Intel Core i5-14490F vs Intel Core i7-14700HX Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data presents a clear split between these two Intel processors. The Intel Core i7-14700HX wins 15 of the 17 recorded head-to-head comparisons, while the Intel Core i5-14490F secures only 2 wins. The margins, however, tell a more nuanced story than the raw win count.

The i7-14700HX dominates heavily in multi-threaded workloads. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i7-14700HX scores 3812 against the i5-14490F's 2318, a 39.2% advantage. Cinebench R20 multi-core shows a 26% lead for the i7 (13059 vs 9660). The gap narrows considerably in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where the i7-14700HX posts 24595 versus 23000, a 6.5% edge. This pattern suggests the longer the rendering workload, the closer the two become, likely due to thermal and power constraints on the mobile chip.

PassMark integer math shows the i7-14700HX at 131296 versus 87844 for the i5-14490F, a 33.1% margin. Floating point math follows with a 29.1% difference (93836 vs 66558). Data compression favors the i7-14700HX by 22.5% (438539 vs 340026), data encryption by 30.2% (26092 vs 18225), and random string sorting by 26.6% (48544 vs 35608). Prime number finding shows a 26.1% advantage (165 vs 122). Extended instructions land at 15.5% in favor of the i7 (25718 vs 21731).

The i5-14490F's two wins are both in single-core Cinebench tests. In R15 single-core, it scores 327 versus 296, a 10.5% lead. The R23 single-core result is far more dramatic: 3247 versus 2103, a 54.4% advantage for the i5-14490F. This is the largest single delta in the entire comparison. Notably, PassMark single-thread results tell a different story, with the i7-14700HX edging ahead by 1.9% (3947 vs 3873).

In Cinebench R20 single-core, the i7-14700HX actually wins with 1843 versus 1363, a 26% margin. This creates an inconsistent single-core picture across Cinebench versions, with the i5 winning R15 and R23 but losing R20 by a wide margin. PassMark physics shows a modest 7.1% lead for the i7 (2252 vs 2093). Overall average benchmark scores sit at 45953 for the i7-14700HX versus 38149 for the i5-14490F, placing the i7 at the 89th percentile of all CPUs and the i5 at the 86th.

The nearest rival data confirms the performance tier difference. The i5-14490F sits within 0.3% of the Intel Core i5-13600KF and the Intel Core i5-13600HX, and within 0.2% of the AMD Ryzen 7 250. The i7-14700HX sits alongside server-class parts, matching the AMD EPYC 7303 and AMD EPYC 4364P, and coming within 0.2% of the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 and the Intel Core Ultra 5 235.

The Verdict

The data points to two distinct usage profiles. The Intel Core i7-14700HX is the stronger processor for sustained multi-threaded workloads, carrying a 20.5% higher average benchmark score (45953 vs 38149). Its wins span rendering, math operations, compression, encryption, and sorting tasks. The i7-14700HX also demonstrates the higher single-thread PassMark score, though by a slim 1.9% margin.

The Intel Core i5-14490F is the better choice for specific single-core Cinebench scenarios, particularly R23 where its 54.4% advantage is substantial. However, the inconsistency across single-core tests (losing R20 by 26%) complicates any claim of general single-core superiority. The i5-14490F also carries a lower TDP at 65 watts versus 55 watts for the i7, though both are desktop and mobile parts respectively, so direct power comparison is not straightforward.

The percentile ranking places the i7-14700HX at 89 versus the i5-14490F at 86, a modest overall gap despite the large multi-core differences. The i7-14700HX offers ECC memory support and integrated UHD Graphics 770, while the i5-14490F has no integrated graphics. The i7 also has an unlocked multiplier, whereas the i5 is locked. For workloads that scale across 20 cores and 28 threads, the i7-14700HX is clearly superior. For lightly threaded applications that favor the i5's clock behavior in certain Cinebench workloads, the i5-14490F has a narrower appeal.

