Intel Core i5-14401E vs Intel Core Ultra 9 386H Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark comparison between the Intel Core i5-14401E and the Intel Core Ultra 9 386H shows a clear dominance by the mobile part in most multi-threaded and modern single-threaded workloads, with one notable exception in the latest Cinebench single-core test.

In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the Intel Core Ultra 9 386H scores 20547 against the Intel Core i5-14401E's 18161, a delta of -11.6% from the perspective of the i5, meaning the Ultra 9 leads by roughly 13% in this workload. The margin widens significantly in older multi-threaded tests. In Cinebench R20 multi-core, the Ultra 9 records 12820 versus 7627 for the i5-14401E, a gap of -40.5%. Similarly, Cinebench R15 multi-core shows the Ultra 9 at 3223 against 1830, a -43.2% difference. These results indicate that the Core Ultra 9 386H delivers substantially higher throughput in heavily threaded rendering tasks, likely reflecting its 16 cores and 16 threads architecture.

The single-core picture is more nuanced. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the Intel Core i5-14401E wins with 2564 against the Ultra 9's 2071.5, a 23.8% advantage. This is a substantial lead for the desktop chip in a workload that stresses a single thread. However, in the older single-threaded tests, the Ultra 9 takes the lead. Cinebench R20 single-core shows the Ultra 9 at 1809 versus 1076 for the i5-14401E, a -40.5% delta, and Cinebench R15 single-core shows 303.5 against 258, a -15% delta. The reversal between R23 and the older tests suggests that the two processors have very different performance characteristics depending on instruction set utilization and clock behavior.

The Intel Core Ultra 9 386H also brings additional PassMark benchmarks that the i5-14401E lacks in this comparison. In PassMark single-thread, the Ultra 9 scores 4218. Its multi-thread score is 35399, with integer math at 87284 and floating-point math at 108527. Data compression reaches 352365, data encryption 27150, extended instructions 29138, and random string sorting 42135. Physics scores 3028 and find prime numbers scores 341. These figures cannot be directly compared to the i5-14401E, since that chip has no corresponding PassMark entries in the recorded data, but they establish the Ultra 9's capability across a broad range of computational patterns.

Overall, the head-to-head table records 5 wins for the Intel Core Ultra 9 386H and 1 win for the Intel Core i5-14401E. The average benchmark score for the Ultra 9 is 43210, placing it at the 88th percentile of all CPUs, while the i5-14401E averages 5253 and sits at the 60th percentile. The large difference in average scores is partly due to the Ultra 9 having more benchmarks recorded, including the high-scoring PassMark integer and floating-point tests.

The Verdict

The data indicates that the Intel Core Ultra 9 386H is the stronger processor overall. It wins 5 of 6 head-to-head tests and holds an 88th percentile rank against all CPUs, compared to the i5-14401E's 60th percentile. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 385, which scores 43326 with a -0.3% delta, the AMD Ryzen AI 9 465 at 43431 with -0.5%, the Intel Core i9-12900 at 42906 with 0.7%, and the Intel Core i9-12900KF at 42830 with 0.9%. The Ultra 9 operates within that performance band, slightly below the two AMD parts and slightly above the two Intel desktop parts from the previous generation.

The Intel Core i5-14401E, by contrast, sits near 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%). Its average score is much lower, and its single Cinebench R23 single-core win does not offset the multi-threaded deficit.

Users who prioritize the latest Cinebench R23 single-core performance should consider the i5-14401E, as it leads by 23.8% in that specific test. However, for all other recorded Cinebench workloads, the Ultra 9 delivers anywhere from 11.6% to 43.2% more performance. The Ultra 9 also operates at a much lower TDP of 25 watts versus 65 watts for the i5-14401E, which is notable for any system-level analysis.

Architecture Differences

The Intel Core i5-14401E uses the Raptor Lake architecture, specifically Raptor Lake-R, and belongs to the Core 14th Gen series. It is built on a 10 nm process node at Intel's foundry, with a die size of 215 mm². The chip is a desktop part on Intel Socket 1700. It has 6 cores and 12 threads, indicating Hyper-Threading support. Cache is organized as 80 KB L1 per core, 1.25 MB L2 per core, and 20 MB shared L3.

The Intel Core Ultra 9 386H uses the Panther Lake architecture, specifically Panther Lake-H, and belongs to the Core Ultra Series 3. It is built on a 3 nm process node, also at Intel's foundry. The die size is not recorded. This is a mobile part on Intel BGA 2540. It has 16 cores and 16 threads, meaning no simultaneous multithreading. Cache is organized as 192 KB L1 per core, 2.5 MB L2 per core, and 18 MB shared L3.

