Official Devils Canyon review thread

CAT-THE-FIFTH · 3 Jun 2014 at 07:57

Core i7 4790K

http://hexus.net/tech/reviews/cpu/70473-intel-core-i7-4790k-devils-canyon-22nm-haswell/
http://www.pcper.com/reviews/Processors/Intel-Core-i7-4790K-Devils-Canyon-Review-and-Overclocking
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/core-i7-4790k-devils-canyon-overclock-performance,3845.html
http://www.hardocp.com/article/2014/06/09/intel_devils_canyon_good_bad_ugly#.U5cUKCjig20

CAT-THE-FIFTH · 3 Jun 2014 at 08:02

Intel exacerbates this problem by using a non-optimal amount of thermal interface material (TIM) between actual die and heatspreader. Devil's Canyon, or Core i7-4790K, uses what Intel terms a 'next generation polymer thermal interface material (NGPTIM) that enables cooler and higher-performing processors,' ostensibly to lower temps and improve frequency headroom.

We're surprised Intel hasn't gone back to solder, which was the mainstay TIM for years, but the chip giant claims this NGPTIM is just as effective at transferring heat to the spreader. Really, this is a manufacturing issue that should not have surfaced in the first instance. The Core i7-4790K chip has been redesigned to accommodate a number of extra power-smoothing capacitors on the rear, with stabler operation once the processor runs past 4GHz. It is expected that these two measures - new TIM and improved circuitry - increase frequency and minimise the huge overclocking headroom variability present on today's high-end Haswell chips.

It appears there is new TIM and a new power delivery mechanism in the CPU.

Stuen4y · 3 Jun 2014 at 08:21

And the ES samples do not overclock better. Will wait for retail ones, hope dies last... I have less and less left every single day though.

Martini1991 · 3 Jun 2014 at 08:23

Stuen4y said:
And the ES samples do not overclock better. Will wait for retail ones, hope dies last... I have less and less left every single day though.

Hexus didn't overclock?

Also, found this interesting ;

The chip giant has previously stated that Core i7-4790K will only work with the 9-series chipsets released last month but has since backtracked by saying that 8-series boards - Z87 primarily - should support it just fine.

There hasn't been an official line either way yet

Aurhinius · 3 Jun 2014 at 08:32

overclocking results were obvious by there absence, hmmm.

Martini1991 · 3 Jun 2014 at 08:33

Aurhinius said:
overclocking results were obvious by there absence, hmmm.

I don't think so, although I guess we're waiting on other reviews too, so lets see.
And we'll see how many Z87 boards get support too (Called it from day 1, even though my confidence was starting to give way this last week)

momo56 · 3 Jun 2014 at 08:41

2nd page last paragraph

'However, our engineering sample exhibited unexpectedly poor overclocking potential, barely stable at an all-core 4.4GHz.'

Hope the retails are better.

Stuen4y · 3 Jun 2014 at 08:46

momo56 said:
Hope the retails are better.

The whole DC campaign by Intel is kind of lame so I would not be surprised if they are not better at all and all the promises were just to sell a few more Haswell chips while Broadwell gets delayed almost a year "without anyone noticing".

Dave2150 · 3 Jun 2014 at 08:57

Stuen4y said:
The whole DC campaign by Intel is kind of lame so I would not be surprised if they are not better at all and all the promises were just to sell a few more Haswell chips while Broadwell gets delayed almost a year "without anyone noticing".

Even for those who do notice, we have no other alternative product to buy. Nothing. This is one of the reasons that it's SO important that AMD's new CPU's (2015?) really need to be groundbreaking - to force intel's hand.

~>Dg<~ · 3 Jun 2014 at 09:01

amd wont push it. kinda lame.

want to see how the i7 overclock.

CAT-THE-FIFTH · 3 Jun 2014 at 09:18

~>Dg<~ said:
amd wont push it. kinda lame.

want to see how the i7 overclock.

AMD is 1/10 to 1/11 of Intel's size in terms of personal and have to fight Nvidia too. Even if AMD wanted to push it,they simply don't have the money or enough people.

CAT-THE-FIFTH · 3 Jun 2014 at 09:28

It seems ASRock is releasing some budget Z97 based motherboards for the G3258:

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/asrock-z97-z97m-anniversary-motherboard,26920.html

Supposedly,it can be overclocked to around 4.4GHZ using one.

OTH,how little has changed since the 2010 G6950 in terms of average overclocks:

http://hwbot.org/hardware/processor/pentium_g6950/

Martini1991 · 3 Jun 2014 at 09:33

momo56 said:
2nd page last paragraph

Hope the retails are better.

That's lame as hell.
Flipping hell Intel, hopefully it's just a one off.

Martini1991 · 3 Jun 2014 at 09:34

CAT-THE-FIFTH said:
It seems ASRock is releasing some budget Z97 based motherboards for the G3258:

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/asrock-z97-z97m-anniversary-motherboard,26920.html

Supposedly,it can be overclocked to around 4.4GHZ using one.

OTH,how little has changed since the 2010 G6950 in terms of average overclocks:

http://hwbot.org/hardware/processor/pentium_g6950/

The cynical side of me sees the pentium needing Z97/Z87 to overclock, as a move by Intel to get people to part way upgrade to their side (Buy the board, buy an interim CPU, switch out the CPU later)

In all honesty, you need to be able to get a 40-50 pound board that's solid to overclock the Pentium, and even then you're talking 100-110 pound for the set up, I'd want it for 80-90.

~>Dg<~ · 3 Jun 2014 at 09:42

yes for the cheap pentium only reason id consider that just for a play would be a 30-45 quid board otherwise why even buy it ?

pmc25 · 3 Jun 2014 at 09:59

Given that it hit 88C under load at its stock clocks (10C more than the 4770k), I'd say the chances of these either clocking high or the TIM being better than toothpaste are close to nil.

setter · 3 Jun 2014 at 10:18

88c is pretty bad at stock, my current 4770k is a bit of a lemon but even it only hits 76 @stock. 95c @4.5.

Boomstick777 · 3 Jun 2014 at 10:38

Is that 88c using a stock Intel cooler?

Martini1991 · 3 Jun 2014 at 10:46

Where are all the reviews?

Art · 3 Jun 2014 at 10:53

Boomstick777 said:
Is that 88c using a stock Intel cooler?

Yeah, Hexus said that Intel have told them the 4790K is coming with the same stock cooler as the 4770K which is what they used. Bit disappointed at the temps, I know the TDP is ~5% higher but I wasn't expecting that to translate into 10°C higher temps.