Intel Core i3-14100 vs Intel Core i9-14901E Comparison

Intel Core i3-14100 and Intel Core i9-14901E are both desktop processors from Intel's Core 14th Gen series, sharing the same Raptor Lake architecture and Intel Socket 1700. The benchmark data, however, shows a decisive performance gap. Across all 17 recorded head-to-head tests, the Core i9-14901E wins every single one, with the Core i3-14100 recording zero wins. The i9-14901E holds an 86th percentile ranking among all CPUs, while the i3-14100 sits at the 72nd percentile.

Where Each One Wins

The Core i3-14100 does not win a single benchmark in the head-to-head comparison. Its only competitive edge appears in the average score of its nearest rivals, where it is virtually tied with the Intel Core 3 305, Intel Core 5 330, Intel Core 7 360, and Intel Core i3-13100, all within a 0.3% delta. This places the i3-14100 in a tightly contested mid-range cluster.

The Core i9-14901E wins all 17 head-to-head tests. Its largest margins appear in compute-heavy workloads, specifically passmark_find_prime_numbers and passmark_physics, where it leads by 70.9% and 68.5% respectively. In multi-threaded synthetic workloads like Cinebench R23 multicore, it scores 25,753 versus 12,820, a 50.2% advantage. The smallest win is in passmark_single_thread, where the i9-14901E leads by 13.7%, showing that even in single-core performance, the i3-14100 cannot close the gap.

Architecture Differences

Both processors use the Raptor Lake architecture on a 10 nm process node, but they are physically different chips. The Core i3-14100 has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the Core i9-14901E doubles that to 8 cores and 16 threads. The die size reflects this difference: the i3-14100 measures 163 mm², while the i9-14901E is substantially larger at 257 mm².

Cache configurations diverge significantly. The L1 cache is identical at 80 KB per core, but the L2 cache grows from 1.25 MB per core on the i3-14100 to 2 MB per core on the i9-14901E. The shared L3 cache jumps from 12 MB on the i3-14100 to 36 MB on the i9-14901E, a threefold increase that benefits data-heavy workloads.

Clock speeds also differ. The i3-14100 has a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. The i9-14901E starts lower at 2.80 GHz base but boosts much higher to 5.60 GHz. Thermal design power is close, with the i3-14100 at 60 W and the i9-14901E at 65 W. Both processors support DDR4 and DDR5 memory in dual-channel configuration, and both support ECC memory. PCIe connectivity is identical at Gen 5 with 16 lanes from the CPU. The integrated graphics differ, with the i3-14100 using UHD Graphics 730 and the i9-14901E using UHD Graphics 770.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench suite shows a consistent 50.2% to 50.3% deficit for the i3-14100 across all six tests. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the i9-14901E scores 2,595 against 1,292. Single-core R15 shows 366 versus 182. R20 multicore delivers 10,816 against 5,384, and R20 single-core shows 1,526 versus 759. R23 multicore results are 25,753 versus 12,820, and R23 single-core is 3,635 versus 1,809. The consistency of the roughly 50% delta indicates the i9-14901E's core count advantage scales almost perfectly in these rendering workloads.

PassMark integer math shows one of the largest gaps, with the i9-14901E scoring 112,736 against 45,329, a 59.8% lead. Floating point math follows closely at 81,089 versus 35,266, a 56.5% advantage. Prime number finding is the most extreme outlier, with the i9-14901E at 189 versus 55, a 70.9% margin. Physics simulation shows 3,041 versus 958, a 68.5% gap. Data encryption favors the i9-14901E at 18,571 versus 8,838, a 52.4% lead. Data compression shows 288,777 versus 174,115, a 39.7% advantage. Extended instructions score 17,249 versus 11,865, a 31.2% lead. Random string sorting delivers 39,138 versus 17,397, a 55.5% gap. PassMark multithread scores 30,298 versus 15,095, matching the Cinebench 50.2% pattern.

The single-threaded passmark tests show the smallest difference. The i9-14901E scores 4,354 against 3,759, a 13.7% lead. This smaller margin reflects the i9-14901E's higher boost clock of 5.60 GHz versus 4.70 GHz, but the i3-14100's higher base clock of 3.50 GHz versus 2.80 GHz does not translate into a single-thread win.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core i9-14901E has 8 cores and 16 threads, while the Intel Core i3-14100 has 4 cores and 8 threads.

Q: How large is the L3 cache difference?

A: The i9-14901E has 36 MB of shared L3 cache, while the i3-14100 has 12 MB, a threefold difference.

Q: Which CPU has the higher boost clock?

A: The i9-14901E boosts to 5.60 GHz, while the i3-14100 boosts to 4.70 GHz. The i3-14100 has a higher base clock at 3.50 GHz compared to 2.80 GHz.

Q: What is the performance percentile ranking for each?

A: The i9-14901E ranks in the 86th percentile among all CPUs, while the i3-14100 ranks in the 72nd percentile.

Q: Do both support ECC memory?

A: Yes, both the i3-14100 and the i9-14901E support ECC memory.

Q: What integrated graphics do they use?

A: The i3-14100 uses UHD Graphics 730, and the i9-14901E uses UHD Graphics 770.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in core count (4 versus 8), thread count (8 versus 16), base clock (3.50 GHz versus 2.80 GHz), boost clock (4.70 GHz versus 5.60 GHz), TDP (60 W versus 65 W), die size (163 mm² versus 257 mm²), L2 cache per core (1.25 MB versus 2 MB), L3 cache (12 MB versus 36 MB), integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 730 versus UHD Graphics 770), and release date (2024-01-07 versus 2024-06-30). The i3-14100 has a launch MSRP of $134, while the i9-14901E has no recorded launch MSRP. Both share the same socket, architecture, process node, memory support, PCIe configuration, and ECC capability.

The Verdict

The data indicates a complete performance hierarchy between these two processors. The Core i9-14901E wins every benchmark in the comparison, with margins ranging from 13.7% in single-threaded tests to 70.9% in prime number calculations. Its 8-core, 16-thread configuration with 36 MB of L3 cache and 5.60 GHz boost clock delivers consistently higher scores across rendering, math, encryption, and compression workloads. The Core i3-14100, with its 4 cores, 8 threads, 12 MB of L3 cache, and 4.70 GHz boost clock, cannot match any of these results.

The Core i3-14100's position among its nearest rivals shows it competes closely with other entry-level processors like the Intel Core 3 305 and Intel Core i3-13100, all within 0.3% of each other in average score. This suggests the i3-14100 is appropriately positioned in the lower tier of the Core 14th Gen lineup. The Core i9-14901E, by contrast, sits alongside more powerful processors like the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 and AMD Ryzen 7 9700X, with deltas of 0% and -0.1% respectively. For any workload measured in the database, the Core i9-14901E is the clear choice based on benchmark performance alone.