothing more. Nevertheless, numerous Intel partners will take advantage of the appearance of Haswell Refresh and, undoubtedly, will offer consumers new models of ready-made systems.

For the sake of fairness, it should be noted that the upgrade of Intel processors was not a reason for their rise in price. Haswell Refresh took up the old positions in the price list, displacing the Haswell of the last year's sample from there. A complete list of new desktop CPUs looks like this:

	Kernels / threads	Clock frequency	Turbo frequency	L3 cache	Graphics	TDP	Price
Celeron G1840	2/2	2.8 GHz	-	2 MB	HD	53 Watt	$42
Celeron G1840T	2/2	2.5 GHz	-	2 MB	HD	35 watts	$42
Celeron G1850	2/2	2.9 GHz	-	2 MB	HD	53 Watt	$52
Pentium G3240	2/2	3.1 GHz	-	3 MB	HD	53 Watt	$64
Pentium G3240T	2/2	2.7 GHz	-	3 MB	HD	35 watts	$64
Pentium G3440	2/2	3.3 GHz	-	3 MB	HD	53 Watt	$75
Pentium G3440T	2/2	2.8 GHz	-	3 MB	HD	35 watts	$75
Pentium G3450	2/2	3.4 GHz	-	3 MB	HD	53 Watt	$86
Core i3-4150	2/4	3.5 GHz	-	3 MB	HD 4400	54 watts	$117
Core i3-4150T	2/4	3.0 GHz	-	3 MB	HD 4400	35 watts	$117
Core i3-4350	2/4	3.6 GHz	-	4 MB	HD 4600	54 watts	$138
Core i3-4350T	2/4	3.1 GHz	-	4 MB	HD 4600	35 watts	$138
Core i3-4360	2/4	3.7 GHz	-	4 MB	HD 4600	54 watts	$149
Core i5-4460	4/4	3.2 GHz	3.4 GHz	6 MB	HD 4600	84 watts	$182
Core i5-4460S	4/4	2.9 GHz	3.4 GHz	6 MB	HD 4600	65 watts	$182
Core i5-4590	4/4	3.3 GHz	3.7 GHz	6 MB	HD 4600	84 watts	$192
Core i5-4590S	4/4	3.0 GHz	3.7 GHz	6 MB	HD 4600	65 watts	$192
Core i5-4590T	4/4	2.0 GHz	3.0 GHz	6 MB	HD 4600	35 watts	$192
Core i5-4690	4/4	3.5 GHz	3.9 GHz	6 MB	HD 4600	84 watts	$213
Core i5-4690S	4/4	3.2 GHz	3.9 GHz	6 MB	HD 4600	65 watts	$213
Core i5-4690T	4/4	2.5 GHz	3.5 GHz	6 MB	HD 4600	45 watts	$213
Core i7-4785T	4/8	2.2 GHz	3.2 GHz	8 MB	HD 4600	35 watts	$303
Core i7-4790	4/8	3.6 GHz	4.0 GHz	8 MB	HD 4600	84 watts	$303
Core i7-4790S	4/8	3.2 GHz	4.0 GHz	8 MB	HD 4600	65 watts	$303
Core i7-4790T	4/8	2.7 GHz	3.9 GHz	8 MB	HD 4600	45 watts	$303

Unfortunately, in the above list you will not find a single overclocking processor with an index K. This means that the Core i7-4770K and Core i5-4670K released a year ago remain unaffected by the Haswell Refresh promotion and remain relevant for now.

The explanation for this fact is quite simple. Enthusiasts, who usually buy processors with an unlocked multiplier, are unlikely to be interested in the insignificant increase in the clock frequency declared in the specifications, especially considering that it can be obtained through elementary overclocking. Processors belonging to the Haswell Refresh family do not carry any other changes. They are based on the same as their predecessors, the semiconductor core of C0 stepping and have absolutely no additional advantages. The increase in frequency that occurred in Haswell Refresh is based only on the maturation of the 22-nm process technology, which was introduced by Intel in 2012. Overclockers need something more.

