The Core i7-4770K Review: Haswell Is Faster; Desktop Enthusiasts Yawn

HD Graphics 4600: Battlefield 3

At least for now, the highest-end graphics implementation available on an LGA 1150-based desktop processor is HD Graphics 4600. In Battlefield 3, we were able to benchmark it against AMD’s A10-5800K and Intel’s Core i7-2700K at 1280x720. The Core i7-3770K and its latest drivers crashed upon launching the game, and the -2700K output a garbled picture at 1920x1080.

At least based on the averages, you can actually play this game at fairly mainstream resolutions using the Low quality preset. AMD maintains a small advantage over Intel’s latest-generation effort, though we’re curious to see how consecutive frame latency plays out.

Although it tracks pretty closely to AMD’s Radeon HD 7660D, Intel’s HD Graphics 4600 engine dips under 30 FPS several times during our run at the one resolution we consider playable.

It doesn’t matter as much that Core i7-4770K falls to lower minimums at 1080p—both processors are too slow at this resolution anyway.

You’re not used to seeing AMD in this position, but at 720p, it averages a scant 1.3 ms of variance from one frame to the next—its pacing isn’t all that bad, actually. Meanwhile, Intel has some serious work to do with its driver. On average, variance sits around 8.5 ms. Using our 95th percentile results, though, it's as bad as 33 ms.

This only gets worse at 1080p, though the terrible frame rates keep either processor from playable performance.

Chris Angelini
Chris Angelini is an Editor Emeritus at Tom's Hardware US. He edits hardware reviews and covers high-profile CPU and GPU launches.
  • Novuake
    WELL FINALLY!! Now to read it!

    EDIT : LOL!!!!
    http://bupp-portal.com/pictures/fp.jpg
    Reply
  • thiemo56
    Dissapointing, not worth it to upgrade over sandy or ivy bridge.
    Reply
  • thiemo56
    And they overclock so low.
    Reply
  • Danny N
    Biggest question is if its worth upgrading my cpu i5 750 4.0ghz to Haswell or my gfx card ati 5870 to nvidia 7xx, my main pc use is for Maya, After FX and some fps gaming. Any input would be appriciated cause I'm leaning towards a cpu upgrade atm.
    Reply
  • swampfire
    whats scoket is it like lg1155
    Reply
  • refillable
    @Danny N
    You shouldn't ask here. Perhaps you should get an i7-4770k and a 7970(?) I heard that kepler cards does not perform that good in Maya and Aftereffects (In OpenCL).
    Reply
  • refillable
    Well unless you can get a 780, that's a whole different story.
    Reply
  • bergami
    I want to know more about Iris
    Reply
  • envy14tpe
    Seriously. What did people expect? Of course it's better but nothing out of the ordinary for Intel.
    Reply
  • enewmen
    For me it's not about the 10% gain over SB. It's more like a huge gain over a C2Q, floating point performance over SB (should matter later), and lower watts. I hope THG can expand the Power Consumption and Media Encoding later - check the Watts idle more and fast quick-sync media encoding quality loss. My 2 cents..

    EDIT:
    other sites have reported much lower watts idle, so a lot doesn't make sense or the 4770k has a very slow throttle.
    http://hexus.net/tech/reviews/cpu/56005-intel-core-i7-4770k-22nm-haswell/?page=15
    http://www.techspot.com/review/679-intel-haswell-core-i7-4770k/page13.html
    Reply