Intel Core 7 250H vs Intel Core i5-14490F Comparison

The Intel Core 7 250H and Intel Core i5-14490F are both Raptor Lake Refresh parts, but they are engineered for entirely different segments. The 250H is a mobile processor with a 45W TDP, while the i5-14490F is a desktop chip with a 65W TDP. The recorded benchmark data shows a clear dichotomy: the desktop part dominates sustained multi-core and single-threaded workloads, while the mobile chip wins in specific integer math and single-thread PassMark tests.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most dramatic divergence appears in the Cinebench R23 suite. The Intel Core i5-14490F scores 23000 in the multi-core test, which is 28% higher than the Intel Core 7 250H's 16561. The single-core gap is even wider, with the i5-14490F posting 3247 versus 1931 for the 250H, a 40.5% advantage. These are the largest deltas in the entire comparison.

The Cinebench R15 results tell the opposite story for multi-core. The 250H scores 3147, beating the i5-14490F's 2318 by a substantial 35.8%. This is the largest win for the mobile chip in any test. However, the R15 single-core test favors the i5-14490F again, scoring 327 against 298, an 8.9% lead. The R20 results are nearly identical: the 250H wins multi-core by a razor-thin 0.4% (9697 vs 9660) and single-core by the same 0.4% margin (1368 vs 1363).

The PassMark suite introduces another split. The 250H wins the integer math test decisively, scoring 99100 against 87844, a 12.8% advantage. It also takes the PassMark single-thread test with 4148 versus 3873, a 7.1% lead. The i5-14490F counters in every other PassMark category. The largest margin is in extended instructions, where the i5-14490F scores 21731 versus 17318, a 20.3% lead. Data compression follows with 340026 versus 303269, a 10.8% lead for the desktop chip. The remaining PassMark wins for the i5-14490F are: find prime numbers (122 vs 106, 13.1% lead), physics (2093 vs 1824, 12.9% lead), multithread (28662 vs 27030, 5.7% lead), random string sorting (35608 vs 34136, 4.1% lead), floating point math (66558 vs 65094, 2.2% lead), and data encryption (18225 vs 18206, 0.1% lead).

The head-to-head tally confirms the overall direction: the i5-14490F secures 11 wins, while the 250H takes 6. The overall average benchmark scores reflect this, with the i5-14490F at 38149 and the 250H at 35728. The i5-14490F also holds a higher percentile rank at 86 versus 85 for the 250H. In the database's nearest rival comparisons, the 250H sits within 0.5% of the AMD Ryzen 7 7700X and Intel Core Ultra 9 185H, while the i5-14490F is within 0.3% of the Intel Core i5-13600HX and AMD Ryzen 7 250.

Architecture Differences

Both processors use the Raptor Lake architecture on Intel's 10nm process, but they diverge in core configuration. The Intel Core 7 250H packs 14 cores and 20 threads, whereas the Intel Core i5-14490F uses 10 cores and 16 threads. This explains the R15 multi-core result, where the mobile chip's extra cores provide a substantial lead in that specific workload.

Cache layouts also differ. Both share 24 MB of L3 cache and 80 KB of L1 cache per core. The L2 cache per core is different: the 250H has 2 MB per core, while the i5-14490F has 1.25 MB per core. The i5-14490F is listed with a die size of 215 mm², while the 250H has no recorded die size. The base clocks are identical at 2.50 GHz, but the boost clocks differ: the 250H reaches 5.40 GHz, while the i5-14490F tops out at 5.00 GHz.

The most significant architectural split is the integrated graphics. The 250H includes Iris Xe Graphics with 96 execution units, while the i5-14490F has no integrated graphics (N/A). This is a direct consequence of their target markets. The mobile part must drive a display without a discrete GPU, while the desktop part assumes a dedicated graphics card.

Memory and I/O capabilities also differ. Both support DDR4 and DDR5 in dual-channel mode, and neither supports ECC memory. The PCIe configuration shows a clear distinction: the 250H provides Gen 5 with 8 lanes (CPU only), while the i5-14490F provides Gen 5 with 16 lanes (CPU only). The desktop part has double the CPU PCIe lane count, which is typical for a socketed platform.