And this more is in the nearest plans of Intel, it is called Devil's Canyon. This codename refers to the new Haswell K-series, which will be presented in the very near future, but will not appear on the general sale until the fall. It takes more time to prepare for these offerings from Intel, but the wait is well worth the wait. Devil's Canyon is planning a major change in the processor packaging, which is seriously criticized by Haswell. The heat-conducting material between the processor die and the heat-spreader cover will be replaced with a more efficient one, and the cover itself will be made of a different alloy with better thermal conductivity. In addition, changes will be made to the electrical "harness" of the processor crystal in order to improve the "purity" of supply voltages. As a result, representatives of the Devil's Canyon series, which will be named Core i7-4790K and Core i5-4690K, will become noticeably more overclockable even without performing the scalping procedure. Besides, Devil’s Canyon will noticeably increase the nominal clock frequencies. For example, in the case of the Core i7-4790K, they will reach 4 GHz even without the help of turbo mode. True, the calculated heat release will also increase along the way - it will not be 84, but 88 watts.

In the meantime, regular, non-overclocking Core i7-4790 and Core i5-4690 are becoming the older processors for the LGA1150 platform - from those available for sale. These CPUs are completely devoid of any overclocking capabilities and do not allow increasing the operating frequencies above the nominal values. Not even a small multiplier increment is available, which was possible in representatives of the Sandy Bridge and Ivy Bridge families. The only Haswell Refresh specs that can be improved by enthusiasts are the memory and GPU frequencies. In other words, the new CPUs are supposed to be operated only in their normal mode. But in the absence of any other options, we tested just such a pair of senior representatives of the Haswell Refresh family.

The detailed characteristics of these models are shown in the following table:

	Core i7-4790	Core i5-4690
Kernels / threads	4/8	4/4
Hyper-Threading Technology	There is	No
Clock frequency	3.6 GHz	3.5 GHz
Maximum turbo frequency	4.0 GHz	3.9 GHz
TDP	84 watts	84 watts
HD Graphics	4600	4600
Graphics core frequency	1200 MHz	1200 MHz
L3 cache	8 MB	6 MB
DDR3 support	1333/1600	1333/1600
VPro / TSX-NI / TXT / VT-d technologies	There is	There is
Instruction set extensions	AVX 2.0	AVX 2.0
Package	LGA 1150	LGA 1150
Price	$303	$213

The Core i7-4790 increases the clock speed of the older line of processors for the LGA1150 platform by 100 MHz, thus overtaking the overclocking Core i7-4770K and the regular Core i7-4771 by one notch. Otherwise, this is a typical Core i7 of the Haswell generation: it has four cores, supports Hyper-Threading, has a spacious third-level cache of 8 MB and is compatible with the new AVX2 instructions. The graphics core, like its predecessors, belongs to the GT2 class, that is, it has 20 executive devices. It should be noted that thanks to the Turbo Boost 2.0 technology, the typical operating frequency of the Core i7-4790 is 3.8 GHz.

The supply voltage of our sample under load was 1.225 V, while in the idle state, the frequency dropped to 800 MHz, and the voltage dropped to 0.717 V.

Security technologies including vPro, TXT and VT-d are fully supported by this processor. In other words, the Core i7-4790 is the new flagship for the LGA1150 platform, but without overclocking capability.

The Core i5-4690 is a simpler processor: unlike the representatives of the flagship series, it does not have Hyper-Threading technology, the L3 cache is reduced by 2 MB and the clock frequency is slightly lower. Nevertheless, the Core i5-4690 was able to take the position of the older model in the Core i5 series: its frequency is 100 MHz higher than that of the Core i5-4670 - it ranges from 3.5 to 3.9 GHz. Thanks to the turbo mode, the most typical frequency of the Core i5-4690 becomes 3.7 GHz - this is only 100 MHz less than the Core i7-4790.

