Intel Core i5-14490F vs Intel Core i9-14900HX Comparison

Intel Core i5-14490F and Intel Core i9-14900HX represent two distinct interpretations of Intel's 14th Gen Raptor Lake architecture. The i5-14490F is a desktop processor designed for the Intel Socket 1700 platform, while the i9-14900HX is a mobile processor on the Intel BGA 1964 socket. Despite the i9's mobile positioning, the benchmark data shows a significant performance gap between the two, heavily favoring the i9 in most workloads, though the i5 claims a notable victory in single-core Cinebench tests.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i9-14900HX dominates the head-to-head comparison, winning 15 of the 17 recorded benchmarks. Its victories span all major workload categories: multi-core rendering, data compression, encryption, extended instruction sets, prime number calculation, floating-point math, integer math, multithreaded performance, physics simulations, random string sorting, and single-thread PassMark tests. This makes it the clear choice for heavily threaded applications and mixed productivity workloads where parallel processing power is the primary requirement.

The Intel Core i5-14490F wins only two benchmarks, both in Cinebench single-core tests: Cinebench R15 single-core with a score of 327 against 310.5 (a 5.3% advantage) and Cinebench R23 single-core with 3247 against 2181.5 (a 48.8% advantage). These results indicate that the i5-14490F has a specific strength in certain single-threaded rendering tasks, particularly in the R23 test where its lead is substantial. The i5 also records a higher Cinebench R15 single-core score despite the i9 having a higher boost clock, suggesting that the i5's desktop power envelope and platform allow it to sustain higher single-core performance in this specific legacy benchmark.

The i9-14900HX wins the Cinebench R20 single-core test decisively with 2204 against 1363, a 38.2% margin, which creates an inconsistent picture across Cinebench versions. The i5 excels in R15 and R23 single-core, while the i9 excels in R20 single-core. The i9's overall benchmark score of 56004 against the i5's 38149 reflects its broader dominance, placing it in the 91st percentile of all CPUs compared to the i5's 86th percentile.

Architecture Differences

The two processors share the same Raptor Lake architecture family and are built on the same 10 nm process node at Intel's foundry, but their configurations differ substantially. The i5-14490F uses 10 cores and 16 threads, while the i9-14900HX uses 24 cores and 32 threads. The i9's core count advantage is the fundamental driver of its multi-core performance lead.

Cache hierarchies also differ. Both have 80 KB of L1 cache per core, but the i9 has 2 MB of L2 cache per core against the i5's 1.25 MB. The i9 also has 36 MB of shared L3 cache versus 24 MB on the i5. The i9's die size of 257 mm² is larger than the i5's 215 mm², consistent with the additional cores and cache.

Clock speeds tell a mixed story. The i5 has a higher base clock of 2.50 GHz against the i9's 2.20 GHz, but the i9 has a higher boost clock of 5.80 GHz against the i5's 5.00 GHz. The i5's TDP is 65 watts, while the i9's is 55 watts, an unusual inversion given the i9's larger core count. The i5 uses the Intel Socket 1700 for desktop builds, while the i9 uses Intel BGA 1964 for mobile integration. The i9 has an unlocked multiplier and includes integrated UHD Graphics 770, while the i5 has no integrated graphics and a locked multiplier. The i9 also supports ECC memory, which the i5 does not. Both support DDR4 and DDR5 memory in dual-channel configuration and provide Gen 5 PCIe with 16 CPU lanes.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The multi-core Cinebench results show the i9's core advantage clearly. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i9 scores 4574 against 2318, a 49.3% lead. In Cinebench R20 multi-core, the i9 scores 15616 against 9660, a 38.1% lead. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the i9 scores 30055 against 23000, a 23.5% lead. The margin narrows in R23, but the i9 remains firmly ahead.

