Better performance? i7 4790S or Xeon E3 1230 V3?

[Daemos]

I'm building a new system, trying to go low on a budget, the Xeon is approx $65 AUD cheaper than the 4790S....but the 4790S can turbo to 4 ghz where the Xeon is only up to 3.7ghz where the base rate is 3.2ghz for the i7 and 3.3ghz for the Xeon...

My question is which one would have better overall cpu performance? I'm leaning towards the xeon based on price, but as I'd like to run everything off a pico psu + a 750ti...potentially the 4790s is worth the price, and might have better performance due to the higher turbo

 

[AgentQ]

Why do you want the i7 4790S?

Unless you have a very specific reason to prefer the 4790S, which I doubt you do if you're also considering a Xeon E3 1230 V3, then you would be better off with an i7 4790 (non-S) for the same price. The non-S has a higher TDP and higher base clock of 3.6GHz.

While you're at it, I'd strongly suggest you save up an extra $25 and just spring for the 4790K. 4.0GHz base clock, 4.4GHz turbo frequency, and overclocking options if you so desire. Well worth an additional $25.

 

[Daemos]

Why do you want the i7 4790S?

Unless you have a very specific reason to prefer the 4790S, which I doubt you do if you're also considering a Xeon E3 1230 V3, then you would be better off with an i7 4790 (non-S) for the same price. The non-S has a higher TDP and higher base clock of 3.6GHz.

While you're at it, I'd strongly suggest you save up an extra $25 and just spring for the 4790K. 4.0GHz base clock, 4.4GHz turbo frequency, and overclocking options if you so desire. Well worth an additional $25.

Cause I'm building a pico-psu based system....that's the reason

That and the 4790K is $140 AUD more than the Xeon...just saying can't compare US prices to Australian prices.

 

[AgentQ]

Cause I'm building a pico-psu based system....that's the reason

That and the 4790K is $140 AUD more than the Xeon...just saying can't compare US prices to Australian prices.

If you're looking for low TDP, then the Xeon is out as well. The Xeon has an 80W TDP. The 4790 (non-S) has an 84W TDP. The 4790K has an 88W TDP. The 4790S has a 65W TDP.

However, don't confuse TDP with peak power consumption. The 4790S and 4790 non-S have the same turbo boost frequency. At the same voltage, they're going to consume the same amount of power when running at the turbo boost frequency. Thus, unless the 4790S runs at a lower voltage than the non-S (I don't know the answer to this) you're going to need the same power supply for both the 4790S and the 4790.

TDP is for dissipated power, not for peak consumed power.

The 4790S will dissipate less power on average. However, keep in mind that it's not magically more efficient. It just runs at lower clock speeds more often. In other words, it's slower.

The 4790S only makes sense if you're doing a space-constrained, low-noise system or something like that. And in that case, the Xeon is off the table as well due to the higher TDP.

 

[Daemos]

If you're looking for low TDP, then the Xeon is out as well. The Xeon has an 80W TDP. The 4790 (non-S) has an 84W TDP. The 4790K has an 88W TDP. The 4790S has a 65W TDP.

However, don't confuse TDP with peak power consumption. The 4790S and 4790 non-S have the same turbo boost frequency. At the same voltage, they're going to consume the same amount of power when running at the turbo boost frequency. Thus, unless the 4790S runs at a lower voltage than the non-S (I don't know the answer to this) you're going to need the same power supply for both the 4790S and the 4790.

TDP is for dissipated power, not for peak consumed power.

The 4790S will dissipate less power on average. However, keep in mind that it's not magically more efficient. It just runs at lower clock speeds more often. In other words, it's slower.

The 4790S only makes sense if you're doing a space-constrained, low-noise system or something like that. And in that case, the Xeon is off the table as well due to the higher TDP.

Actually...I found the answer to this.

The Xeon will outperform the 4790S in anything above 2 cores loaded...

The S run at the SAME voltage as the non S...but they are limited by their power...so the turbo boost is very different...

with 4 cores loaded the MAX turbo boost the S will see is 3.3 ghz where the Xeon may go up to 3.5ghz...

see:
http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2372007

 

[AgentQ]

Actually...I found the answer to this.

The Xeon will outperform the 4790S in anything above 2 cores loaded...

The S run at the SAME voltage as the non S...but they are limited by their power...so the turbo boost is very different...

with 4 cores loaded the MAX turbo boost the S will see is 3.3 ghz where the Xeon may go up to 3.5ghz...

see:
http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2372007

Right, the 4790S isn't appropriate for anything other than a thermally-limited system.

The 4790 non-S is the same price (here at least) with higher performance than even the Xeon you're looking at. If you're going to compare against something, compare against that. The Xeon vs 4790S comparison just doesn't make any sense.

On the other hand, if you're pinching pennies you should take a look at some of the i5 series. They provide a lot of bang for your buck.

 

[Daemos]

Right, the 4790S isn't appropriate for anything other than a thermally-limited system.

The 4790 non-S is the same price (here at least) with higher performance than even the Xeon you're looking at. If you're going to compare against something, compare against that. The Xeon vs 4790S comparison just doesn't make any sense.

On the other hand, if you're pinching pennies you should take a look at some of the i5 series. They provide a lot of bang for your buck.

It's not about pinching pennies (which Australia doesn't have...smallest coin is 5c) but bang for the buck...that will fit into a lone industries L2 case...I could easily afford the i7 4790K here (approx 415USD)...but I cannot justify it for my purposes

The i5s are much weaker than my old system that died (Xeon 1230v1) so I don't plan to go down to an i5...that and the Xeon 1230 v3 actually in Aus is the same price as some I5s!

I just did some price searching, if I could get the 4790k at the same price as a micro-centre I'd get that easily!

 

[AgentQ]

It's not about pinching pennies (which Australia doesn't have...smallest coin is 5c) but bang for the buck...that will fit into a lone industries L2 case...I could easily afford the i7 4790K here (approx 415USD)...but I cannot justify it for my purposes

The i5s are much weaker than my old system that died (Xeon 1230v1) so I don't plan to go down to an i5...that and the Xeon 1230 v3 actually in Aus is the same price as some I5s!

I just did some price searching, if I could get the 4790k at the same price as a micro-centre I'd get that easily!

My point was that you should be comparing against the 4790, not the 4790S. The 4790 (non-S, non-K) is the same price (usually) as the 4790S, but it's clocked higher.

 

[Daemos]

My point was that you should be comparing against the 4790, not the 4790S. The 4790 (non-S, non-K) is the same price (usually) as the 4790S, but it's clocked higher.

Yeah, the 4790 is cheaper than the 4790s by a little bit, in fact though...I think it might be cheaper to purchase a 4790K from overseas than it would be to purchase a 4790 (non k/s) here...