AMD Ryzen 9 5900XT vs Intel Core i5-14490F Comparison

The Verdict

The recorded data presents a decisive overall winner. The AMD Ryzen 9 5900XT wins 14 of the 17 head-to-head benchmark comparisons, while the Intel Core i5-14490F wins only 3. The AMD processor holds a commanding lead in multi-threaded workloads, with its 16 cores and 32 threads delivering scores that are consistently 49% to over 100% higher than the Intel part in compute-heavy tests. The Intel Core i5-14490F, with 10 cores and 16 threads, counters with a single-thread advantage in PassMark tests, winning the PassMark single-thread test by 10.3%, and it also leads in the PassMark physics test by 18.1%. For users whose priority is maximum multi-core throughput for rendering, data compression, or encryption, the data clearly favors the AMD Ryzen 9 5900XT. The Intel processor is the choice only for workloads that are strictly single-threaded or physics-based, where its higher boost clock of 5.00 GHz and its 10 nm Raptor Lake architecture provide a measurable edge. The average benchmark score further illustrates the gap: the AMD processor records 50718, placing it in the 90th percentile of all CPUs, while the Intel processor averages 38149, placing it in the 86th percentile.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in multi-core Cinebench tests?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 5900XT is significantly faster in all Cinebench multi-core tests. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 37373 versus the Intel Core i5-14490F's 23000, a 62.5% advantage. Similar 62.5% leads appear in Cinebench R15 and R20 multi-core tests.

Q: Does the Intel Core i5-14490F win any benchmarks?

A: Yes, it wins three tests. It leads in PassMark single-thread with a score of 3873 versus 3474 (a 10.3% margin), in PassMark singlethread with the same scores, and in PassMark physics with 2093 versus 1715 (an 18.1% margin).

Q: How do the two processors compare in data encryption performance?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 5900XT dominates. Its PassMark data encryption score is 37814, compared to 18225 for the Intel processor, a margin of 107.5%. This is the largest percentage difference recorded in the head-to-head tests.

Q: What are the core and thread counts for each processor?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 5900XT has 16 cores and 32 threads. The Intel Core i5-14490F has 10 cores and 16 threads.

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i5-14490F has a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, while the AMD Ryzen 9 5900XT has a boost clock of 4.80 GHz.

Q: How do the average benchmark scores and CPU percentiles compare?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 5900XT has an average benchmark score of 50718 and sits in the 90th percentile of all CPUs. The Intel Core i5-14490F has an average benchmark score of 38149 and sits in the 86th percentile. The AMD processor's nearest rivals by average score include the Intel Core i7-13850HX at 50761 (0.1% higher) and the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 370 at 50448 (0.5% lower). The Intel processor's nearest rivals include the Intel Core Ultra 5 245T at 38194 (0.1% higher) and the Intel Core i5-13600KF at 38103 (0.1% lower).

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different architectural lineages. The AMD Ryzen 9 5900XT is part of the 5000 series, built on the Zen 3 architecture with the codename Vermeer. It is manufactured by TSMC on a 7 nm process node and uses 8,300 million transistors across two 74 mm² dies. The Intel Core i5-14490F belongs to the Core 14th Gen series, utilizing the Raptor Lake architecture with the codename Raptor Lake-R. Intel fabricates this chip on a 10 nm process, and the die size is 215 mm². The AMD processor is a Ryzen 9 generation part (Zen 3 Vermeer), while the Intel processor is a Core i5 generation part (Raptor Lake Refresh).

Cache layouts differ substantially. The AMD processor allocates 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 512 KB of L2 cache per core, and a large 64 MB L3 cache. The Intel processor provides 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 1.25 MB of L2 cache per core, and a shared 24 MB L3 cache. The AMD design has no 3D V-Cache. The Intel design also has no 3D V-Cache.

Memory support is another distinguishing factor. The AMD Ryzen 9 5900XT supports DDR4 memory only, with a dual-channel memory bus and a recorded memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. It also supports ECC memory. The Intel Core i5-14490F supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory, also on a dual-channel bus, but it does not support ECC memory. The memory bandwidth for the Intel processor is not recorded in the database.