The voltage of the Core i5-4690 under load was 1.195 V, but in the idle state, like its older brother, it slowed down the frequency to 800 MHz, and the voltage to 0.718 V.

The graphics core in the Core i5-4690 is exactly the same as that of the Haswell Refresh processor of the Core i7 series, there are no additional restrictions either in the supported instruction sets or in security technologies.

The new Haswell Refresh processors do not impose any special requirements on motherboards. They are compatible with any LGA1150 platforms, including those that were released a year ago, at the time of the announcement of conventional Haswell processors. But despite this, simultaneously with the release of new processors, Intel released new chipsets for LGA1150 systems - Z97 and H97. They should be discussed separately.

⇡ Chipsets of the ninth series

In general, the story with the announcement of the Z97 and H97 chipsets is about the same as with the Haswell Refresh. These chipsets do not bring any noticeable improvements, and they are not needed to support new processors. The only more or less logical explanation for their appearance is preliminary preparation of the ground for the next generation processors, Broadwell, which are expected to be only partially compatible with the LGA1150 ecosystem.

According to the available information, Broadwell processors have additional requirements for the power system implemented on the motherboard. Therefore, they most likely will not be compatible with LGA1150 boards released last year. The appearance of new and more modern logic kits of the ninth series should give an impetus to the development and release of LGA1150-boards of the second stage, which should already have Brodawell compatibility without any reservations. Therefore, Intel calls compatibility with future CPUs one of the main properties of the Z97 and H97 chipsets: now it is laid down at the level of the reference design of the motherboard power converter. It is not surprising that the first lines of the characteristics of the new chipsets include "support for 4th and 5th generation Intel Core processors", while the 8th series chipsets are formally compatible only with Haswell.

There is one more nuance regarding processor support. For some reason, speaking about its Devil's Canyon overclocking chips, Intel points out their performance in motherboards with the Z97 chipset and is silent about compatibility with the Z87. It is quite possible that this is such a marketing trick, but it is still impossible to rule out that the new LGA1150-boards will be able in some aspects to work better with the Core i7-4790K and Core i5-4690K than the old ones.

If we close our eyes to the not completely clear situation with processor support, the new chipsets look like a simple evolutionary update of the Z87 and H87. At the same time, the main advantage of the Z97 and H97 is the emergence of new opportunities associated with the construction of a disk subsystem. In particular, these chipsets take the first step towards the introduction of promising interfaces for connecting solid-state drives - SATA Express and M.2.

At the same time, the characteristics of the Z97 and H97 are almost the same, the difference between them lies only in their positioning. The Z97 traditionally targets the enthusiast and overclocker by supporting CPU overclocking and multi-GPU configurations. H97 is a more conservative option, which is cheaper, but at the same time does not allow splitting PCI Express processor lines, does not allow overclocking the processor, but supports the Intel Small Business Advantage administration system.

The main innovation in the ninth series chipsets is the Rapid Storage technology version 13. In the new version, this technology acquires compatibility with drives connected not only via the SATA interface, but also via the PCI Express bus. Simply put, this means that Intel's disk driver will now see both AHCI and NVMe PCI Express devices, allowing almost all Rapid Storage Technology functions to be applied to them. For example, you can make them bootable disks, create hybrid configurations based on Smart Response Technology (SRT) with them, and the like. The only limitation is that PCI Express drives cannot be involved in RAID arrays.

As for the actual RAID modes, almost everything remains the same for SATA drives. Chipsets support arrays of levels 0, 1, 10, and 5, while in an array with mirroring of two or four SSDs (level 0), the TRIM command can work for all its members.

Another enhancement in Rapid Storage Technology 13 is support for 16GB RAM configurations with Intel Rapid Start Technology. Recall that this technology allows you to save a memory dump on an SSD when the system enters a deep sleep state, so that the process of "waking up" occurs faster, and during the sleep itself, the system does not require power to maintain the state of the RAM. Previously, this technology was only allowed on systems with 8 GB of memory, but now the limitation has been removed.

