Intel Core 5 211E vs Intel Core i5-14490F Comparison

The Intel Core i5-14490F and the Intel Core 5 211E are both 10-core, 16-thread desktop processors on the Intel Socket 1700 platform, yet their benchmark profiles reveal two distinctly different personalities. The i5-14490F, built on Raptor Lake, is a clear multi-threaded workhorse, while the 211E, based on Bartlett Lake, counters with surprising single-thread efficiency and specialized task wins. The head-to-head data shows a decisive 13-to-4 split in benchmark victories, but the margins tell a more nuanced story about workload suitability.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking disparity emerges in multi-threaded rendering workloads. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the i5-14490F scores 23,000 against the 211E's 20,389, a 12.8% advantage. This pattern repeats across the Cinebench suite: R20 multi-core shows 9,660 versus 8,563 (12.8% delta), and R15 multi-core delivers 2,318 versus 2,055 (12.8% delta). The consistency of the 12.8% margin across all three Cinebench multi-core tests suggests a fundamental throughput advantage rather than a workload-specific quirk. Single-core Cinebench results tell a similar story, with the i5-14490F leading R23 single-core by 12.8% (3,247 vs 2,878) and R20 single-core by 12.8% (1,363 vs 1,208).

The PassMark suite reveals an even more dramatic split. The i5-14490F crushes the 211E in the physics test, scoring 2,093 versus 702 — a massive 198.1% delta. Prime number finding follows suit: 122 versus 43, a 183.7% advantage for the i5-14490F. These are not marginal differences; they indicate a profound architectural efficiency gap in specific computational patterns. The multi-thread PassMark score reinforces the Cinebench findings, with the i5-14490F at 28,662 versus 23,833, a 20.3% lead.

However, the 211E is not without its victories. In PassMark single-thread performance, it posts 4,006 versus the i5-14490F's 3,873, a 3.3% win. This is a notable reversal given the i5-14490F's single-core Cinebench dominance. The 211E also takes data compression (346,757 vs 340,026, a 1.9% edge) and integer math (88,117 vs 87,844, a 0.3% margin). These wins, while smaller in magnitude, hint at strengths in integer-heavy, latency-sensitive workloads. The i5-14490F still claims data encryption (18,225 vs 17,938, a 1.6% lead), extended instructions (21,731 vs 21,592, a 0.6% edge), floating-point math (66,558 vs 66,402, a 0.2% margin), and random string sorting (35,608 vs 34,308, a 3.8% lead).

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i5-14490F leads with an average benchmark score of 38,149 compared to the Intel Core 5 211E's 37,829. Both CPUs sit in the 86th percentile among all processors, and the i5-14490F's closest rival is the Intel Core i5-13600KF at 38,103 (0.1% delta), while the 211E's nearest competitor is the AMD Ryzen AI Embedded P132 at 37,804 (0.1% delta).

Q: Is the Core 5 211E faster in any Cinebench test?

A: No. The i5-14490F wins all six Cinebench tests (R15, R20, and R23, each in single-core and multi-core variants), with a uniform 12.8% delta in five of the six and a 13.1% delta in R15 single-core (327 vs 289).

Q: How large is the gap in the PassMark multithread test?

A: The i5-14490F scores 28,662 versus the 211E's 23,833, giving the i5-14490F a 20.3% advantage. This is the second-largest margin in the entire head-to-head comparison, behind only the physics test.

Q: Does the Core 5 211E have any significant wins?

A: Yes, particularly in PassMark single-thread performance (4,006 vs 3,873, a 3.3% lead) and data compression (346,757 vs 340,026, a 1.9% lead). It also narrowly wins integer math (88,117 vs 87,844, a 0.3% margin).

Q: What do the physics and prime number scores suggest?

A: The i5-14490F's physics score of 2,093 dwarfs the 211E's 702 (198.1% delta), and its prime number score of 122 is nearly three times the 211E's 43 (183.7% delta). These extreme outliers suggest the i5-14490F has a substantial advantage in workloads involving iterative computation or simulation logic.

Q: Are these processors in the same performance percentile?

A: Yes, both are in the 86th percentile of all CPUs, despite the i5-14490F having a higher average benchmark score (38,149 vs 37,829). This indicates they occupy a similar overall performance tier even though their workload-specific strengths differ significantly.

