Intel Core i5-14401E vs Intel Core i9-14900F Comparison

The Intel Core i5-14401E and Intel Core i9-14900F are both desktop processors from Intel’s Core 14th Gen series, sharing the Raptor Lake architecture and the LGA 1700 socket. They are, however, positioned at opposite ends of the performance spectrum. The benchmark data in the database shows a decisive and consistent victory for the Core i9-14900F across every recorded test, with the Core i5-14401E trailing by a uniform margin in all Cinebench workloads. The i9-14900F sits in the 92nd percentile of all CPUs tested, while the i5-14401E places in the 60th percentile, a gap that reflects their differing core counts and clock speeds. The following analysis breaks down the head-to-head results, architectural differences, and the specific strengths of each processor based solely on the recorded measurements.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database records six direct comparisons between the two processors, all from the Cinebench suite, and the Core i9-14900F wins all six. The margin of victory is identical across every test, with the i5-14401E scoring 54.1% lower than the i9-14900F in each case. This consistency indicates that the performance gap is not workload-specific but rather a fundamental scaling difference between the two chips.

In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the i9-14900F scores 39,551 points against 18,161 for the i5-14401E. The i9 more than doubles the i5’s output in this heavily threaded workload. The single-core result in the same test shows a similar proportional gap: 5,583 points for the i9-14900F versus 2,564 for the i5-14401E. The 54.1% deficit applies equally here, meaning the i9’s advantage is not solely derived from additional cores; its per-core performance is also substantially higher.

Cinebench R20 multi-core follows the same pattern, with the i9-14900F recording 16,611 points and the i5-14401E recording 7,627. The single-core R20 test shows 2,344 versus 1,076. Cinebench R15 multi-core shows 3,986 versus 1,830, and R15 single-core shows 562 versus 258. In every instance, the i5-14401E’s score is exactly 54.1% below the i9-14900F’s score, which means the i9-14900F delivers roughly 2.18 times the performance of the i5-14401E in these tests.

The i9-14900F’s average benchmark score across all tests in its record is 60,008, which places it just 0.2% below the AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX and 0.2% below the AMD Ryzen 7 8745HX, its two closest rivals in the database. It sits 0.6% above the AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX3D and 0.9% below the Intel Xeon Gold 6338T. The i5-14401E, by contrast, has an average benchmark score of 5,253, which is 0.1% below the Intel Xeon E5-2699A v4, 0.2% above the Intel Core i7-11700B, 0.2% above the Intel Core i9-10850K, and 0.8% above the Intel Core i5-13400T. The raw difference in average scores between the two processors in this comparison is massive, with the i9-14900F’s average being more than eleven times higher than the i5-14401E’s, although this is influenced by the different sets of tests recorded for each chip.

The i9-14900F also has recorded results from Geekbench and Passmark suites, which the i5-14401E lacks in the database. In Geekbench multi-core, the i9-14900F scores 20,008, and in single-core it scores 2,570. Passmark results for the i9-14900F include a multi-thread score of 46,532, a single-thread score of 4,506, integer math at 177,066, floating point math at 119,550, data compression at 564,207, data encryption at 34,644, extended instructions at 31,084, find prime numbers at 209, physics at 2,899, and random string sorting at 63,728. These additional figures reinforce the i9-14900F’s position as a high-end part, but the direct comparison with the i5-14401E rests entirely on the six Cinebench results.

The Verdict

The recorded data leaves no ambiguity: the Intel Core i9-14900F is the superior processor in every measured category. It wins all six head-to-head benchmarks, holds a 92nd percentile ranking among all CPUs, and delivers more than double the multi-core performance of the i5-14401E in Cinebench R23. The i5-14401E, with its 60th percentile ranking, is clearly a lower-tier part within the same generation.

For workloads that depend on multi-threaded performance, such as rendering, compilation, or other parallel tasks, the i9-14900F is the only choice between these two based on the data. Its 39,551 multi-core score in Cinebench R23 versus 18,161 for the i5-14401E represents a decisive advantage. Even in single-threaded tasks, where core count matters less, the i9-14900F leads by the same 54.1% margin, scoring 5,583 versus 2,564 in Cinebench R23 single-core. This indicates that the i9-14900F’s higher boost clock of 5.80 GHz, against 4.70 GHz for the i5-14401E, translates directly into measurable per-core gains.

The i5-14401E is the more modest part, but the data does not show any scenario where it outperforms the i9-14900F. Its lower core count of 6 versus 24, and its lower thread count of 12 versus 32, place it in a different performance class. The i5-14401E does have integrated graphics in the form of UHD Graphics 730, while the i9-14900F has no integrated graphics, which may matter in specific system configurations, but this is not reflected in the benchmark scores.

Architecture Differences

Both processors are built on the Raptor Lake architecture, specifically the Raptor Lake-R codename, and both use a 10 nm process node from Intel. The die sizes differ, with the i5-14401E measuring 215 mm² and the i9-14900F measuring 257 mm². The larger die on the i9-14900F accommodates a substantially higher number of cores and a larger cache hierarchy.