Otherwise, no significant innovations are visible. The Z97 and H97, like their predecessors, support up to six SATA 6Gb / s interfaces, up to six USB 3.0 ports, and up to eight PCI Express 2.0 lanes. At the same time, obviously, a pair of PCI Express chipset lines can be used not only to connect additional controllers or to implement expansion slots, but also to install one M.2 slot or one SATA Express port on the boards. This means that interfaces for connecting next-generation drives, implemented on the basis of the ninth series of system logic sets, can provide a maximum throughput of about 1 Gb / s, which is 67 percent more than the usual SATA 6 Gb / s ports.

However, the implementation scheme for all high-speed ports in the new chipsets remains as unclear as it was before. It again obeys the proprietary Flex IO scheme, but now another unknown has been added to the equation - an M.2 slot or a SATA Express port. The bottom line is that in total, the Z97 and H97 have 18 channels each for the implementation of high-speed ports. Four channels are for USB 3.0 ports, four for SATA 6Gb / s ports, and six for PCI Express 2.0 lanes. The remaining four channels do not have a rigidly fixed functionality: two of them can be used for both PCI Express and USB 3.0, and the second pair can play the role of either PCI Express or SATA 6 Gb / s. Therefore, motherboard manufacturers are forced to choose between different configurations when designing their products. For example, if the board has six chipset USB 3.0 and six SATA 6 Gb / s, then the chipset PCI Express 2.0 lines can get a maximum of only six. In addition, there is one more limitation: the total number of PCI Express lanes should not exceed eight.

Now M.2 or SATA Express interfaces are also added to the described scheme, which Intel says about the appearance of support in new chipsets. As you know, to implement an M.2 slot of the currently relevant M type, one SATA port and at least two PCI Express lanes are required. The SATA Express interface requires two SATA ports and at least two PCI Express lanes. At first glance, adding such interfaces to a motherboard with a chipset with only eighteen channels for high-speed ports should dramatically deplete its expandability. Fortunately, M.2 and SATA Express never use SATA and PCI Express at the same time. Therefore, Intel decided to give them channels numbered 13 and 14, the ones that can switch their functionality between SATA and PCI Express. Of course, motherboard manufacturers are free to use other SATA ports and PCI Express lines for M.2 and SATA Express, or even resort to the services of external controllers. But support for Rapid Storage Technology 13 for drives connected via the PCI Express bus is possible only if they work through the 13th and 14th channels of the chipset. And this means that the presence of a PCI Express-drive on the board based on the ninth generation chipset, which is connected in accordance with Intel's scheme, reduces the number of working SATA 6 Gb / s ports to four.

Despite the fact that there are not so many new features in the ninth series logic kits, motherboard manufacturers took their announcement with great enthusiasm. All leading brands have completely renewed their LGA1150 motherboards, but most recent motherboards do not offer any fundamentally new features. Nevertheless, 3DNews is monitoring the appearance of really interesting new products - a couple of reviews have already been published, plus we will continue to publish them on our website.

The Core i5-4590 processor, the price of a new one on amazon and ebay is 18 092 rubles, which is equal to $ 312. It is marked by the manufacturer as: BX80646I54590.

The number of cores is 4, produced by 22 nm process technology, Haswell architecture.

The base frequency of the Core i5-4590 cores is 3.3 GHz. The maximum frequency in Intel Turbo Boost mode reaches 3.7 GHz. Please note that the Intel Core i5-4590 cooler must cool processors with a TDP of at least 84 W at the nominal frequencies. When overclocked, the requirements increase.

Motherboard for Intel Core i5-4590 must be with FCLGA1150 socket. The power system must be capable of handling processors with a TPP of at least 84 W.

With the integrated Intel® HD Graphics 4600, the computer can run without a discrete graphics card as the monitor is connected to the video output on the motherboard.

