【台灣吃貨攻略】Intel 4790K Devils Canyon超能CPU評測和超頻實測

【台灣吃貨攻略】Intel 4790K Devils Canyon超能CPU評測和超頻實測

Table of Contents:

1. Introduction
2. Specifications of the 4790k CPU
3. Improvements in Thermals and Packaging
4. Overclocking Potential
5. Comparison with the 4770k CPU
6. Is Devil's Canyon Worth it?
7. Conclusion

Introduction

Hey guys, it's Tiny Tom Logan back with another video for you. Today, I'm finally on camera allowed to say "Devil's Canyon" because we're going to be taking a look at the 4790k. This is an Intel "tick" where normally we have a die shrink, but it's not happening this time. But it's not a major architecture change, it's just kind of like a refinement. It's the next stepping in the old days. This would have been like the equivalent of going from the i7 920 up to the i7 950. There's been a lot of hoo-ha, a lot of speculation, and hopefully today I'm going to be able to at least answer some of the questions for you. But I may end up putting some questions in your head as well, sadly. And it's not really as straightforward as we might want. In some respects, it's a sidestep, and in other respects, certain people may see it as a really, really good step forward. So it's a very much a seesaw, this one. But I'm just going to put a slide up now because what I want to get the Homework out the way, the kind of normal boring bit.

Specifications of the 4790k CPU

This new one, the 4790k, has a base frequency of 4 GHz. So it's 4Ghz without any overclocking, and without any messing about. It will also turbo up to 4.4 GHz as well. Now, let's keep that in mind. There are people out there with i7 770k's that can't overclock their processors to 4.4 GHz. So that in itself is quite a big step forward. Anyway, it has four cores, eight Threads. That's normal, that's what we would have been expecting. Fully unlocked for performance tuning. That's the K series one only. Intel Turbo Boost, Hyper-Threading, you know, all of the rest of that down there is pretty much what you would expect. The only thing that it does say there, which is quite confusing, is two-Channel DDR3 1600 memory support. To be fair with you guys, that is just Intel being very, very kind of anal and safe about you fitting it and forgetting it. For anyone out there that's got expensive memory, high memory speeds and stuff like that, you can use XMP. But really, all you need to do is follow the Overclock3D guide where we show you how to set your memory up. If you find a 4790k that will not do 2400 MHz, get on the forums because I would stake my food budget on it just being a settings thing that you need to set up. And if after we've helped you, you can't get it running at 2400 MHz, I would almost be hastened to incline to try and get another one because it's been a long time that I've not found a processor that can do 2400 MHz. So Intel saying 1600 is just them covering their ass.

Improvements in Thermals and Packaging

The only other thing that I'd like to show you on this is they've enhanced packaging and thermals. They say there's a new generation polymer thermal interface material. That's just basically the thermal paste that's underneath it. It was always really bad before, and that was one of the reasons why we got temperature spikes. Because you actually get to the limit of the thermal paste, the IHS (Integrated Heat Spreader), and you get to a level where your heatsink couldn't cool it quick enough, and temperatures would just rock. It wasn't necessarily a heatsink problem; it was a CPU problem. They've also added additional capacitors underneath the processor to try and smooth out the power delivery.

Overclocking Potential

Moving on to the overclocking, this CPU has a lot of potential. Although there have been rumors and speculation about clock speeds over 5 GHz on air or 5.5 GHz on water cooling, it ultimately comes down to the silicon lottery. With my engineering samples, the overclocking capability varies. However, the temperatures have significantly improved. Even with higher voltages, the CPUs are able to withstand the heat better than before. It's important to note that putting extremely high voltages through the CPU may cause degradation in the long term, so it's best to stay within a safe range.

Comparison with the 4770k CPU

When comparing the Devil's Canyon CPUs to the previous generation, the 4770k, there are some notable differences. The 4790k runs at lower temperatures, even under heavy loads, thanks to improvements in thermal management. However, the overclocking potential of the 4790k is not as great as initially expected. It still offers a decent boost in performance, but it may not be worth upgrading if you already have a good overclocking 4770k.

Is Devil's Canyon Worth it?

The decision to upgrade to Devil's Canyon ultimately depends on your specific needs and circumstances. If you value lower temperatures and improved thermals, the 4790k offers a significant improvement over its predecessors. However, if you are already satisfied with your current CPU's performance and can achieve satisfactory overclocks, upgrading may not be necessary. It's important to consider the cost and effort involved, as well as the potential performance gains.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Devil's Canyon CPUs, particularly the 4790k, offer improved thermal management and decent overclocking potential. The temperatures are significantly lower than previous generations, making it more stable under heavy loads. However, the overclocking capabilities may not meet the high expectations set by early rumors. It's important to carefully weigh the benefits against the cost and effort involved in upgrading. Overall, the Devil's Canyon CPUs are a solid choice for users seeking improved performance and better thermals.