AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D vs Intel Core i7-14700F Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark comparison between the AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D and the Intel Core i7-14700F splits into 15 recorded tests, with Intel taking 8 wins and AMD taking 7. The margin of victory matters more than the count, because Intel’s wins are often large while AMD’s wins are either narrow or concentrated in specialized workloads.

The single largest gap in the entire comparison belongs to AMD in the PassMark find prime numbers test. The Ryzen 7 9850X3D scores 435 against Intel’s 176, a 147.2% advantage. This is an extreme outlier, indicating that AMD’s architecture handles this particular prime-number workload with exceptional efficiency. In PassMark physics, AMD again dominates with a score of 4171 versus 2455, a 69.9% lead. Both results point to AMD’s strength in workloads that rely on integer-heavy, latency-sensitive operations.

AMD also wins PassMark extended instructions by a healthy margin, scoring 39272 against 28564, a 37.5% difference. In single-threaded PassMark tests, AMD scores 4704 versus Intel’s 4257, a 10.5% lead. The PassMark multithread test produces a virtual dead heat: AMD scores 41318 and Intel scores 41317, a 0% difference. That near-tie is notable because Intel has far more cores and threads, yet AMD matches it exactly.

Intel’s wins are larger in absolute terms. The biggest is Cinebench R23 single-core, where Intel scores 4958 versus AMD’s 2228, a 55.1% advantage. That is a massive single-core gap, nearly double AMD’s score. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, Intel scores 35122 against AMD’s 22807, a 35.1% lead. Cinebench R15 single-core shows Intel ahead at 499 versus 343, a 31.3% difference. Cinebench R15 multi-core is nearly tied: Intel scores 3540, AMD scores 3551, a 0.3% margin in AMD’s favor.

In PassMark integer math, Intel scores 155808 versus AMD’s 123140, a 21% lead. PassMark floating point math goes to Intel with 107005 against AMD’s 81998, a 23.4% difference. PassMark data encryption favors Intel, 30144 versus 22856, a 24.2% gap. PassMark data compression shows Intel at 505885 versus AMD’s 474501, a 6.2% lead. PassMark random string sorting goes to Intel, 55918 versus 49764, an 11% difference.

The pattern is clear: Intel wins through raw throughput and high-frequency single-core performance, while AMD wins through specialized instruction handling and physics-related computations. The Cinebench results are the most striking because they use a widely recognized rendering benchmark, and Intel leads by over half in single-core and over a third in multi-core.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D has an average benchmark score of 58386, while the Intel Core i7-14700F has 53620. AMD sits at the 92nd percentile among all CPUs, Intel at the 91st.

Q: How do the two compare in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: Intel wins decisively with a score of 35122 versus AMD’s 22807, a 35.1% advantage. This is one of Intel’s largest wins in the comparison.

Q: Is there any test where the two are nearly identical?

A: Yes, PassMark multithread produces a 0% difference, with AMD at 41318 and Intel at 41317. Cinebench R15 multi-core is also close, with AMD ahead by just 0.3% (3551 versus 3540).

Q: What is the largest single-test margin in either direction?

A: AMD’s 147.2% lead in PassMark find prime numbers is the largest. AMD scores 435, Intel scores 176. Intel’s largest margin is 55.1% in Cinebench R23 single-core.

Q: Which processor wins more benchmark tests overall?

A: Intel wins 8 of the 15 head-to-head tests, AMD wins 7. Despite the near-even split, Intel’s wins tend to be larger in percentage terms across multiple tests.

Q: How do the two compare in single-threaded PassMark tests?

A: AMD leads with 4704 versus Intel’s 4257, a 10.5% advantage. This result appears twice in the data, once under passmark_single_thread and once under passmark_singlethread, with identical scores.

The Verdict

The data separates these two processors into different roles. The Intel Core i7-14700F is the choice for users whose workloads resemble Cinebench rendering, integer math, floating point math, encryption, compression, or random string sorting. Those workloads show Intel ahead by margins ranging from 6.2% to 55.1%. The Cinebench R23 results, both single-core and multi-core, are especially decisive for Intel.

The AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D is the choice for users running physics computations, extended instruction sets, prime-number finding, or single-threaded PassMark tasks. Its 69.9% lead in physics and 147.2% lead in prime numbers are far larger than any Intel advantage. The 10.5% single-thread PassMark win also matters for latency-sensitive applications.

