AMD EPYC 4345P vs Intel Core i5-14600K Comparison

The Intel Core i5-14600K and the AMD EPYC 4345P are statistical near-twins in aggregate performance, yet they achieve parity through fundamentally different strengths. The overall average benchmark scores are almost identical—the Intel part averages 48,618 against the AMD’s 48,470, a margin of just 0.3%—but the distribution of wins tells the real story. The i5-14600K takes 9 of 17 head-to-head tests, while the EPYC 4345P takes 8, meaning the choice between them is not about which is faster overall, but which workload profile matters most to you.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i5-14600K is the clear winner for throughput-oriented, multi-threaded productivity workloads that involve heavy data manipulation. Its most decisive victories come in floating-point math, where it scores 92,794 against the EPYC’s 74,255—a 25% advantage—and in data encryption, where it leads 27,533 to 23,313, an 18.1% margin. The Intel chip also dominates in data compression (482,020 vs 421,490, +14.4%), random string sorting (51,949 vs 46,238, +12.4%), and the PassMark multi-thread test (38,682 vs 36,123, +7.1%). These are classic server and workstation tasks that reward raw parallel execution across many cores.

The AMD EPYC 4345P, by contrast, is the single-core and lightly-threaded champion. Its most striking wins are in Cinebench R23, where it scores 4,520 in single-core against Intel’s 2,064—a massive 54.3% lead—and 32,020 in multi-core against Intel’s 24,491, a 23.5% advantage. It also wins in PassMark single-thread (4,408 vs 4,270, +3.1%), extended instructions (31,663 vs 28,546, +9.8%), and physics (2,583 vs 2,473, +4.3%). The EPYC’s Cinebench R23 multi-core win is particularly notable because it flips the expected multi-core narrative—despite having only 8 cores versus Intel’s 14, it still outperforms in that render workload.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from opposite design philosophies. The Intel Core i5-14600K is a 14-core, 20-thread part based on Raptor Lake, built on Intel’s 10 nm process with a die size of 257 mm². It uses a hybrid architecture—the fact pack lists 14 cores but 20 threads, indicating a mix of performance and efficiency cores—and relies on a large 24 MB shared L3 cache alongside 2 MB of L2 per core. It supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory over a dual-channel bus, and includes integrated UHD Graphics 770.

The AMD EPYC 4345P is a 8-core, 16-thread Zen 5 part fabricated by TSMC on a 4 nm node, with a die size of just 70.6 mm² and 8,315 million transistors. It offers a larger 32 MB shared L3 cache but a smaller 1 MB L2 per core. It supports only DDR5 memory, dual-channel, with a rated memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. It includes Radeon Graphics as integrated graphics. The EPYC also has more PCIe lanes: 24 Gen 5 lanes from the CPU versus Intel’s 16 Gen 5 lanes. Both support ECC memory, but the EPYC is locked (multiplier not unlocked) while the i5-14600K has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking.

The process node difference is stark—10 nm Intel versus 4 nm TSMC—and the EPYC’s smaller, denser die likely explains its efficiency advantage. The EPYC’s base clock is 3.80 GHz and boost clock is 5.50 GHz, versus the i5-14600K’s 3.50 GHz base and 5.30 GHz boost. The EPYC also carries a 65 W TDP against Intel’s 125 W, a significant thermal and power differential that favors the AMD part in dense or power-constrained environments.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench suite reveals the deepest performance divergence. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the EPYC 4345P scores 4,520 versus the i5-14600K’s 2,064—a 54.3% lead for AMD. This is the single largest delta in the entire comparison, and it carries over to R23 multi-core, where the EPYC scores 32,020 against Intel’s 24,491, a 23.5% margin. However, in the older Cinebench R15 multi-core test, the Intel part wins with 3,640 against 3,227, a 12.8% advantage, and in R20 multi-core Intel edges ahead 13,709 to 13,448, a narrow 1.9% win. The EPYC’s R23 dominance suggests its Zen 5 architecture scales better in newer render workloads, while Intel’s hybrid design holds its own in legacy multi-threaded tests.

