Intel Core i5-14401E vs Intel Core i9-12900TE Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The recorded benchmark data presents a remarkably consistent picture: the Intel Core i5-14401E wins every single head-to-head comparison against the Intel Core i9-12900TE. Across all six Cinebench tests, the i5-14401E claims victory with a uniform 4% advantage. This is not a case of one chip winning in single-threaded workloads while the other dominates multi-threaded tasks; the i5-14401E is ahead in both categories, across every generation of the Cinebench suite.

The i5-14401E's strongest showing comes in Cinebench R23 multicore, where it scores 18161 against the i9-12900TE's 17461. That 700-point gap is the largest absolute difference in the head-to-head data. The single-core results tell a similar story: in Cinebench R23 single-core, the i5-14401E posts 2564 versus 2465, a 4% edge that holds steady across R15, R20, and R23.

What does this mean for use cases? The i5-14401E is the clear choice for any workload that leans on Cinebench-style rendering or CPU compute, since it outperforms the i9-12900TE in both threaded and single-threaded scenarios. The i9-12900TE offers no benchmark win in any recorded test. The data does not show any scenario from these six tests where the i9-12900TE pulls ahead, so from a pure performance perspective, the i5-14401E is the stronger processor across the board.

However, the i9-12900TE does present a different kind of advantage that the benchmark scores alone do not capture. Its 35 W TDP is significantly lower than the i5-14401E's 65 W TDP, which suggests the i9-12900TE is engineered for thermally constrained environments. The i5-14401E delivers more performance in every recorded test, but it does so while consuming twice the rated thermal envelope. For systems where power draw and heat dissipation are the primary constraints, the i9-12900TE's efficiency profile may be the more relevant consideration, even if its raw scores are lower.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different generations of Intel's hybrid architecture. The i5-14401E is built on Raptor Lake, specifically the Raptor Lake Refresh generation under the Core 14th Gen series. The i9-12900TE belongs to Alder Lake, part of the Core 12th Gen series. Both use Intel's 10 nm process node and share the same 215 mm² die size, so the manufacturing technology and physical footprint are identical.

The core configurations differ substantially. The i5-14401E has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the i9-12900TE has 16 cores and 24 threads. That is a 10-core and 12-thread advantage for the i9-12900TE, yet the benchmark results show the i5-14401E winning anyway. This suggests the i5-14401E's higher clock speeds are doing significant work to overcome the core count deficit. The i5-14401E has a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz, while the i9-12900TE's base clock is listed at 1100.00 MHz (which appears to be a data entry representing 1.10 GHz) and a boost clock of 4.80 GHz. The i9-12900TE has a slightly higher boost ceiling, but the i5-14401E starts from a much higher base frequency.

Cache allocation is another differentiator. Both chips have 80 KB of L1 cache per core and 1.25 MB of L2 cache per core, but the shared L3 cache differs: the i5-14401E has 20 MB shared, while the i9-12900TE has 30 MB shared. The i9-12900TE's larger L3 pool is likely a response to its higher core count, giving more aggregate cache to feed 16 cores. Despite this larger cache, the i9-12900TE still trails in all benchmarks.

Feature support shows some divergence. The i5-14401E supports ECC memory, while the i9-12900TE does not. The i9-12900TE has more PCIe lanes: 20 lanes versus 16 lanes on the i5-14401E, both Gen 5. The integrated graphics differ as well: the i5-14401E carries UHD Graphics 730, while the i9-12900TE has the newer UHD Graphics 770. The i9-12900TE has an unlocked multiplier, while the i5-14401E is locked, meaning the i9-12900TE offers overclocking headroom that the i5-14401E cannot match.

Both processors use the Intel Socket 1700, support DDR4 and DDR5 memory in dual-channel configuration, and are listed as active in production. The i5-14401E was released later, on 2024-06-30, while the i9-12900TE launched on 2022-01-03.

The Verdict

The data points to a straightforward conclusion for raw performance: the Intel Core i5-14401E is the faster processor in every recorded benchmark. Its 4% lead across all six Cinebench tests, from R15 to R23, in both single-core and multicore, makes it the better choice for rendering workloads and CPU-bound tasks. The i9-12900TE's higher core count and larger L3 cache do not translate into a single benchmark victory.

That said, the i9-12900TE is not without a rationale. Its 35 W TDP against the i5-14401E's 65 W TDP makes it the more power-conscious option for compact or thermally limited systems, and its unlocked multiplier appeals to users who want to overclock. The i9-12900TE also has more PCIe lanes and a newer integrated GPU, the UHD Graphics 770 versus the UHD Graphics 730.

Who should pick which? From the recorded data, users who prioritize maximum Cinebench performance should choose the i5-14401E. Users who need lower power draw, overclocking capability, or the extra PCIe lanes should consider the i9-12900TE, accepting that it will trail in compute benchmarks. The i9-12900TE also carries a launch MSRP of $494, which is the only pricing data available; the i5-14401E has no recorded launch MSRP in the database.