For balanced multi-threaded workloads, the PassMark multithread test shows a perfect tie at 41318 versus 41317, meaning neither chip has a throughput advantage in that generic measurement. The average benchmark score favors AMD, 58386 versus 53620, but that aggregate hides the fact that Intel dominates the most common rendering and math workloads. Users should pick based on the specific benchmark pattern that matches their actual use case, not on the overall average.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every core specification. The AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D has 8 cores and 16 threads, while the Intel Core i7-14700F has 20 cores and 28 threads. AMD’s base clock is 4.70 GHz, Intel’s is 2.10 GHz. AMD’s boost clock is 5.60 GHz, Intel’s is 5.40 GHz. The TDP differs substantially: AMD is rated at 120 watts, Intel at 65 watts.

AMD uses Socket AM5, Intel uses Socket 1700. AMD’s L2 cache is 1 MB per core, Intel’s is 2 MB per core. AMD’s L3 cache is 96 MB shared, Intel’s is 33 MB shared. Both have 80 KB of L1 cache per core. AMD supports DDR5 memory only, while Intel supports both DDR4 and DDR5. AMD lists a memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s; Intel does not list a bandwidth figure. Both support ECC memory.

PCIe connectivity differs: AMD provides Gen 5 with 24 lanes (CPU only), Intel provides Gen 5 with 16 lanes (CPU only). AMD includes integrated Radeon Graphics, Intel has no integrated graphics. AMD’s multiplier is unlocked, Intel’s is locked. AMD’s part number is 100-000001973, Intel’s is SRN3Z.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap is fundamental. AMD uses Zen 5 architecture with the Granite Ridge codename, built on TSMC’s 4 nm process with 8,315 million transistors on a 70.6 mm² die. Intel uses Raptor Lake architecture with the Raptor Lake-R codename, built on Intel’s 10 nm process with a 257 mm² die size. Intel does not list a transistor count.

These differences explain the benchmark patterns. AMD’s 4 nm process and smaller die allow higher clock speeds at a modest 120 watt TDP, with 5.60 GHz boost. Intel’s larger 257 mm² die and 10 nm process operate at a lower 2.10 GHz base clock, but the 20-core count provides massive parallel throughput in multi-threaded tests. The L3 cache difference is also significant: AMD’s 96 MB shared cache versus Intel’s 33 MB shared cache. AMD’s larger cache likely drives its wins in physics and prime-number tests, which benefit from data locality.

Intel’s 28 threads versus AMD’s 16 threads explains why Intel wins multi-core Cinebench tests by large margins despite AMD’s higher clocks. AMD’s 8 cores each run at a higher base frequency, but 20 Intel cores simply produce more aggregate work in heavily threaded rendering. The single-core Cinebench results, where Intel leads by 55.1%, indicate that Intel’s Raptor Lake architecture has a higher peak single-core capability in that benchmark, despite AMD’s higher boost clock. The PassMark single-thread result, where AMD leads by 10.5%, shows that the two architectures trade leads depending on the specific instruction mix.

The foundry difference also matters. TSMC manufactures AMD’s chip at 4 nm, while Intel fabricates its own at 10 nm. The transistor density advantage of 4 nm allows AMD to fit 8,315 million transistors into a much smaller die. Intel’s 257 mm² die is over 3.6 times larger than AMD’s 70.6 mm² die, yet Intel still achieves a 65 watt TDP, lower than AMD’s 120 watts.

Where Each One Wins

Intel wins in rendering and throughput-heavy tasks. Cinebench R23 multi-core shows a 35.1% advantage, and Cinebench R23 single-core shows a 55.1% advantage. PassMark integer math favors Intel by 21%, floating point math by 23.4%, data encryption by 24.2%, data compression by 6.2%, and random string sorting by 11%. These are the workloads for which the Intel Core i7-14700F is the stronger choice.

AMD wins in specialized computational tasks. PassMark physics shows a 69.9% lead, find prime numbers a 147.2% lead, and extended instructions a 37.5% lead. AMD also takes single-threaded PassMark by 10.5%. The PassMark multithread test is a tie, so AMD’s wins are concentrated in areas where its architecture extracts more work per clock or per thread.

The Cinebench R15 multi-core result slightly favors AMD by 0.3%, but that margin is negligible. Users running Cinebench R23, which is the more current benchmark, should expect Intel to be substantially faster. Users running physics simulations or prime-number computations should expect AMD to be dramatically faster. The two processors rarely compete in the same workload profile, so the choice depends entirely on which benchmark pattern matches the intended software.