The process node difference is significant: 10 nm for the i5-14401E versus 3 nm for the Ultra 9 386H. The smaller node likely contributes to the Ultra 9's higher core count and lower TDP. The L1 and L2 caches are larger per core on the Ultra 9, while the i5-14401E has a larger shared L3 (20 MB versus 18 MB). Both chips use dual-channel memory, but the Ultra 9 supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X, while the i5-14401E supports DDR4 and DDR5. The Ultra 9 also records a memory bandwidth of 115.2 GB/s; the i5-14401E has no such figure in the data.

The integrated graphics differ as well. The i5-14401E uses UHD Graphics 730, while the Ultra 9 386H uses Intel Xe3 Graphics. ECC memory support is present on the i5-14401E but absent on the Ultra 9. PCIe lanes also differ: the i5-14401E provides Gen 5 with 16 lanes (CPU only), and the Ultra 9 provides Gen 5 with 12 lanes (CPU only).

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across nearly every recorded specification. The i5-14401E has 6 cores and 12 threads; the Ultra 9 386H has 16 cores and 16 threads. Base clocks are 2.50 GHz for the i5-14401E and 2.10 GHz for the Ultra 9. Boost clocks are 4.70 GHz and 4.90 GHz respectively. TDP is 65 watts for the desktop part and 25 watts for the mobile part.

The socket is Intel Socket 1700 for the i5-14401E and Intel BGA 2540 for the Ultra 9. The market segment is Desktop for the former and Mobile for the latter. Release dates are June 30, 2024 for the i5-14401E and January 4, 2026 for the Ultra 9. Neither part has a recorded launch MSRP, and neither has an unlocked multiplier. The part numbers are Q49JSRNJS for the i5-14401E and SA4R5Q9EH for the Ultra 9.

Memory support differs: DDR4 and DDR5 for the i5-14401E, DDR5 and LPDDR5X for the Ultra 9. ECC memory is supported on the i5-14401E but not on the Ultra 9. PCIe lanes are 16 on the i5-14401E and 12 on the Ultra 9, both Gen 5. The i5-14401E has no recorded memory bandwidth figure, while the Ultra 9 records 115.2 GB/s. The integrated graphics are UHD Graphics 730 on the i5-14401E and Intel Xe3 Graphics on the Ultra 9.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins more head-to-head benchmarks?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 386H wins 5 of the 6 recorded head-to-head tests. The Intel Core i5-14401E wins 1.

Q: What is the largest performance gap in the head-to-head results?

A: The largest gap is in Cinebench R15 multi-core, where the Intel Core Ultra 9 386H scores 3223 against 1830 for the i5-14401E, a delta of -43.2%.

Q: Does the Intel Core i5-14401E win any benchmark?

A: Yes, it wins Cinebench R23 single-core with 2564 against 2071.5 for the Ultra 9, a 23.8% advantage.

Q: How do the core counts compare?

A: The Intel Core i5-14401E has 6 cores and 12 threads. The Intel Core Ultra 9 386H has 16 cores and 16 threads.

Q: What is the TDP difference?

A: The Intel Core i5-14401E has a TDP of 65 watts. The Intel Core Ultra 9 386H has a TDP of 25 watts.

Q: Where does each processor rank among all CPUs?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 386H is at the 88th percentile, while the Intel Core i5-14401E is at the 60th percentile.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core Ultra 9 386H wins in every multi-threaded Cinebench test: R15 (3223 versus 1830), R20 (12820 versus 7627), and R23 (20547 versus 18161). It also wins Cinebench R15 single-core (303.5 versus 258) and R20 single-core (1809 versus 1076). Its PassMark results, while not directly comparable to the i5-14401E due to missing data, show strong throughput in integer math (87284), floating-point math (108527), and multi-thread operations (35399). This processor is the clear choice for heavily threaded rendering, data compression, encryption, and general compute workloads, and it does so at a 25 watt TDP.

The Intel Core i5-14401E wins only Cinebench R23 single-core, with a 23.8% margin. For workloads that rely on that specific benchmark's instruction mix and single-thread behavior, the i5-14401E is faster. It also offers ECC memory support, which the Ultra 9 lacks, and it supports DDR4 memory in addition to DDR5. The i5-14401E provides more PCIe lanes (16 versus 12), which may matter for expansion in a desktop system.

The data shows a generational and architectural split. The i5-14401E is a 10 nm Raptor Lake desktop chip with a larger shared L3 cache and higher base clock. The Ultra 9 386H is a 3 nm Panther Lake mobile chip with more cores, a higher boost clock, larger per-core L1 and L2 caches, and a much lower TDP. The benchmark results favor the Ultra 9 in almost every recorded test, making it the stronger part for the majority of measured workloads.