PCIe capabilities differ as well. The AMD processor uses PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes from the CPU. The Intel processor uses PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes from the CPU. Neither processor includes integrated graphics. The AMD processor has an unlocked multiplier, while the Intel processor does not. The AMD processor uses AMD Socket AM4, and the Intel processor uses Intel Socket 1700.

Specification Differences

The AMD Ryzen 9 5900XT and Intel Core i5-14490F differ across nearly every core specification. The AMD part has 16 cores and 32 threads, while the Intel part has 10 cores and 16 threads. Base clocks are 3.30 GHz for the AMD and 2.50 GHz for the Intel. Boost clocks are 4.80 GHz for the AMD and 5.00 GHz for the Intel, giving the Intel processor the higher peak frequency. Thermal design power is 105 W for the AMD and 65 W for the Intel. The AMD processor has a launch MSRP of $349, while no launch MSRP is recorded for the Intel processor.

Socket and platform support diverge: the AMD uses Socket AM4, and the Intel uses Socket 1700. Process nodes are 7 nm for AMD (TSMC foundry) and 10 nm for Intel (Intel foundry). The AMD part has 8,300 million transistors and a die size of 2x 74 mm², whereas the Intel part's transistor count is not recorded and its die size is 215 mm². Cache configurations differ as noted previously. Memory support favors the Intel processor with DDR4 and DDR5, while the AMD processor is limited to DDR4. The AMD processor supports ECC memory; the Intel processor does not. PCIe generation favors the Intel processor with Gen 5, while the AMD uses Gen 4, though the AMD provides more CPU lanes at 20 versus 16. The AMD processor is multiplier unlocked; the Intel is locked. Release dates place the AMD processor at 2024-07-30 and the Intel processor at 2023-12-31. The AMD processor's part number is 100-000001581, and the Intel processor's part number is SRN35.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench suite shows a consistent and large advantage for the AMD Ryzen 9 5900XT. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the AMD scores 3767 against 2318 for the Intel, a 62.5% lead. Cinebench R15 single-core follows the same pattern: 531 versus 327, also 62.4%. Cinebench R20 multi-core records 15696 for the AMD and 9660 for the Intel, again a 62.5% difference. Cinebench R20 single-core shows 2215 versus 1363, a 62.5% margin. Cinebench R23 multi-core delivers 37373 for the AMD and 23000 for the Intel, a 62.5% spread, and Cinebench R23 single-core delivers 5276 versus 3247, a 62.5% spread. Across all six Cinebench tests, the AMD processor leads by roughly 62.5%, confirming that the core and thread advantage translates directly into rendering performance.

PassMark results show an even wider gap in some workloads. The AMD Ryzen 9 5900XT scores 597862 in data compression versus 340026 for the Intel, a 75.8% lead. Data encryption is the largest divergence: 37814 versus 18225, a 107.5% advantage for the AMD. Extended instructions score 39141 versus 21731, a 80.1% lead. Finding prime numbers scores 205 versus 122, a 68% lead. Floating point math scores 99398 versus 66558, a 49.3% lead. Integer math scores 177566 versus 87844, a 102.1% lead. Multi-thread performance scores 43810 versus 28662, a 52.9% lead. Random string sorting scores 62537 versus 35608, a 75.6% lead.

The Intel Core i5-14490F takes the remaining three tests. PassMark physics shows the Intel at 2093 and the AMD at 1715, an 18.1% advantage for Intel. PassMark single-thread shows the Intel at 3873 and the AMD at 3474, a 10.3% advantage, and the duplicate PassMark singlethread test records identical scores with the same 10.3% margin. These wins indicate that the Intel processor's higher 5.00 GHz boost clock and Raptor Lake architecture give it the edge in lightly threaded and physics simulation workloads, but they do not offset the AMD processor's overwhelming multi-threaded dominance. The final tally is 14 wins for the AMD Ryzen 9 5900XT and 3 wins for the Intel Core i5-14490F.