Intel Core 5 221E vs Intel Core i7-14701E Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data splits these two Intel desktop processors into distinct roles. The Intel Core 5 221E wins 12 of the 17 recorded head-to-head tests, while the Intel Core i7-14701E takes 5. The Core 5 221E dominates heavily threaded workloads, with its largest advantages appearing in integer math, floating point math, data encryption, and random string sorting. The Core i7-14701E counters with wins in single-threaded PassMark tests, extended instructions, prime number finding, and physics simulation.

The use-case split is clear. The Core 5 221E is the stronger choice for rendering, compression, encryption, and general parallel compute. Its Cinebench R23 multicore score of 25933 versus 22195 for the i7-14701E shows a 16.8% lead in a demanding all-core render workload. The PassMark integer math result amplifies this: 117813 versus 81325, a 44.9% advantage that indicates substantial headroom for compiled code, database work, and other integer-heavy tasks.

The Core i7-14701E is the better pick for lightly threaded responsiveness and certain specialized instruction patterns. Its PassMark single thread score of 4305 beats the Core 5 221E's 4147 by 3.7%. It also wins the extended instructions test (18528 versus 18216, a 1.7% margin) and the find prime numbers test (176 versus 173, also 1.7%). The physics score of 2399 versus 2230 is a 7% win, suggesting better per-core efficiency in that specific simulation workload.

Overall average benchmark scores put the Core 5 221E at 40144 versus 33206 for the Core i7-14701E. The Core 5 221E sits at the 87th percentile of all CPUs in the database, while the Core i7-14701E sits at the 83rd percentile. The Core 5 221E's nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 7 7700 (0.2% ahead), AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 (0.2% ahead), AMD Ryzen 9 270 (0.3% behind), and Intel Core i9-13905H (0.4% behind). The Core i7-14701E's nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 6950H (0% delta), AMD Ryzen 5 8645HS (0.1% behind), AMD Ryzen 7 7745HX (0.3% ahead), and Intel Core i7-13650HX (0.4% ahead).

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core 5 221E has 14 cores and 20 threads. The Intel Core i7-14701E has 8 cores and 16 threads.

Q: Which processor scores higher in single-threaded tests?

A: The Intel Core i7-14701E wins PassMark single thread with 4305 versus 4147 for the Core 5 221E, a 3.7% advantage. However, the Core 5 221E wins every Cinebench single-core test: R15 (368 versus 315), R20 (1537 versus 1315), and R23 (3661 versus 3133), each by about 16.8% to 16.9%.

Q: How large is the multicore performance gap in Cinebench?

A: The Core 5 221E leads by 16.8% in Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 multicore tests. Scores are 2613 versus 2237 in R15, 10891 versus 9321 in R20, and 25933 versus 22195 in R23.

Q: Which processor has more L3 cache?

A: The Intel Core i7-14701E has 33 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel Core 5 221E has 24 MB of shared L3 cache. Both have 80 KB of L1 cache per core and 2 MB of L2 cache per core.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: Yes, both the Intel Core 5 221E and the Intel Core i7-14701E have ECC memory support enabled.

Q: What are the integrated graphics differences?

A: The Intel Core 5 221E uses UHD Graphics 730. The Intel Core i7-14701E uses UHD Graphics 770.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Core 5 221E's largest wins are concentrated in arithmetic and data processing. The PassMark integer math test shows the biggest gap: 117813 versus 81325, a 44.9% advantage. Floating point math follows closely, with 79028 versus 61873, a 27.7% lead. Data encryption and random string sorting both show 29.2% advantages: 19205 versus 14862 for encryption, and 37686 versus 29158 for sorting. Data compression gives the Core 5 221E a 14.6% edge, scoring 324285 versus 282939.

The Cinebench suite is uniformly in favor of the Core 5 221E. Every Cinebench test, single-core and multicore, shows roughly a 16.8% to 16.9% delta. The R15, R20, and R23 multicore scores are 2613, 10891, and 25933 respectively, against 2237, 9321, and 22195 for the Core i7-14701E. Single-core Cinebench scores follow the same pattern: 368 versus 315 in R15, 1537 versus 1315 in R20, and 3661 versus 3133 in R23.

The PassMark multithread score confirms the trend, with the Core 5 221E at 30510 and the Core i7-14701E at 26112, a 16.8% margin. This aligns with the Cinebench multicore deltas, indicating a consistent throughput advantage across different benchmark engines.

The Core i7-14701E's wins are smaller in magnitude but consistent in pattern. The PassMark single thread score of 4305 versus 4147 is a 3.7% lead. The physics test gives it 2399 versus 2230, a 7% advantage. Extended instructions and prime number finding both show 1.7% leads: 18528 versus 18216 and 176 versus 173 respectively. These wins suggest the Core i7-14701E has slightly better per-core efficiency in non-vectorized or latency-sensitive tasks, despite having fewer cores.