Architecture Differences

Both processors share the Raptor Lake architecture and Intel's 10 nm process node, but they diverge in almost every other structural aspect. The i5-14490F is a desktop part on Intel Socket 1700 with 10 cores and 16 threads. The i7-14700HX is a mobile processor on Intel BGA 1964 with 20 cores and 28 threads. The i7 doubles the core count and adds 12 threads.

Cache configurations differ significantly. Both use 80 KB of L1 per core, but the i5-14490F has 1.25 MB of L2 per core versus 2 MB per core on the i7-14700HX. Shared L3 cache totals 24 MB on the i5 and 33 MB on the i7. Die size also differs: 215 mm² for the i5 versus 257 mm² for the i7. Base clocks are 2.50 GHz for the i5 and 2.10 GHz for the i7, while boost clocks are 5.00 GHz and 5.50 GHz respectively.

Both support DDR4 and DDR5 memory on a dual-channel bus, and both provide PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes from the CPU. The i7-14700HX includes UHD Graphics 770 integrated graphics, while the i5-14490F has no integrated graphics at all. ECC memory support is present on the i7 but absent on the i5. The i7-14700HX has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking; the i5-14490F does not. The i7 also launched later, with a release date of January 2024 versus December 2023 for the i5.

The TDP figures are notable: the i5-14490F is rated at 65 watts and the i7-14700HX at 55 watts, even though the i7 contains twice the cores. This reflects the different thermal envelopes of desktop versus mobile platforms.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The Intel Core i7-14700HX has 20 cores and 28 threads, while the Intel Core i5-14490F has 10 cores and 16 threads.

Q: Which processor wins in Cinebench R23 single-core?

A: The Intel Core i5-14490F wins by a 54.4% margin, scoring 3247 versus 2103 for the i7-14700HX.

Q: Does the i7-14700HX support ECC memory?

A: Yes, the i7-14700HX supports ECC memory. The i5-14490F does not.

Q: Which processor has integrated graphics?

A: The Intel Core i7-14700HX includes UHD Graphics 770. The Intel Core i5-14490F has no integrated graphics.

Q: What is the average benchmark score difference?

A: The i7-14700HX averages 45953 across all benchmarks versus 38149 for the i5-14490F, a difference of 7804 points.

Q: Are both processors on the same socket?

A: No. The i5-14490F uses Intel Socket 1700, while the i7-14700HX uses Intel BGA 1964.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i7-14700HX wins in every PassMark category recorded, including single-thread (3947 vs 3873, a 1.9% margin). Its strongest PassMark advantages come in integer math (33.1%), data encryption (30.2%), floating point math (29.1%), random string sorting (26.6%), and prime number finding (26.1%). In Cinebench, the i7 wins multi-core in all three versions (R15, R20, R23) and also wins R20 single-core by 26%.

The Intel Core i5-14490F wins specifically in Cinebench R15 single-core (327 vs 296, a 10.5% margin) and Cinebench R23 single-core (3247 vs 2103, a 54.4% margin). These two results are the only wins for the i5 in the entire head-to-head dataset.

For rendering workloads, the i7-14700HX is the consistent choice across all Cinebench multi-core tests, with margins ranging from 6.5% in R23 to 39.2% in R15. For general compute tasks measured by PassMark, the i7-14700HX holds advantages between 1.9% and 33.1%. The i5-14490F shows its strength in specific single-core Cinebench versions, where its boost clock behavior appears to deliver outsized gains, especially in R23.

The i7-14700HX also provides ECC memory support and integrated graphics, adding functional advantages beyond raw performance. The i5-14490F counters with a smaller die (215 mm² vs 257 mm²) and a higher base clock (2.50 GHz vs 2.10 GHz), though the i7's higher boost clock (5.50 GHz vs 5.00 GHz) partially offsets that in burst workloads. The i5-14490F's locked multiplier limits overclocking potential, while the i7-14700HX's unlocked multiplier offers flexibility for users who can manage mobile thermal constraints.