Intel Core i5-14401E vs Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX Comparison

The Verdict

The recorded data divides these two processors along clear lines. The Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX wins five of the six head-to-head benchmark comparisons, including every multi-core test and two of the three single-core tests. The Intel Core i5-14401E claims one victory, in Cinebench R23 single-core, where it scores 17.2% higher than the Ultra 9. The Ultra 9 sits at the 95th percentile of all CPUs in the database, while the i5-14401E rests at the 60th percentile. The Ultra 9 also holds a dramatically higher average benchmark score of 76155 compared to 5253 for the i5-14401E. The i5-14401E is a desktop part aimed at conventional Socket 1700 builds, while the Ultra 9 is a mobile processor on BGA 2114 with an unlocked multiplier. The data suggests the Ultra 9 is the stronger compute engine by a wide margin, but the i5-14401E retains a specific single-thread advantage in one test.

Architecture Differences

The two chips come from different Intel generations and foundries. The i5-14401E uses Raptor Lake architecture on a 10 nm process manufactured by Intel, with a die size of 215 mm². The Ultra 9 285HX uses Arrow Lake architecture on a 3 nm process manufactured by TSMC, with a die size of 243 mm² and 17,800 million transistors. The core counts differ substantially: the i5-14401E has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the Ultra 9 has 24 cores and 24 threads. This means the Ultra 9 does not use hyper-threading, matching its thread count to its core count. The i5-14401E relies on simultaneous multithreading to double its 6 cores into 12 threads. Cache hierarchies also diverge. The i5-14401E provides 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 20 MB of shared L3. The Ultra 9 provides 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 36 MB of shared L3. The process node difference is significant: 10 nm versus 3 nm, which explains part of the performance gap. The Ultra 9 also uses a different foundry entirely, TSMC, rather than Intel's own fabrication. Memory support differs as well: the i5-14401E accepts both DDR4 and DDR5, while the Ultra 9 supports only DDR5. The Ultra 9 lists a memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s; no such figure is recorded for the i5-14401E. Both support ECC memory. The integrated graphics differ, with the i5-14401E using UHD Graphics 730 and the Ultra 9 using Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 64EU. The i5-14401E has a locked multiplier, while the Ultra 9 has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. The release dates are months apart: the i5-14401E arrived on 2024-06-30, the Ultra 9 on 2025-01-12.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The multi-core tests show the Ultra 9's dominance. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Ultra 9 scores 5656.5 against the i5-14401E's 1830, a margin of 67.6% in favor of the Ultra 9. The Cinebench R20 multi-core result repeats the pattern: 20236 for the Ultra 9 versus 7627 for the i5-14401E, a 62.3% difference. The Cinebench R23 multi-core test narrows the gap somewhat, with the Ultra 9 at 36429.5 and the i5-14401E at 18161, still a 50.1% advantage for the Ultra 9. These results align with the core count difference: 24 cores versus 6 cores, and the Ultra 9's larger L3 cache of 36 MB versus 20 MB. The single-core tests are closer. In Cinebench R15 single-core, the Ultra 9 scores 323.5 versus 258 for the i5-14401E, a 20.2% lead. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the Ultra 9 scores 2856 versus 1076 for the i5-14401E, another 62.3% margin. However, in Cinebench R23 single-core, the i5-14401E turns the tables with a score of 2564 against the Ultra 9's 2187.5, a 17.2% victory for the older desktop chip. That single result is the only benchmark in the head-to-head set that the i5-14401E wins. The Ultra 9 also has additional PassMark results in the database, including multithread score of 56902, single-thread score of 4618, integer math of 155076, and floating point math of 194998. These extra measurements are not recorded for the i5-14401E, so a direct comparison on those tests is not possible from the available data.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every recorded specification. The i5-14401E has 6 cores and 12 threads; the Ultra 9 has 24 cores and 24 threads. Base clocks are 2.50 GHz for the i5-14401E and 2.80 GHz for the Ultra 9. Boost clocks are 4.70 GHz and 5.50 GHz, respectively. The thermal design power differs slightly: 65 W for the i5-14401E versus 55 W for the Ultra 9, despite the Ultra 9 having four times the cores. The socket types are incompatible: Intel Socket 1700 for the i5-14401E, Intel BGA 2114 for the Ultra 9. The process node is 10 nm for the i5-14401E and 3 nm for the Ultra 9. The foundry differs: Intel for the i5-14401E, TSMC for the Ultra 9. The die size is 215 mm² for the i5-14401E and 243 mm² for the Ultra 9. The transistor count is only listed for the Ultra 9 at 17,800 million. The cache sizes differ at every level: L1 is 80 KB per core versus 192 KB per core, L2 is 1.25 MB per core versus 3 MB per core, L3 is 20 MB shared versus 36 MB shared. Memory support: the i5-14401E supports DDR4 and DDR5, the Ultra 9 supports only DDR5. Both use dual-channel memory buses. The memory bandwidth figure of 102.4 GB/s belongs only to the Ultra 9. Both support ECC memory. The PCIe configuration differs: Gen 5 with 16 lanes for the i5-14401E, Gen 5 with 20 lanes for the Ultra 9. Integrated graphics are UHD Graphics 730 for the i5-14401E and Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 64EU for the Ultra 9. The market segment is Desktop for the i5-14401E and Mobile for the Ultra 9. The multiplier is locked on the i5-14401E and unlocked on the Ultra 9. The part numbers are Q49JSRNJS for the i5-14401E and SRVFJ for the Ultra 9. The release dates differ by roughly six months. The Ultra 9 sits at the 95th percentile of all CPUs, while the i5-14401E sits at the 60th percentile. The average benchmark scores are 76155 for the Ultra 9 and 5253 for the i5-14401E. The nearest rivals in the database also differ. The i5-14401E sits near the Intel Xeon E5-2699A v4, with a delta of -0.1%, and near the Intel Core i7-11700B at +0.2%. The Ultra 9 sits near the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX at -0.1%, the AMD EPYC Embedded 8224P at -0.4%, and the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX at -0.5%. The Ultra 9 also edges out the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D by 0.5%.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX has 24 cores and 24 threads, while the Intel Core i5-14401E has 6 cores and 12 threads.

Q: Which processor wins the Cinebench R23 single-core test?

A: The Intel Core i5-14401E scores 2564 in Cinebench R23 single-core, which is 17.2% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX's score of 2187.5.

Q: How much faster is the Ultra 9 in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX scores 36429.5, which is 50.1% higher than the Intel Core i5-14401E's 18161.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: Yes, both the Intel Core i5-14401E and the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX list ECC memory support as true in the database.

Q: What are the process nodes for each chip?

A: The Intel Core i5-14401E uses a 10 nm process from Intel, while the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX uses a 3 nm process from TSMC.

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX has a boost clock of 5.50 GHz, compared to 4.70 GHz for the Intel Core i5-14401E.

Q: How do the average benchmark scores compare?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX has an average benchmark score of 76155, which places it at the 95th percentile of all CPUs. The Intel Core i5-14401E has an average score of 5253, placing it at the 60th percentile.