The overall benchmark average reinforces the Core 5 221E's position. Its average score of 40144 compares to 33206 for the Core i7-14701E. The Core 5 221E's nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 7 7700, scores 40081, which is only 0.2% behind. The Core i7-14701E's closest competitor, the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 6950H, scores 33201, essentially identical.

Specification Differences

The two processors share several platform-level specifications but diverge on core configuration and cache. Both use the Intel Socket 1700, have a 65 W TDP, support DDR4 and DDR5 memory in dual-channel mode, and provide PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes from the CPU. Both are built on Intel's 10 nm process with a 257 mm² die size. Both are desktop parts with active production status and locked multipliers.

The core counts differ substantially. The Core 5 221E has 14 cores and 20 threads. The Core i7-14701E has 8 cores and 16 threads. Base clocks are close: 2.70 GHz for the Core 5 221E versus 2.60 GHz for the Core i7-14701E. Boost clocks favor the Core i7-14701E slightly at 5.40 GHz versus 5.20 GHz.

L3 cache is notably different. The Core i7-14701E carries 33 MB shared L3, while the Core 5 221E carries 24 MB shared L3. L1 and L2 caches are identical per core: 80 KB and 2 MB respectively.

Memory bandwidth is listed only for the Core 5 221E at 89.6 GB/s; the Core i7-14701E does not have a recorded memory bandwidth figure. Integrated graphics differ, with the Core 5 221E using UHD Graphics 730 and the Core i7-14701E using UHD Graphics 770.

Release dates differ by about six months. The Core i7-14701E launched on 2024-06-30, and the Core 5 221E launched on 2025-01-12. The Core 5 221E has a recorded launch MSRP of $232. The Core i7-14701E has no launch MSRP recorded.

Architecture Differences

The Core 5 221E is part of the Bartlett Lake generation, while the Core i7-14701E belongs to the Core 14th Gen series with the Raptor Lake architecture and Raptor Lake-R codename. Both are built on Intel's 10 nm process at Intel's foundry, with identical 257 mm² die sizes. The Bartlett Lake part is listed as a Core 5 generation product, while the Raptor Lake Refresh part is a Core i7 generation product.

The core count and thread count difference drives most of the architectural distinction. The Core 5 221E's 14 cores and 20 threads provide more parallel execution resources, which explains its consistent multicore wins. The Core i7-14701E's 8 cores and 16 threads rely on higher boost clocks (5.40 GHz versus 5.20 GHz) and a larger L3 cache (33 MB versus 24 MB) to stay competitive in latency-sensitive workloads.

Cache organization differs only in L3 capacity. Both use 80 KB L1 per core and 2 MB L2 per core, but the shared L3 pool is 33 MB on the Raptor Lake part versus 24 MB on the Bartlett Lake part. This larger L3 cache likely contributes to the Core i7-14701E's wins in physics simulation and single-thread PassMark tests, which can benefit from larger working sets staying on-die.

Both processors support ECC memory, dual-channel DDR4/DDR5, and PCIe Gen 5 with 16 CPU lanes. The integrated graphics differ: UHD Graphics 730 on the Core 5 221E versus UHD Graphics 770 on the Core i7-14701E. Both are desktop socketed parts, not mobile or embedded variants.

The Verdict

The data points to the Intel Core 5 221E for anyone prioritizing parallel throughput. It wins 12 of 17 benchmarks, including all Cinebench tests, all PassMark math tests, data compression, encryption, random string sorting, and multithread. Its 44.9% lead in integer math and 27.7% lead in floating point math are decisive for compute-heavy applications. The 16.8% multicore advantage across Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 confirms consistent rendering and encoding performance. Its average benchmark score of 40144 places it at the 87th percentile, comfortably above the Core i7-14701E's 33206 and 83rd percentile.

The Intel Core i7-14701E serves a narrower role. Its 5 wins come in single-thread PassMark, extended instructions, prime number finding, and physics. The 3.7% single-thread PassMark lead and 7% physics win show that per-core efficiency still matters in specific cases. The larger 33 MB L3 cache and higher 5.40 GHz boost clock provide advantages for lightly threaded or cache-sensitive workloads. The Core i7-14701E's average score of 33206 places it close to the AMD Ryzen 5 8645HS and AMD Ryzen 7 7745HX, all within 0.3% to 0.4% of each other.

For a builder choosing between these two on the same Intel Socket 1700 platform, the Core 5 221E is the default recommendation based on the recorded data. Its 14 cores and 20 threads outclass the 8 cores and 16 threads of the Core i7-14701E in almost every measured workload. The only scenarios where the Core i7-14701E shows a measurable edge are single-thread responsiveness and physics simulation, which are narrower use cases than the broad multicore dominance of the Core 5 221E. The Core 5 221E also holds a 6-core and 4-thread advantage, which is the primary driver of its benchmark superiority.