Price in Russia

Want to buy a cheap Core i5-4590? Check out the list of stores that already sell the processor in your city.

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Intel Core i5-4590 benchmark

The data is obtained from tests of users who have tested their systems both with and without overclocking. Thus, you see the average values corresponding to the processor.

Speed of numeric operations

Different tasks require different CPU strengths. A system with few fast cores is great for gaming, but will outperform a system with a lot of slow cores in a rendering scenario.

We believe that a processor with at least 4 cores / 4 threads is suitable for a budget gaming computer. At the same time, individual games can load it by 100% and slow down, and performing any tasks in the background will lead to a FPS drawdown.

Ideally, the buyer should aim for a minimum of 6/6 or 6/12, but keep in mind that systems with more than 16 threads are now only applicable for professional tasks.

The data was obtained from tests of users who tested their systems both in overclocking (maximum value in the table) and without (minimum). The typical result is shown in the middle, the color bar indicates the position among all tested systems.

Components

motherboards

Dell Latitude E6530
Asrock H170 Pro4
HP OMEN by HP Laptop
Gigabyte GA-X150M-PRO ECC-CF
MSI MS-16P5
Dell PowerEdge T410
Sony SVT11215SGW

Video cards

There is no data

RAM

There is no data

SSD

There is no data

We have compiled a list of components that users most often choose when assembling a computer based on the Core i5-4590. Also, with these components, the best test results and stable operation are achieved.

Most popular config: motherboard for Intel Core i5-4590 - Dell Latitude E6530.

Specifications

The main

Manufacturer	Intel
Description Information about the processor, taken from the official website of the manufacturer.	Intel® Core ™ i5-4590 Processor (6M Cache, up to 3.70 GHz)
Architecture Microarchitecture generation code name.	Haswell
Release date Month and year when the processor appeared on sale.	12-2014
Model Official name.	i5-4590
Nucleus The number of physical cores.	4
Streams Number of threads. The number of logical processor cores that the operating system sees.	4
Base frequency Guaranteed frequency of all processor cores at maximum load. Performance in single-threaded and multi-threaded applications and games depends on it. It is important to remember that speed and frequency are not directly related. For example, a new processor at a lower frequency may be faster than an old processor at a higher frequency.	3.3 GHz
Turbo frequency Maximum frequency of one processor core in turbo mode. Manufacturers have allowed the processor to independently increase the frequency of one or more cores under heavy load, thereby increasing the speed of work. Strongly affects the speed in games and applications requiring CPU frequency.	3.7 GHz
L3 cache size The L3 cache works as a buffer between the computer's RAM and the processor's L2 cache. It is used by all cores, the speed of information processing depends on the volume.	6 MB
Instructions	64-bit
Instructions Allow to speed up calculations, processing and execution of certain operations. Also, some games require instructional support.	SSE4.1 / 4.2, AVX 2.0
Technical process Manufacturing process, measured in nanometers. The smaller the technical process, the more perfect the technology, the lower the heat generation and power consumption.	22 nm
Bus frequency The speed of data exchange with the system.	5 GT / s DMI2
Maximum TDP Thermal Design Power is an indicator that determines the maximum heat dissipation. The cooler or water cooling system must be sized equal to or greater. Remember that TDP goes up significantly with overclocking.	84 watts
Cooling system specifications	PCG 2013D

Video core

Integrated graphics core Allows you to use a computer without a discrete graphics card. The monitor is connected to the video output on the motherboard. If earlier the integrated graphics made it possible to simply work at the computer, today it is capable of replacing budget video accelerators and makes it possible to play most games at low settings.	Intel® HD Graphics 4600
GPU base frequency Frequency of operation in 2D and idle mode.	350 MHz
GPU base frequency Frequency of operation in 3D mode under maximum load.	1150 MHz
Intel® Wireless Display (Intel® WiDi) Supports Wireless Display technology, working on the Wi-Fi 802.11n standard. Thanks to it, a monitor or TV equipped with the same technology does not require a cable to connect.	Yes
Supported monitors The maximum number of monitors that can be simultaneously connected to the integrated video core.	3

