Intel Core i7-4790S Processor

The Intel Core i7-4790S — 4 cores and 8 threads, 3.20 GHz base rising to 4.00 GHz with Turbo Boost, 8 MB Intel Smart Cache, 65 W processor base power, FCLGA1150. Supplied from stock with a 1-year warranty.

The efficient Haswell Refresh quad with Hyper-Threading

The i7-4790S is the low-power member of Intel's Haswell Refresh i7 line, launched in Q2 2014 on a 22 nm process. It pairs four physical cores with Hyper-Threading — 8 threads in total — and keeps the whole package inside a 65 W envelope, roughly 20 W below the 4790 non-S and well under the 88 W unlocked 4790K.

The S suffix trades peak clocks for efficiency and acoustics: 3.20 GHz base with a 4.00 GHz single-core Turbo, against 3.60/4.00 GHz on the standard 4790. In sustained multi-threaded work the S part settles slightly lower, which is exactly what compact OEM chassis and low-noise builds were designed around. It keeps the full i7 feature set — Hyper-Threading, VT-x with EPT, VT-d, AES-NI — so it remains a capable small-server and workstation part long after its retail retirement.

Intel HD Graphics 4600 is on package with Quick Sync hardware video encode and decode, so the platform needs no discrete card for display, signage or NVR transcoding duty.

Technical specifications

Instruction set extensions: Intel SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX and AVX2. AVX-512 is not present on this generation. Security and virtualisation: AES-NI, Intel VT-x with EPT, VT-d, Trusted Execution, Intel Boot Guard. TSX-NI transactional memory is listed on this processor, though its benefit depends on the workload and it was largely deprecated by later microcode updates.

Which systems take this processor

Anything on the FCLGA1150 socket with an Intel 8 or 9 series chipset. The i7-4790S turns up in three families of machines:

• Business desktops and SFF machines — Dell OptiPlex 7020 / 9020 Mini Tower and Small Form Factor, HP EliteDesk 800 G1 / ProDesk 600 G1, Lenovo ThinkCentre M83 / M93p. The 65 W S part is a common factory option in these chassis and drops straight in where a lower i5 was fitted.
• Entry workstations — HP Z230, Dell Precision T1700, Lenovo ThinkStation P300, where the i7's Hyper-Threading covers light rendering and simulation duty.
• Micro-server and NAS builds — C222/C224/C226 boards from Supermicro (X10SLH, A1SAi siblings aside) and ASUS P10S series accept Core i7 parts alongside Xeon E3, and the 65 W envelope suits 24/7 enclosures.

One caveat when buying a board or machine separately: Haswell Refresh parts need a BIOS from mid-2014 or later. Early 8 series boards may require a BIOS update before a 4790S will POST — tell us the board or the machine model when you enquire and we will confirm before you order.

How it compares across the Haswell i7 line

Within the line the 4790S is the balance point: identical cores, threads and cache to every other part in the table, with a 200 MHz step up from the 4770S at the same 65 W. Choose the non-S 4790 only when the chassis has headroom for 84 W and you need the higher all-core sustained clock; choose the 4790K when the board is a Z97 and the build is deliberately air-cooled for overclocking. For compact OEM chassis and quiet builds the S part is the right fit.

How each processor is tested before it ships

1. Visual inspection of the integrated heat spreader, substrate and contact pads; the sSpec laser marking (SR1QM on our i7-4790S stock) is verified against the Intel specification sheet.
2. Burn-in on an FCLGA1150 diagnostic board with a matched pair of DDR3 DIMMs.
3. Both memory channels and the primary PCIe lanes are validated, then the CPU is identified in the BIOS and in the operating system.
4. A sustained multi-threaded load test at full core count, with the clock and thermal readings recorded.
5. Thermal paste cleaned off, final inspection, then packaging in an anti-static tray with foam — which is how it arrives to you.

Warranty and lead time

Every processor is covered by a 1-year warranty against defects in workmanship and function. If a part fails within the period we replace it or refund it, and we cover return shipping on a verified fault. Stock is held in our own warehouse and normally dispatches within three to seven working days; tracking is issued at dispatch.

Purchasing and volume enquiries

The minimum order quantity for this processor is 2 units. Price is quotation-based rather than listed, because CPU pricing moves with each incoming batch — send us the quantity you need and we will come back with a firm quote and the current lead time. Larger quantities ship from the same production batch so the sSpec and the stepping stay consistent across your order.