CPU Comparison

The Verdict

Benchmark results show a clear overall winner: the Intel Core i7-14701E takes 12 of 15 head-to-head comparisons, while the AMD Ryzen 5 240 wins only 3. The Intel part's average benchmark score of 33206 places it in the 83rd percentile of all CPUs, versus 33542 and the 84th percentile for the AMD. That near-identical average score, however, masks the Intel part's dominance in the most demanding workloads. The Core i7-14701E is the pick for anyone running multi-threaded productivity, physics simulation, or prime-number crunching; the Ryzen 5 240 is the better choice specifically for data encryption, extended instruction workloads, and random string sorting. The data does not support choosing the AMD part for general-purpose performance, its wins are narrow and specialized, while Intel's victories include several by massive margins.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The single largest gap is in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where the Intel Core i7-14701E scores 22195 against the AMD Ryzen 5 240's 13013, a 41.4% advantage. That is not a marginal edge; it represents a fundamentally higher sustained multi-threaded capability. The same pattern repeats in Cinebench R15 multi-core, albeit less dramatically: Intel leads 2237 to 2078, a 7.1% margin. Single-core performance follows the same direction. In Cinebench R23 single-core, Intel's 3133 beats AMD's 1742 by 44.4%, and in Cinebench R15 single-core, Intel's 315 beats AMD's 270 by 14.3%. PassMark single-thread tells the same story: 4305 versus 3675, a 14.6% Intel lead.

The Intel part also wins decisively in mathematical throughput. PassMark find prime numbers shows Intel at 176 versus AMD's 70, a striking 60.2% difference, the largest of any test. PassMark physics follows with Intel at 2399 versus AMD's 1060, a 55.8% margin. Floating-point math also favors Intel heavily: 61873 versus 45301, a 26.8% lead. Integer math is closer but still Intel's: 81325 versus 73189, a 10% edge. PassMark multithread gives Intel 26112 against AMD's 22658, a 13.2% win. Data compression also goes to Intel: 282939 versus 267963, a 5.3% advantage.

The AMD Ryzen 5 240's three wins are concentrated in specific instruction-level and memory-bound tasks. The largest is random string sorting, where AMD's 32385 beats Intel's 29158 by 11.1%. Data encryption favors AMD by 6.6%: 15849 versus 14862. Extended instructions go AMD's way by 9%: 20201 versus 18528. These are real, but they are the exceptions. Across all 15 tests, Intel's average win margin is roughly 21%, while AMD's average win margin is roughly 9%. The data shows a pattern of Intel dominating in raw compute and AMD holding its own only in narrow, specialized workloads.

Where Each One Wins

Intel Core i7-14701E dominates in: Multi-core rendering (Cinebench R23 multi-core, +41.4%; Cinebench R15 multi-core, +7.1%), single-core responsiveness (Cinebench R23 single-core, +44.4%; Cinebench R15 single-core, +14.3%; PassMark single-thread, +14.6%), prime-number computation (+60.2%), physics simulation (+55.8%), floating-point math (+26.8%), integer math (+10%), multithreaded workloads (+13.2%), and data compression (+5.3%). If the workload is CPU-bound and involves sustained throughput across many cores, the Intel part is the clear choice. Its 8 cores and 16 threads versus AMD's 6 cores and 12 threads align with this result, as does its larger 33 MB shared L3 cache versus AMD's 16 MB.

AMD Ryzen 5 240 wins in: Data encryption (+6.6%), extended instruction sets (+9%), and random string sorting (+11.1%). These are tasks that favor the Zen 4 architecture's instruction handling and memory subsystem. The AMD part also has a higher base clock (4.30 GHz versus 2.60 GHz) and a smaller process node (4 nm versus 10 nm), which may contribute to its efficiency in these specific workloads. However, the data does not suggest any broad use case where AMD is preferable. Its wins are too narrow and too few. For a general-purpose desktop or mobile workstation, the Intel part's 12 wins out of 15 tests make it the data-backed choice.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has the higher Cinebench R23 multi-core score?

A: The Intel Core i7-14701E scores 22195, which is 41.4% higher than the AMD Ryzen 5 240's 13013.

Q: Does the AMD Ryzen 5 240 win any benchmark?

A: Yes, it wins 3 of 15 head-to-head tests: data encryption (15849 versus 14862), extended instructions (20201 versus 18528), and random string sorting (32385 versus 29158).

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

A: The largest gap is in PassMark find prime numbers, where the Intel Core i7-14701E scores 176 versus the AMD Ryzen 5 240's 70, a 60.2% difference.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 240 has an average benchmark score of 33542 and sits in the 84th percentile, while the Intel Core i7-14701E has an average score of 33206 and sits in the 83rd percentile.

Q: Which CPU has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core i7-14701E has 8 cores and 16 threads, while the AMD Ryzen 5 240 has 6 cores and 12 threads.

Q: Do both CPUs support the same memory types?

A: No. The Intel Core i7-14701E supports both DDR4 and DDR5, while the AMD Ryzen 5 240 supports only DDR5. Intel also supports ECC memory; AMD does not.

Architecture Differences

The two CPUs come from different architectural lineages. The AMD Ryzen 5 240 is built on Zen 4 architecture (codename Hawk Point) using a 4 nm process from TSMC, with 25,000 million transistors on a 178 mm² die. The Intel Core i7-14701E uses Raptor Lake architecture (codename Raptor Lake-R) on Intel's 10 nm process, with a 257 mm² die size. These process differences are significant: AMD's smaller node suggests better transistor density, while Intel's larger die accommodates more cores and cache.

Core configuration differs substantially. The AMD part has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the Intel part has 8 cores and 16 threads, a 33% core advantage for Intel. Cache hierarchies also differ: AMD provides 64 KB L1 per core, 1 MB L2 per core, and 16 MB shared L3. Intel provides 80 KB L1 per core, 2 MB L2 per core, and 33 MB shared L3. The Intel part's larger L3 cache (33 MB versus 16 MB) is consistent with its better performance in multi-threaded and data-heavy workloads.

Clock behavior favors AMD on base frequency: 4.30 GHz versus Intel's 2.60 GHz. Boost clocks, however, favor Intel: 5.40 GHz versus AMD's 5.00 GHz. Thermal design power differs accordingly, with AMD rated at 45W and Intel at 65W. Memory support diverges: AMD supports only DDR5 with a measured memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s, while Intel supports both DDR4 and DDR5 (no bandwidth figure is listed for Intel). ECC memory is supported only on the Intel part. PCIe connectivity also differs: AMD offers Gen 4 with 20 lanes, while Intel offers Gen 5 with 16 lanes.

Integrated graphics are present on both, but different: AMD uses Radeon 760M, Intel uses UHD Graphics 770. Market segments differ, AMD is a mobile part on Socket FP8, Intel is a desktop part on Socket 1700. Neither has an unlocked multiplier. Release dates are close, with Intel launching on 2024-06-30 and AMD on 2025-01-05. Both are active production parts. The Intel part's higher core count, larger cache, and higher boost clock align with its benchmark dominance, while the AMD part's higher base clock and smaller process node align with its narrower, specialized wins.