RAM

Maximum RAM The amount of RAM that can be installed on a motherboard with this processor.	32 GB
Supported RAM type The type of RAM depends on its frequency and timings (performance), availability, price.	DDR3-1333 / 1600, DDR3L-1333/1600 @ 1.5V
RAM channels The multi-channel memory architecture increases the data transfer rate. On desktop platforms, two-channel, three-channel and four-channel modes are available.	2
RAM bandwidth	25.6 GB / s
ECC memory Error-correcting memory support that applies to servers. Usually more expensive than usual and requires more expensive server components. However, used server processors, Chinese motherboards and ECC memory sticks, which are sold relatively cheaply in China, have become widespread.	No. Or we haven't had time to celebrate the support yet.

Optimal processor for a reasonable price (before the dollar jump), fresh model. Quite cold.disadvantages

At the moment, a little expensive, like everything else, the crisis! The only drawback is that the percent is sold in a green plastic bag, no protection.A comment

I bought two times before the price went up, the first was not successful - buying in the evening, when examined at the receiving counter, due to not very good vision, I did not notice the absence of several attached microelements on the processor (they were ripped off). At home, having carefully examined through a magnifying glass, I saw everything and in the morning of the next day I was lucky to take it. We looked, photographed, wrote a claim, did not take the percent, they said wait for an answer. After 10 days, a letter came with a refusal to replace. To prove something is not possible. I had to buy again, by the way, the wiring from the second purchased processor and the number of attached microelements differed from the first - the second had fewer of them and it was packed in a blister. So be very careful when buying, do not sign any papers until you have properly inspected the product. I hope the review will not be deleted.

115 3

disadvantages

Price due to Intel's monopolyA comment

Before that, there was E2220 @ 3.3Ghz and the performance gain is colossal for me! So if you have an LGA775 / LGA1156 processor, then feel free to change and get an increase from 40% to a huge 500%, as in my case.

About the temperature and fairy tales about AMD stoves and Intel's icy silicon, I will say this: the nominal value is 84W TPD, but under the boost it reaches 160W - max. 20 seconds and up to 140W - max 5 minutes, while AMD FX-8xxx even under TC (analog boost) everything is within 125W. Well, the processor from this is actually quite hot on cheap coolers, but with DeepCool ICE WIND PRO with min. rpm (I have 460 minutes) is not hotter than 49 degrees, which is very good.

To summarize: if you are a person playing games, then this is the golden mean and will last for 5 years, but here you need a decent cooler (from 1000r) and good power from both the motherboard and a high-quality PSU.

Complain Did the review help? 22 12

Fast, Cold. Above 40 degrees in the load have not yet seen. (I don't know what kind of problems the guy has from below, maybe a marriage). In games, the increase in fps is very large.disadvantages

They are not here.A comment

Brought the next day after ordering, it's just fine. I ordered it in the evening and pick it up in the morning. Well done.
There was an old 4-core Q6600 (socket 775) standing there. The difference is heaven and earth. I took MSI B85-G41 PC Mate mother and DEEPCOOL GAMMAXX 300 cooler with him. Everything works fine. Take it will not go wrong.

Complain Did the review help? 6 4

Nice and fast processor. In stress tests, the temperature turned out to be slightly lower than that of a similar older processor, which is simply Haswell, not Haswell-Refresh. For the server for which it was bought, the performance was even excessive.disadvantages

There were also problems when installing the processor on the Asus H87i-plus motherboard: to support the processor, a BIOS update is required, and it turned out that the update should be installed ONLY with a special utility from Windows. When installing an update from a USB flash drive or in any other way, the BIOS will be successfully updated, it will show the correct version, but the processor will not work. It is noteworthy that there was not a word about this feature on the Asus website either.