PassMark integer math shows the i9 at 157375 against 87844, a 44.2% lead. Floating-point math follows a similar pattern: 112273 against 66558, a 40.7% lead. Data compression favors the i9 with 539965 against 340026, a 37% lead. Data encryption shows a 44.1% lead for the i9 with 32619 against 18225. Extended instructions score 31247 against 21731, a 30.5% lead. Prime number finding scores 193 against 122, a 36.8% lead. Random string sorting scores 60861 against 35608, a 41.5% lead. PassMark multithread scores 43778 against 28662, a 34.5% lead. Physics scores 2638 against 2093, a 20.7% lead. PassMark single-thread scores 4175 against 3873, a 7.2% lead for the i9.

The single-core Cinebench results are the i5's territory. In R15 single-core, the i5 scores 327 against 310.5, a 5.3% lead. In R23 single-core, the i5 scores 3247 against 2181.5, a 48.8% lead. The R20 single-core result breaks this pattern, with the i9 scoring 2204 against 1363, a 38.2% lead, which is the largest single-core margin in either direction and favors the i9.

The i9's nearest rivals in the database include the Intel Core 7 253PQE with a 0.2% delta, the AMD Ryzen AI Max 390 at -0.5%, the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 470 at -0.5%, and the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX at -1%. The i5's nearest rivals include the Intel Core Ultra 5 245T at -0.1%, the Intel Core i5-13600KF at 0.1%, the AMD Ryzen 7 250 at -0.2%, and the Intel Core i5-13600HX at -0.3%. These close deltas indicate both processors sit tightly within their respective performance tiers.

The Verdict

The data shows the Intel Core i9-14900HX as the superior processor in almost every measured category. Its 24-core, 32-thread configuration delivers decisive wins in all multi-threaded and mixed workloads, with leads ranging from 20.7% in PassMark physics to 49.3% in Cinebench R15 multi-core. The i9 also wins PassMark single-thread by 7.2%, making it the more balanced performer overall.

The Intel Core i5-14490F wins in two specific Cinebench single-core tests, with its R23 single-core lead of 48.8% being particularly notable. This suggests the i5 holds a genuine advantage in certain single-threaded rendering workloads, likely due to its desktop platform's power delivery and thermal characteristics allowing higher sustained clocks in these tests.

The i9-14900HX is the better choice for users whose workloads are heavily parallel: rendering, data compression, encryption, mathematical computation, and general multitasking. Its 91st percentile ranking and average benchmark score of 56004 confirm its high-end positioning. The i5-14490F, at the 86th percentile with an average score of 38149, remains competitive in specific single-threaded Cinebench scenarios but falls behind in nearly all other measured tasks. Users prioritizing those particular Cinebench single-core workloads may find the i5 adequate, but the recorded data indicates the i9 delivers substantially higher performance across the broader benchmark suite.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core i9-14900HX has 24 cores and 32 threads, while the Intel Core i5-14490F has 10 cores and 16 threads.

Q: What is the largest performance margin between the two processors?

A: The largest margin is in Cinebench R15 multi-core, where the i9-14900HX leads by 49.3% with a score of 4574 against 2318. The largest single-core margin is the i5's 48.8% lead in Cinebench R23 single-core with 3247 against 2181.5.

Q: Which processor wins PassMark single-thread testing?

A: The i9-14900HX wins PassMark single-thread with a score of 4175 against the i5-14490F's 3873, a 7.2% lead.

Q: Do both processors support the same memory types?

A: Both support DDR4 and DDR5 memory in dual-channel configuration, but the i9-14900HX supports ECC memory while the i5-14490F does not.

Q: What are the boost clock speeds of each processor?

A: The i9-14900HX has a boost clock of 5.80 GHz, while the i5-14490F has a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. The i5 has a higher base clock at 2.50 GHz compared to the i9's 2.20 GHz.

Q: Which processor includes integrated graphics?

A: The i9-14900HX includes UHD Graphics 770, while the i5-14490F has no integrated graphics.

Q: How do the average benchmark scores compare?

A: The i9-14900HX has an average benchmark score of 56004, while the i5-14490F has an average benchmark score of 38149.