The core configurations are fundamentally different. The i5-14401E has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the i9-14900F has 24 cores and 32 threads. This 18-core difference is the primary architectural driver behind the multi-core performance gap. The i9-14900F’s thread count of 32 versus 12 for the i5-14401E means it can handle nearly three times as many concurrent threads.

Cache allocation also differs significantly. Both processors have 80 KB of L1 cache per core, but the L2 cache is larger on the i9-14900F at 2 MB per core, versus 1.25 MB per core on the i5-14401E. The L3 cache is 36 MB shared on the i9-14900F, versus 20 MB shared on the i5-14401E. This additional cache on the i9-14900F provides more on-die storage for frequently accessed data, which can reduce latency in memory-bound workloads.

The base clocks are 2.00 GHz for the i9-14900F and 2.50 GHz for the i5-14401E, meaning the i5 starts at a higher frequency at low load. However, the boost clocks tell the opposite story: the i9-14900F reaches 5.80 GHz, while the i5-14401E reaches 4.70 GHz. The i9-14900F’s 1.10 GHz higher boost clock gives it a clear advantage in single-threaded and lightly threaded workloads.

Both processors use the Intel Socket 1700 and support DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration. Both support ECC memory. Both use PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes from the CPU. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier, so overclocking is not supported on either part according to the database. The i9-14900F was released earlier, on 2024-01-07, while the i5-14401E followed on 2024-06-30.

Specification Differences

The specification sheets for the two processors differ in several key fields. Core count is 6 for the i5-14401E and 24 for the i9-14900F. Thread count is 12 versus 32. Base clock is 2.50 GHz for the i5 and 2.00 GHz for the i9. Boost clock is 4.70 GHz for the i5 and 5.80 GHz for the i9. TDP is listed as 65 for both processors, so power draw at the package level is nominally equal in the database.

Die size is 215 mm² for the i5-14401E and 257 mm² for the i9-14900F. L2 cache is 1.25 MB per core on the i5 and 2 MB per core on the i9. L3 cache is 20 MB shared on the i5 and 36 MB shared on the i9. Integrated graphics are present on the i5-14401E as UHD Graphics 730, while the i9-14900F has no integrated graphics, listed as N/A.

The launch MSRP for the i9-14900F is $524. The i5-14401E has no launch MSRP recorded in the database. The part numbers also differ: Q49JSRNJS for the i5-14401E and SRN3W for the i9-14900F. Both processors are listed as Active in production status and target the Desktop market segment.

FAQ

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

A: The Intel Core i9-14900F. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 39,551 points against 18,161 for the i5-14401E. The i5 trails by 54.1% in this test, a margin that is consistent across all Cinebench multi-core tests.

Q: Is the i5-14401E faster in single-core performance?

A: No. The i9-14900F wins all single-core tests by the same 54.1% margin as the multi-core tests. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the i9 scores 5,583 and the i5 scores 2,564.

Q: How do the two processors compare in terms of core and thread counts?

A: The i5-14401E has 6 cores and 12 threads. The i9-14900F has 24 cores and 32 threads. The i9 has 18 more cores and 20 more threads.

Q: What is the difference in cache sizes?

A: Both have 80 KB of L1 per core. The L2 is 1.25 MB per core on the i5 and 2 MB per core on the i9. The L3 is 20 MB shared on the i5 and 36 MB shared on the i9.

Q: Do both processors support the same memory types?

A: Yes. Both support DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, and both support ECC memory.

Q: Which processor has integrated graphics?

A: The i5-14401E includes UHD Graphics 730. The i9-14900F has no integrated graphics, listed as N/A in the database.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i9-14900F wins in every benchmark category recorded for both processors. In multi-threaded workloads, its 24 cores and 32 threads provide a massive advantage, as shown by the Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 39,551. In single-threaded workloads, its 5.80 GHz boost clock delivers a 54.1% lead over the i5-14401E, as seen in the Cinebench R23 single-core score of 5,583. The i9-14900F also has a larger L3 cache of 36 MB and a larger die size of 257 mm², which support its higher performance envelope. Its average benchmark score of 60,008 and 92nd percentile ranking place it among the top tier of CPUs in the database, with nearest rivals including the AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX and AMD Ryzen 7 8745HX.

The Intel Core i5-14401E does not win any of the six head-to-head benchmarks. Its strengths are relative to its own position in the database rather than against the i9-14900F. It has a higher base clock of 2.50 GHz versus 2.00 GHz for the i9, which may offer lower idle or lightly loaded power characteristics, though TDP is listed at 65 for both. It includes integrated graphics, which the i9 lacks, making it a possible fit for systems without a discrete GPU. Its die size of 215 mm² is smaller, and its 60th percentile ranking places it in the mid-range of all CPUs tested, with nearest rivals including the Intel Core i7-11700B and Intel Core i9-10850K.

For rendering, encoding, or any workload that scales with thread count, the i9-14900F is the clear winner. For single-threaded applications, the i9-14900F also wins by the same margin. The i5-14401E’s only recorded advantages are its integrated graphics and higher base clock, neither of which appears in the benchmark scores. The data supports only one conclusion: the i9-14900F is the stronger processor in every measured dimension.