Intel Core 5 221E vs Intel Core i5-14490F Comparison

The Intel Core 5 221E and Intel Core i5-14490F are both 65 W desktop processors on the Intel Socket 1700 platform, but the benchmark data reveals a clear split in workload suitability. The Core 5 221E dominates the majority of tests, winning 15 of the 17 recorded head-to-head comparisons, while the i5-14490F claims only two specific victories. The average benchmark scores place the Core 5 221E at 40144 against 38149 for the i5-14490F, a difference that aligns with the former's 87th percentile ranking versus the latter's 86th. The data indicates a processor that is broadly faster, but not universally so, and the two losses for the Core 5 221E are significant enough to matter for certain use cases.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core 5 221E wins across the entire Cinebench suite and in the majority of PassMark workloads. In Cinebench R23 multicore, it scores 25933 against 23000, a 12.8% advantage. The gap is consistent in single-core tests as well, with the Core 5 221E scoring 3661 in Cinebench R23 single-core against 3247, another 12.8% lead. This pattern holds for all Cinebench iterations, including R15 and R20, where the Core 5 221E leads by between 12.5% and 12.8% in both single and multicore tests. These results indicate that the Core 5 221E is the stronger choice for rendering, video encoding, and any application that scales with CPU compute throughput.

The PassMark results reinforce this dominance in mathematical and encryption workloads. The Core 5 221E leads in integer math by 34.1%, scoring 117813 against 87844. It also leads in floating-point math by 18.7%, with scores of 79028 versus 66558. Prime number finding shows a massive 41.8% advantage for the Core 5 221E, scoring 173 versus 122, and data encryption favors it by 5.4% with scores of 19205 against 18225. The multithread test also goes to the Core 5 221E, with a 6.4% lead (30510 vs 28662), as does the physics test with a 6.5% margin (2230 vs 2093). Random string sorting and single-thread tests also favor the Core 5 221E by 5.8% and 7.1% respectively.

The Intel Core i5-14490F wins in data compression and extended instructions. In data compression, it scores 340026 against 324285, a 4.6% edge. In extended instructions, the margin is much larger: 21731 versus 18216, a 16.2% advantage. The data compression result is notable because it is a real-world task used in file archiving and database workloads, making the i5-14490F the better pick for those specific operations. The extended instructions score suggests the i5-14490F handles specialized instruction sets more efficiently, which can matter for encryption libraries, multimedia codecs, or scientific computing routines that use SIMD extensions.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different Intel families. The Core 5 221E is based on the Bartlett Lake architecture and carries the codename Bartlett Lake, while the i5-14490F belongs to the Core 14th Gen series with the Raptor Lake architecture and the Raptor Lake-R codename. Both are built on a 10 nm process node at Intel's foundry, so the manufacturing technology is identical. The die sizes differ, with the Core 5 221E measuring 257 mm² against 215 mm² for the i5-14490F, reflecting the larger core configuration of the newer part.

Core counts clearly separate the two. The Core 5 221E uses 14 cores and 20 threads, while the i5-14490F uses 10 cores and 16 threads. The Core 5 221E also has a higher base clock of 2.70 GHz versus 2.50 GHz and a higher boost clock of 5.20 GHz versus 5.00 GHz. Both CPUs share the same L3 cache size at 24 MB shared, and both use 80 KB of L1 cache per core. The L2 cache differs: the Core 5 221E has 2 MB per core, while the i5-14490F has 1.25 MB per core.

Memory support is similar on the surface, with both supporting DDR4 and DDR5 in dual-channel mode. However, the Core 5 221E records a memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s, while the i5-14490F has no bandwidth figure recorded in the database. The Core 5 221E also supports ECC memory, while the i5-14490F does not. The integrated graphics situation is reversed: the Core 5 221E includes UHD Graphics 730, while the i5-14490F has no integrated graphics at all (N/A). Both use PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes from the CPU, and both have locked multipliers.

The release dates differ significantly, with the Core 5 221E launching on 2025-01-12 and the i5-14490F launching on 2023-12-31. The Core 5 221E has a launch MSRP of $232, while the i5-14490F has no recorded launch MSRP. Both parts are listed as Active in production status and target the desktop market segment.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in multi-threaded workloads?

A: The Intel Core 5 221E. It leads in Cinebench R23 multicore with 25933 versus 23000, a 12.8% advantage, and in PassMark multithread with 30510 versus 28662, a 6.4% lead.

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

A: Yes. It wins in data compression (340026 vs 324285, a 4.6% lead) and in extended instructions (21731 vs 18216, a 16.2% lead).

Q: Do both processors support the same memory types?