The Verdict

The data points to the Intel Core i5-14490F as the superior processor for multi-threaded, compute-intensive applications. Its consistent 12.8% lead across all Cinebench multi-core tests, paired with a 20.3% advantage in PassMark multithread, makes it the clear choice for rendering, simulation, and heavy content creation workloads. The 198.1% physics delta and 183.7% prime number delta are particularly compelling for users running physics-based simulations or cryptographic/prime-related computations.

The Intel Core 5 211E, however, is not obsolete. Its 3.3% single-thread win in PassMark and 1.9% data compression advantage suggest it may be better suited for latency-sensitive, single-threaded applications or compression-heavy tasks. The 211E also offers integrated UHD Graphics 730 and ECC memory support, which the i5-14490F lacks entirely. For users who need a functional iGPU for basic display output or require ECC for data integrity, the 211E's feature set may outweigh its raw performance deficit. The i5-14490F is the pick for raw compute; the 211E is the pick for embedded or reliability-focused scenarios.

Specification Differences

The two processors share the same core count (10), thread count (16), TDP (65 watts), socket (Intel Socket 1700), process node (10 nm), foundry (Intel), memory support (DDR4 and DDR5), memory bus (Dual-channel), PCIe configuration (Gen 5, 16 Lanes CPU-only), and production status (Active). The differences begin with clock speeds: the i5-14490F has a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, while the 211E has a higher base clock of 2.70 GHz but a lower boost clock of 4.90 GHz. Cache configurations also differ: the i5-14490F offers 1.25 MB of L2 cache per core and 24 MB of shared L3 cache, whereas the 211E provides 2 MB of L2 per core but only 20 MB of shared L3 cache. The 211E adds a memory bandwidth figure of 76.8 GB/s (not listed for the i5-14490F), supports ECC memory (the i5-14490F does not), and includes integrated UHD Graphics 730 (the i5-14490F has N/A for iGPU). The die size differs as well: the i5-14490F measures 215 mm², while the 211E is larger at 257 mm². The 211E has a launch MSRP of $221.

Architecture Differences

The i5-14490F is built on Raptor Lake architecture (specifically Raptor Lake-R) as part of the Core i5 generation (Raptor Lake Refresh). The 211E uses Bartlett Lake architecture, belonging to the Core 5 generation. Both use the same 10 nm process node from Intel. The L1 cache is identical at 80 KB per core, but the L2 cache differs: the i5-14490F has 1.25 MB per core versus the 211E's 2 MB per core. The L3 cache is larger on the i5-14490F (24 MB shared) compared to the 211E (20 MB shared). The 211E supports ECC memory and includes integrated UHD Graphics 730, while the i5-14490F has no integrated graphics and no ECC support. The memory bandwidth for the 211E is listed at 76.8 GB/s, a figure not provided for the i5-14490F. The die sizes reflect physical differences (215 mm² for the i5-14490F, 257 mm² for the 211E), and release dates differ: the i5-14490F was released at the end of 2023, while the 211E arrived in early 2025.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i5-14490F wins decisively in multi-threaded compute. Cinebench R23 multi-core (23,000 vs 20,389), PassMark multithread (28,662 vs 23,833), and the physics test (2,093 vs 702) are all unambiguous wins by double-digit percentages. It also dominates prime number finding (122 vs 43), making it the preferred choice for scientific computing, financial modeling, 3D rendering, and any workload that scales across all 16 threads. Single-threaded Cinebench results also favor the i5-14490F (e.g., R23 single-core at 3,247 vs 2,878), so users prioritizing raw per-core rendering performance should look here first. Secondary wins in data encryption (18,225 vs 17,938) and extended instructions (21,731 vs 21,592) round out its profile.

The Intel Core 5 211E wins in PassMark single-thread performance (4,006 vs 3,873), a 3.3% edge, making it potentially better for lightly-threaded applications that are sensitive to per-core responsiveness. It also takes data compression (346,757 vs 340,026) and integer math (88,117 vs 87,844), suggesting strengths in file archiving, database operations, and integer-heavy logic. The 211E's integrated UHD Graphics 730 and ECC memory support give it a functional edge for embedded systems, industrial PCs, or headless servers where a discrete GPU is unnecessary and memory error correction is critical. Its lower multi-thread scores (20,389 in Cinebench R23 multi-core versus 23,000) mean it should not be the first choice for parallel workloads, but for single-thread efficiency and platform flexibility, the 211E has a legitimate claim.