FAQ

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

A: The Intel Core i5-14401E wins all three multi-core tests. It scores 1830 in Cinebench R15 multicore, 7627 in R20 multicore, and 18161 in R23 multicore, each 4% ahead of the i9-12900TE's 1759, 7333, and 17461 respectively.

Q: Does the i9-12900TE win in any benchmark?

A: No. Across all six head-to-head Cinebench tests (R15, R20, and R23 in both single-core and multicore), the i9-12900TE has zero wins. The i5-14401E wins all six with a 4% delta in every case.

Q: How do the core counts compare?

A: The i9-12900TE has 16 cores and 24 threads, while the i5-14401E has 6 cores and 12 threads. Despite having 10 more cores and 12 more threads, the i9-12900TE still trails the i5-14401E in every recorded benchmark.

Q: What is the difference in power consumption?

A: The i9-12900TE has a 35 W TDP, while the i5-14401E has a 65 W TDP. The i9-12900TE is rated for significantly lower power draw, which may benefit thermally constrained systems.

Q: Do both processors support the same memory?

A: Yes, both support DDR4 and DDR5 in dual-channel configuration. The i5-14401E also supports ECC memory, while the i9-12900TE does not.

Q: Are these processors overclockable?

A: The i9-12900TE has an unlocked multiplier, making it overclockable. The i5-14401E has a locked multiplier, so it does not offer the same overclocking flexibility.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data is notable for its uniformity. Every test shows the same 4% delta in favor of the i5-14401E, from the oldest Cinebench R15 to the newest R23. This consistency suggests the performance gap is structural rather than workload-specific.

Starting with Cinebench R15 multicore, the i5-14401E scores 1830 against the i9-12900TE's 1759, a 4% lead. The single-core R15 result is 258 versus 248, also a 4% edge. Moving to R20, the multicore scores are 7627 for the i5-14401E and 7333 for the i9-12900TE, again 4% apart. The R20 single-core test shows 1076 versus 1035, maintaining the pattern.

The R23 results are the most telling. In multicore, the i5-14401E posts 18161, while the i9-12900TE manages 17461. That 700-point gap is the largest absolute difference in the entire comparison. The single-core R23 test shows 2564 versus 2465, a 99-point gap that still rounds to 4%.

What is interesting is that the i9-12900TE's higher boost clock of 4.80 GHz versus 4.70 GHz does not help it win any test. The i5-14401E's higher base clock of 2.50 GHz versus the i9-12900TE's 1.10 GHz base appears to have a more substantial impact on sustained performance. The i9-12900TE's 30 MB of shared L3 cache, 10 MB more than the i5-14401E's 20 MB, also fails to overcome the i5-14401E's lead.

The average benchmark scores in the database reflect this overall picture. The i5-14401E has an average benchmark score of 5253, placing it in the 60th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals are the Intel Xeon E5-2699A v4 at 5259 (-0.1%), the Intel Core i7-11700B at 5241 (0.2%), the Intel Core i9-10850K at 5240 (0.2%), and the Intel Core i5-13400T at 5210 (0.8%). The i9-12900TE has an average benchmark score of 5050, also in the 60th percentile, with nearest rivals including the Intel Core i9-9820X at 5049 (0%), the Intel Xeon Gold 6334 at 5043 (0.1%), the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5750GE at 5070 (-0.4%), and the Intel Xeon W-2155 at 5072 (-0.4%). The i5-14401E sits about 4% higher in average score than the i9-12900TE, which aligns with the consistent head-to-head deltas.

Specification Differences

The two processors diverge on several key specifications. The i5-14401E has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the i9-12900TE has 16 cores and 24 threads. Base clocks are 2.50 GHz for the i5-14401E and 1.10 GHz for the i9-12900TE. Boost clocks are closer: 4.70 GHz for the i5-14401E and 4.80 GHz for the i9-12900TE.

TDP ratings differ significantly: the i5-14401E is rated at 65 W, while the i9-12900TE is rated at 35 W. Both use the Intel Socket 1700 and share the 10 nm process node and 215 mm² die size. The architecture generation differs: Raptor Lake (Raptor Lake Refresh) for the i5-14401E versus Alder Lake for the i9-12900TE.

L3 cache is 20 MB shared on the i5-14401E and 30 MB shared on the i9-12900TE. L1 and L2 cache are identical at 80 KB per core and 1.25 MB per core respectively. Memory support matches (DDR4 and DDR5, dual-channel), but ECC memory is supported only on the i5-14401E, not the i9-12900TE.

PCIe configuration differs: the i5-14401E has Gen 5 with 16 lanes, while the i9-12900TE has Gen 5 with 20 lanes. Integrated graphics are UHD Graphics 730 on the i5-14401E and UHD Graphics 770 on the i9-12900TE. The i5-14401E has a locked multiplier; the i9-12900TE has an unlocked multiplier. Release dates are 2024-06-30 for the i5-14401E and 2022-01-03 for the i9-12900TE. The i9-12900TE has a launch MSRP of $494; the i5-14401E has no recorded launch MSRP.