A: Both support DDR4 and DDR5 in dual-channel mode. The Core 5 221E additionally supports ECC memory, which the i5-14490F does not.

Q: Which processor includes integrated graphics?

A: The Intel Core 5 221E includes UHD Graphics 730. The Intel Core i5-14490F has no integrated graphics (listed as N/A).

Q: How do the core and thread counts compare?

A: The Core 5 221E has 14 cores and 20 threads. The i5-14490F has 10 cores and 16 threads.

Q: What is the clock speed difference between the two?

A: The Core 5 221E has a base clock of 2.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.20 GHz. The i5-14490F has a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz.

Specification Differences

The specifications that differ between the two processors are as follows:

• Series: The i5-14490F belongs to Core 14th Gen, while the Core 5 221E has no series designation.
• Architecture: The Core 5 221E uses Bartlett Lake, the i5-14490F uses Raptor Lake.
• Codename: Bartlett Lake vs Raptor Lake-R.
• Cores: 14 vs 10.
• Threads: 20 vs 16.
• Base Clock: 2.70 GHz vs 2.50 GHz.
• Boost Clock: 5.20 GHz vs 5.00 GHz.
• Die Size: 257 mm² vs 215 mm².
• L2 Cache: 2 MB per core vs 1.25 MB per core.
• Memory Bandwidth: 89.6 GB/s vs not recorded.
• ECC Memory: Supported vs not supported.
• Integrated Graphics: UHD Graphics 730 vs N/A.
• Release Date: 2025-01-12 vs 2023-12-31.
• Launch MSRP: $232 vs not recorded.
• Part Number: SRQDVQ659 vs SRN35.

Shared specifications include the 10 nm process node, Intel as the foundry, 80 KB L1 cache per core, 24 MB shared L3 cache, DDR4/DDR5 memory support, dual-channel memory bus, PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes, 65 W TDP, Intel Socket 1700, desktop market segment, Active production status, and locked multiplier.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest single win for the Core 5 221E is in PassMark find prime numbers, where it scores 173 against 122, a 41.8% advantage. This is followed by integer math, where the Core 5 221E scores 117813 against 87844, a 34.1% lead. Floating-point math shows an 18.7% margin in favor of the Core 5 221E, with scores of 79028 versus 66558. The Cinebench tests are uniform in their margins, all landing between 12.5% and 12.8% in favor of the Core 5 221E. The single-thread tests show a 7.1% lead for the Core 5 221E, with scores of 4147 versus 3873 in both PassMark single-thread and singlethread tests. PassMark multithread shows a 6.4% margin (30510 vs 28662), physics shows 6.5% (2230 vs 2093), random string sorting shows 5.8% (37686 vs 35608), and data encryption shows 5.4% (19205 vs 18225).

The i5-14490F has two wins. The larger is in extended instructions, where it scores 21731 against 18216, a 16.2% margin. The smaller win is in data compression, where it scores 340026 against 324285, a 4.6% margin. These wins are specific but meaningful, particularly the extended instructions result which is the second-largest margin in the entire comparison.

The Verdict

The benchmark data positions the Intel Core 5 221E as the faster processor for the vast majority of workloads. Its 15 wins out of 17 tests include every Cinebench benchmark, all major math workloads, encryption, physics, multithread, and single-thread tests. The average benchmark score of 40144 against 38149, combined with the higher percentile ranking of 87 versus 86, confirms that the Core 5 221E is the stronger overall performer. The additional cores, threads, and higher clock speeds provide a measurable advantage that shows up consistently across rendering and compute-heavy tasks.

The Intel Core i5-14490F is not without merit. Its data compression win by 4.6% and extended instructions win by 16.2% indicate that it handles specific instruction patterns better than the Core 5 221E. For workloads that rely heavily on compression algorithms or specialized SIMD instruction sets, the i5-14490F delivers a tangible benefit. The database also shows that the i5-14490F sits close to the Intel Core Ultra 5 245T in average score (38194, a 0.1% difference) and the Intel Core i5-13600KF (38103, a 0.1% difference), placing it in a competitive mid-range segment.

The choice depends on the workload profile. The Core 5 221E is the pick for general compute, rendering, encryption, and most multi-threaded tasks, with a 12.8% lead in Cinebench R23 multicore being a strong indicator of its rendering capability. The i5-14490F is the pick for compression-heavy workflows and applications that use extended instruction sets, where its 16.2% margin in that specific test makes it the better fit. The Core 5 221E also offers ECC memory support and integrated graphics, which are hardware features absent from the i5-14490F, making it the more flexible option for systems that require those capabilities.