My experience is the opposite of your observation. The three 4790K I have tried have all been better than the average 4770K. Only one of six 4770K has been better than the three 4790K. The Haswell silicon lottery still applies - there is quite a variation among 4790Ks just as there was with 4770K. It's just that the overall level has been higher for the 4790Ks I have tried.
There is also the cooling. 4790K has 'better' TIM under the lid. That improved cooling has given me 10C lower temperatures at the same power or 15 watts more to overclock with at the same temperature. That applies to CPUs that are not delidded and applies at the highest temperatures where it really matters. Delidding gives more cooling benefit even with 4790K.
Jeff
There is also the cooling. 4790K has 'better' TIM under the lid. That improved cooling has given me 10C lower temperatures at the same power or 15 watts more to overclock with at the same temperature. That applies to CPUs that are not delidded and applies at the highest temperatures where it really matters. Delidding gives more cooling benefit even with 4790K.
Jeff
"I believe the ix-4x90k chips have soldered lids instead of TIM, which means assuming the silicon is the same, you can get much better OCs out of an i7-4790k than an i7-4770k."
I have delidded a few 4790K and they are definitely not soldered. The TIM is a different consistency and color that that in 4770K, and works a little better. Not enough better to avoid delidding for serious benchmarking.
The Extreme Editions X9xx ranging from 3920K - 3960X - 4920K - 4960X that run in 2011 sockets are soldered. Intel has said that the Haswell Extreme - 5920K, 5930K and 5960X are lidded with thermal epoxy. They might not be as good as the soldered ones, but they can't be delidded without destroying the chip.
4790K vs Haswell Extreme vs waiting for Broadwell is a matter of your choice, JimmyH. If you want it now, you'll have to do without Broadwell. If the budget precludes Extreme Editions, I think the 4790K is the best you can do.
Jeff
I have delidded a few 4790K and they are definitely not soldered. The TIM is a different consistency and color that that in 4770K, and works a little better. Not enough better to avoid delidding for serious benchmarking.
The Extreme Editions X9xx ranging from 3920K - 3960X - 4920K - 4960X that run in 2011 sockets are soldered. Intel has said that the Haswell Extreme - 5920K, 5930K and 5960X are lidded with thermal epoxy. They might not be as good as the soldered ones, but they can't be delidded without destroying the chip.
4790K vs Haswell Extreme vs waiting for Broadwell is a matter of your choice, JimmyH. If you want it now, you'll have to do without Broadwell. If the budget precludes Extreme Editions, I think the 4790K is the best you can do.
Jeff