The PassMark suite splits cleanly by workload type. Intel wins data compression (482,020 vs 421,490, +14.4%), data encryption (27,533 vs 23,313, +18.1%), floating-point math (92,794 vs 74,255, +25%), integer math (125,737 vs 123,774, +1.6%), multithread (38,682 vs 36,123, +7.1%), and random string sorting (51,949 vs 46,238, +12.4%). AMD wins extended instructions (31,663 vs 28,546, +9.8%), find prime numbers (167 vs 162, +3%), physics (2,583 vs 2,473, +4.3%), and single-thread (4,408 vs 4,270, +3.1%). The Intel part’s 25% lead in floating-point math is its largest PassMark victory, while AMD’s wins are smaller but consistent in single-threaded and specialized instruction tests.

In the Geekbench suite, only Intel has scores listed—16,673 multi-core and 2,491 single-core—so no head-to-head comparison is possible there. The overall win count is nearly even (9 for Intel, 8 for AMD), but the magnitude of AMD’s wins in Cinebench R23 is far larger than most of Intel’s victories, which are concentrated in the 1.6% to 18.1% range.

The Verdict

The data supports a clear split: choose the Intel Core i5-14600K if your priority is broad multi-threaded throughput, especially in data compression, encryption, floating-point math, and integer-heavy workloads. It wins the majority of the PassMark suite and holds a 0.3% overall average score advantage. It is also the only one of the two with an unlocked multiplier, making it the pick for overclocking enthusiasts. Its 125 W TDP and older 10 nm process are the trade-offs.

Choose the AMD EPYC 4345P if your workloads are dominated by single-threaded performance, modern render engines like Cinebench R23, or if power efficiency is critical. The EPYC’s 54.3% single-core lead in Cinebench R23 is decisive, and its 23.5% multi-core win in the same test proves that core count is not the only factor. Its 65 W TDP, 4 nm process, and 89.6 GB/s memory bandwidth make it the stronger candidate for power-sensitive server or workstation deployments. It also offers more PCIe lanes (24 vs 16) and a larger 32 MB L3 cache, which could matter for I/O-heavy or cache-sensitive applications.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i5-14600K averages 48,618, while the AMD EPYC 4345P averages 48,470. Intel leads by 0.3%, a statistically negligible margin.

Q: What is the largest single benchmark win between the two?

A: The AMD EPYC 4345P wins Cinebench R23 single-core by 54.3%, scoring 4,520 against Intel’s 2,064. This is the biggest delta of any test in the comparison.

Q: Does the AMD EPYC 4345P have more cores than the Intel Core i5-14600K?

A: No. The Intel part has 14 cores and 20 threads, while the AMD part has 8 cores and 16 threads. Despite having fewer cores, the EPYC wins Cinebench R23 multi-core by 23.5%.

Q: Which processor consumes less power according to the TDP rating?

A: The AMD EPYC 4345P has a 65 W TDP, while the Intel Core i5-14600K has a 125 W TDP. The AMD part is rated for less than half the thermal design power.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: Yes, both the Intel Core i5-14600K and the AMD EPYC 4345P list ECC memory support as true.

Q: Which processor has more PCIe lanes?

A: The AMD EPYC 4345P offers 24 Gen 5 lanes from the CPU, while the Intel Core i5-14600K offers 16 Gen 5 lanes. The AMD part provides 50% more CPU-attached PCIe lanes.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i5-14600K | AMD EPYC 4345P |

|---|---|---|

| Cores | 14 | 8 |

| Threads | 20 | 16 |

| Base Clock | 3.50 GHz | 3.80 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 5.30 GHz | 5.50 GHz |

| TDP | 125 W | 65 W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 1700 | AMD Socket AM5 |

| Architecture | Raptor Lake | Zen 5 |

| Process Node | 10 nm | 4 nm |

| Foundry | Intel | TSMC |

| Die Size | 257 mm² | 70.6 mm² |

| Transistors | Not listed | 8,315 million |

| L2 Cache | 2 MB (per core) | 1 MB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 24 MB (shared) | 32 MB (shared) |

| Memory Support | DDR4, DDR5 | DDR5 |

| Memory Bandwidth | Not listed | 89.6 GB/s |

| PCIe | Gen 5, 16 Lanes | Gen 5, 24 Lanes |

| Integrated Graphics | UHD Graphics 770 | Radeon Graphics |

| Market Segment | Desktop | Server/Workstation |

| Multiplier Unlocked | Yes | No |

| Launch MSRP | $319 | $329 |