The production status is Active for both, but the release dates are distinct. The 250H was released on 2024-12-17, while the i5-14490F was released on 2023-12-31. The part numbers also differ (SRQ6UQ5MK for the mobile chip, SRN35 for the desktop chip). Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier. The 250H carries a launch MSRP of $502, while the i5-14490F has no recorded launch MSRP in the database.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core 7 250H wins in scenarios that benefit from its higher core count and specific instruction throughput. The Cinebench R15 multi-core result (35.8% ahead) indicates a strong showing in short, bursty multi-threaded tasks that do not sustain heavy load. The PassMark integer math score (12.8% ahead) points to an advantage in workloads dominated by integer arithmetic, such as certain database operations or business logic. The PassMark single-thread score (7.1% ahead) is interesting because it contradicts the Cinebench R23 single-core result, suggesting the two tests measure different aspects of single-thread performance. The 250H also wins the R20 multi-core and single-core tests by a marginal 0.4%, which indicates a very close parity in those specific workloads.

The Intel Core i5-14490F wins in sustained multi-threaded performance and in most single-threaded tasks. The Cinebench R23 multi-core result (28% ahead) shows a clear advantage in longer rendering sessions, where the desktop chip can maintain higher clocks across all cores. The Cinebench R23 single-core result (40.5% ahead) is the definitive win for single-thread performance. The PassMark extended instructions score (20.3% ahead) indicates superiority in SIMD and complex instruction sets. The data compression score (10.8% ahead) suggests better performance in file archival and compression workloads. The i5-14490F also wins in physics (12.9% ahead), prime number finding (13.1% ahead), multithread (5.7% ahead), floating point math (2.2% ahead), random string sorting (4.1% ahead), and data encryption (0.1% ahead).

For a mobile platform, the 250H's wins in R15 multi-core and integer math are notable, but the i5-14490F's dominance in R23 and extended instructions makes it the stronger all-around performer for demanding compute tasks. The 250H's single-thread PassMark win indicates that its architecture is efficient in specific latency-sensitive operations, but the i5-14490F's Cinebench single-core scores show a higher ceiling in rendering-centric single-thread workloads.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in several core specifications. The core count is 14 for the 250H versus 10 for the i5-14490F. Thread counts are 20 versus 16. The boost clock is 5.40 GHz for the 250H versus 5.00 GHz for the i5-14490F. The TDP is 45W for the mobile part versus 65W for the desktop part. The socket is Intel BGA 1744 for the 250H versus Intel Socket 1700 for the i5-14490F.

The L2 cache per core is 2 MB for the 250H versus 1.25 MB for the i5-14490F. The die size is not recorded for the 250H, but the i5-14490F has a die size of 215 mm². The integrated graphics differ completely: Iris Xe Graphics 96EU for the 250H versus N/A for the i5-14490F. The PCIe configuration is Gen 5 with 8 lanes for the 250H versus Gen 5 with 16 lanes for the i5-14490F. The market segment is Mobile for the 250H and Desktop for the i5-14490F. The release dates are 2024-12-17 for the 250H and 2023-12-31 for the i5-14490F. The 250H has a launch MSRP of $502, while the i5-14490F has none recorded. The part numbers are SRQ6UQ5MK and SRN35, respectively.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The Intel Core 7 250H has 14 cores and 20 threads, while the Intel Core i5-14490F has 10 cores and 16 threads.

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

A: The Intel Core i5-14490F scores 23000, which is 28% higher than the Intel Core 7 250H's score of 16561.

Q: Does the Intel Core 7 250H have integrated graphics?

A: Yes, it uses Iris Xe Graphics with 96 execution units. The Intel Core i5-14490F has no integrated graphics (N/A).

Q: What is the difference in boost clock speed?

A: The Intel Core 7 250H boosts to 5.40 GHz, while the Intel Core i5-14490F boosts to 5.00 GHz.

Q: Which processor wins the PassMark single-thread test?

A: The Intel Core 7 250H wins with a score of 4148, which is 7.1% higher than the Intel Core i5-14490F's score of 3873.

Q: What is the difference in L2 cache per core?

A: The Intel Core 7 250H has 2 MB of L2 cache per core, while the Intel Core i5-14490F has 1.25 MB per core. Both have 24 MB of shared L3 cache.