Intel Core 7 251TE vs Intel Core i5-14490F Comparison

The Verdict

The benchmark data presents a clear split between two desktop processors that share a socket but pursue different design goals. The Intel Core 7 251TE wins 12 of the 17 recorded head-to-head comparisons, while the Intel Core i5-14490F takes 5. The Core 7 251TE dominates in multi-threaded workloads, with its 24 cores and 32 threads delivering a 10.9% advantage in Cinebench R23 multi-core (25518 vs 23000). Its average benchmark score of 41650 places it in the 88th percentile of all CPUs, while the i5-14490F sits at 38149 and the 86th percentile.

The i5-14490F, despite having only 10 cores and 16 threads, wins in single-threaded PassMark tests (3873 vs 3568, a 7.9% edge) and in extended instruction throughput (21731 vs 16974, a 21.9% margin). It also leads in data compression (340026 vs 334399) and physics simulation (2093 vs 1938). Users who prioritize raw multi-core rendering, encryption, integer math, or floating-point workloads should select the Core 7 251TE. Users who need faster per-thread responsiveness, compression work, or extended instruction execution should choose the i5-14490F.

The Core 7 251TE also carries a launch MSRP of $384, while the i5-14490F has no recorded launch MSRP in the database. Both processors are active production parts, both use Intel Socket 1700, and neither has an unlocked multiplier.

Architecture Differences

The Core 7 251TE is built on Bartlett Lake, a 10 nm Intel design with a die size of 215 mm². It deploys 24 cores and 32 threads, with a base clock of 1.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. The thermal design power is 45 W. Its cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and a shared 36 MB L3. The memory interface supports DDR4 and DDR5 across a dual-channel bus with a recorded bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. It also supports ECC memory and integrates UHD Graphics 770. The PCIe interface is Gen 5 with 16 lanes from the CPU. The release date is January 12, 2025.

The i5-14490F belongs to the Core 14th Gen series, codenamed Raptor Lake-R, and uses the same 10 nm process with the same 215 mm² die size. It provides 10 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. The TDP is 65 W. Its cache structure matches the per-core L1 and L2 (80 KB and 1.25 MB respectively), but the shared L3 is smaller at 24 MB. Memory support includes DDR4 and DDR5 over dual channels, though no bandwidth figure is recorded. ECC memory is not supported. This chip has no integrated graphics, which the part number suffix F indicates. The PCIe configuration is identical: Gen 5 with 16 CPU lanes. The release date is December 31, 2023.

Both parts share the same socket, process node, foundry, die size, per-core cache values, memory type support, memory bus width, and PCIe layout. The Core 7 251TE distinguishes itself with more cores, more threads, a higher boost clock, a larger L3 cache, ECC support, integrated graphics, and a lower TDP. The i5-14490F counters with a higher base clock and a smaller total core count, which helps explain its single-thread advantage.

Where Each One Wins

The Core 7 251TE wins in every Cinebench generation recorded: R15, R20, and R23, both single-core and multi-core. The multi-core deltas range from 10.9% to 11%, while single-core deltas sit near 10.7% to 10.9%. This indicates a consistent advantage across both lightly threaded and fully threaded Cinebench workloads, which are heavily used for rendering and 3D scene evaluation.

In PassMark workloads, the Core 7 251TE wins data encryption by 21.7% (22176 vs 18225), find prime numbers by 14.8% (140 vs 122), floating point math by 28.6% (85607 vs 66558), integer math by 43.1% (125739 vs 87844), multithread by 4.7% (30022 vs 28662), and random string sorting by 11.3% (39643 vs 35608). These results point to a processor that handles arithmetic, cryptographic, and sorting workloads with substantial headroom over its rival.

The i5-14490F wins data compression by 1.7% (340026 vs 334399), extended instructions by 21.9% (21731 vs 16974), physics by 7.4% (2093 vs 1938), and the single-thread PassMark test by 7.9% (3873 vs 3568). The extended instructions result is particularly notable because it suggests that the i5-14490F executes SIMD or specialized instruction sets with higher throughput, despite having fewer physical cores. The physics win indicates stronger performance in simulated rigid-body or constraint workloads, which often rely on fewer threads with high per-thread efficiency.

The overall win count of 12 for the Core 7 251TE versus 5 for the i5-14490F shows that the 24-core part dominates the majority of the test suite. However, the i5-14490F holds a decisive edge in specific single-threaded and instruction-heavy tasks, which may matter more for certain professional or enthusiast use cases.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core 7 251TE has 24 cores and 32 threads. The Intel Core i5-14490F has 10 cores and 16 threads.

Q: What are the boost clock speeds of each processor?

A: The Core 7 251TE boosts to 5.40 GHz, while the i5-14490F boosts to 5.00 GHz. The i5-14490F has a higher base clock at 2.50 GHz versus 1.40 GHz.

Q: Which CPU wins in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The Core 7 251TE scores 25518, which is 10.9% ahead of the i5-14490F score of 23000.

Q: Does the i5-14490F have integrated graphics?

A: No. The i5-14490F has no integrated graphics, while the Core 7 251TE includes UHD Graphics 770.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: The Core 7 251TE supports ECC memory. The i5-14490F does not.

Q: What is the average benchmark score for each CPU?

A: The Core 7 251TE has an average score of 41650 and ranks in the 88th percentile. The i5-14490F has an average score of 38149 and ranks in the 86th percentile.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest win for the Core 7 251TE occurs in PassMark integer math, where it scores 125739 against 87844, a 43.1% margin. This is a massive gap that reflects the advantage of having 24 cores versus 10 cores in a heavily parallel arithmetic workload. Floating point math follows with a 28.6% lead (85607 vs 66558), and data encryption shows a 21.7% advantage (22176 vs 18225). Prime number finding yields a 14.8% edge (140 vs 122), while random string sorting delivers an 11.3% margin (39643 vs 35608). The multithread PassMark score is closer, with the Core 7 winning 30022 to 28662, a 4.7% difference.

In Cinebench tests, the Core 7 251TE wins R15 multi-core by 11% (2572 vs 2318), R15 single-core by 10.7% (362 vs 327), R20 multi-core by 10.9% (10717 vs 9660), R20 single-core by 10.9% (1512 vs 1363), R23 multi-core by 10.9% (25518 vs 23000), and R23 single-core by 10.9% (3602 vs 3247). The consistency of these margins across both single and multi-threaded Cinebench runs suggests a broad architectural efficiency advantage for the Bartlett Lake part, not merely a core count benefit.

The i5-14490F takes its biggest win in extended instructions, scoring 21731 against 16974, a 21.9% margin. This is the largest single delta in either direction aside from integer math. The single-thread PassMark test shows a 7.9% edge (3873 vs 3568), physics shows a 7.4% edge (2093 vs 1938), and data compression shows a narrow 1.7% edge (340026 vs 334399). These wins indicate that the i5-14490F retains a meaningful advantage in workloads that rely on high per-core frequency, specialized instruction throughput, or compression algorithms.

The benchmark record shows 12 wins for the Core 7 251TE and 5 wins for the i5-14490F. The average scores reflect this split: 41650 for the Core 7 versus 38149 for the i5. The nearest rivals for the Core 7 include the Intel Core Ultra 7 265H (41621, 0.1% behind) and the Intel Core i7-14650HX (41576, 0.2% behind), while the Core 7 leads the Intel Core i7-12850HX (41779, 0.3% ahead) and the Intel Core i7-14700T (41914, 0.6% ahead). The i5-14490F sits near the Intel Core Ultra 5 245T (38194, 0.1% behind), the Intel Core i5-13600KF (38103, 0.1% ahead), the AMD Ryzen 7 250 (38221, 0.2% behind), and the Intel Core i5-13600HX (38261, 0.3% behind). These proximity scores indicate that both processors are tightly clustered with their direct competitors, but the Core 7 occupies a higher performance tier overall.