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

The Verdict

The data presents an unambiguous picture: the Intel Core i9-14900T wins every single recorded benchmark head-to-head against the Intel Core i5-14490F. Out of 17 comparative tests, the i9-14900T takes 17 wins, while the i5-14490F records zero wins. The average benchmark score for the i9-14900T sits at 51015, placing it in the 90th percentile of all CPUs, whereas the i5-14490F averages 38149 and lands in the 86th percentile. The core count difference is stark: 24 cores and 32 threads versus 10 cores and 16 threads. The i9-14900T also carries a 36 MB shared L3 cache against the i5's 24 MB, and its boost clock reaches 5.50 GHz versus 5.00 GHz. The i5-14490F does hold one advantage: a 65 W TDP versus the i9-14900T's 35 W TDP actually favors the T-series part in power draw, though the i5's base clock of 2.50 GHz is higher than the i9's 1.10 GHz. For systems where multithreaded throughput dominates, the i9-14900T is the clear choice from the data. The i5-14490F remains viable only where its lower core count and smaller cache are acceptable, but no benchmark in the database shows it ahead.

Architecture Differences

Both processors belong to Intel's Core 14th Gen series and share the Raptor Lake architecture with the Raptor Lake-R codename. They are built on the same 10 nm process node at Intel's foundry. The die sizes differ: the i9-14900T measures 257 mm², while the i5-14490F is smaller at 215 mm². The L1 cache is identical at 80 KB per core, but the L2 cache differs, with the i9-14900T offering 2 MB per core versus 1.25 MB per core on the i5-14490F. The shared L3 cache also diverges: 36 MB on the i9-14900T versus 24 MB on the i5-14490F. Both support DDR4 and DDR5 memory with a dual-channel bus, and both use PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes from the CPU. The i9-14900T includes integrated UHD Graphics 770, while the i5-14490F has no integrated graphics. ECC memory support is present on the i9-14900T but absent on the i5-14490F. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier. The i9-14900T launched on January 8, 2024, while the i5-14490F launched on January 1, 2024. The i9-14900T has a launch MSRP of $549; the i5-14490F has no recorded launch MSRP.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

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

Q: Does the i5-14490F have integrated graphics?

A: No, the i5-14490F lists integrated graphics as N/A. The i9-14900T includes UHD Graphics 770.

Q: What is the largest benchmark margin between the two?

A: The biggest gap appears in PassMark integer math, where the i9-14900T scores 138149 against 87844 for the i5-14490F, a delta of -36.4% from the i5's perspective.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: The i9-14900T supports ECC memory, while the i5-14490F does not.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The i9-14900T averages 51015 across all benchmarks, compared to 38149 for the i5-14490F. The i9-14900T sits in the 90th percentile of all CPUs, while the i5-14490F sits in the 86th percentile.

Q: What are the boost clock speeds?

A: The i9-14900T boosts to 5.50 GHz, while the i5-14490F boosts to 5.00 GHz.

Specification Differences

| Field | Intel Core i5-14490F | Intel Core i9-14900T |

|-------|---------------------|---------------------|

| Cores | 10 | 24 |

| Threads | 16 | 32 |

| Base clock | 2.50 GHz | 1.10 GHz |

| Boost clock | 5.00 GHz | 5.50 GHz |

| TDP | 65 W | 35 W |

| Die size | 215 mm² | 257 mm² |

| L2 cache | 1.25 MB (per core) | 2 MB (per core) |

| L3 cache | 24 MB (shared) | 36 MB (shared) |

| ECC memory | false | true |

| Integrated graphics | N/A | UHD Graphics 770 |

| Launch MSRP | null | $549 |

| Part number | SRN35 | SRN3U |

The two share the same socket (Intel Socket 1700), architecture, process node, foundry, L1 cache size, memory support, memory bus, PCIe configuration, market segment, and production status. Both are locked multipliers.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data shows a consistent pattern across all 17 tests: the i9-14900T wins each one, but the margins vary substantially by workload. The smallest advantage is in PassMark single-thread performance, where the i9-14900T scores 4016 against 3873 for the i5-14490F, a delta of -3.6%. PassMark physics also shows a narrow gap: 2245 versus 2093, a -6.8% difference. These close results indicate that single-core and lightly threaded physics workloads do not fully exploit the i9-14900T's additional cores.

The Cinebench suite shows larger, consistent deltas. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the i9-14900T scores 3104 versus 2318, a -25.3% delta. The single-core R15 test mirrors this: 438 versus 327, also -25.3%. Cinebench R20 multicore delivers 12937 versus 9660 (-25.3%), and R20 single-core delivers 1826 versus 1363 (-25.4%). Cinebench R23 multicore shows 30803 versus 23000 (-25.3%), with R23 single-core at 4348 versus 3247 (-25.3%). The uniformity of these percentages suggests the i9-14900T's higher boost clock and larger cache provide a steady per-core advantage across the entire Cinebench series.

PassMark workloads reveal where the core count really matters. Integer math shows the largest margin: 138149 versus 87844, a -36.4% delta. Data encryption follows at 27062 versus 18225, a -32.7% delta. Floating point math reaches 92699 versus 66558, a -28.2% delta. Random string sorting hits 49484 versus 35608, a -28% delta. Find prime numbers scores 164 versus 122, a -25.6% delta. Data compression reaches 436066 versus 340026, a -22% delta. Multithread performance shows 36239 versus 28662, a -20.9% delta. Extended instructions shows the smallest PassMark gap after single-thread: 23660 versus 21731, a -8.2% delta.

The i5-14490F's nearest rivals in the database include the Intel Core Ultra 5 245T with an average score of 38194 (a -0.1% delta), the Intel Core i5-13600KF at 38103 (+0.1%), the AMD Ryzen 7 250 at 38221 (-0.2%), and the Intel Core i5-13600HX at 38261 (-0.3%). These deltas indicate the i5-14490F sits in a tightly contested performance cluster, with its average score nearly identical to several alternatives. The i9-14900T's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-13850HX at 50761 (+0.5%), the Intel Core Ultra 9 285T at 51310 (-0.6%), the AMD Ryzen 9 5900XT at 50718 (+0.6%), and the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 370 at 50448 (+1.1%). The i9-14900T holds a slight edge over most of these, though the Ultra 9 285T sits marginally ahead.

Where Each One Wins

The i9-14900T wins everywhere in the recorded data, but the magnitude of each victory tells a different story about workload suitability. The largest margins, integer math at -36.4% and data encryption at -32.7%, point to compute-heavy, highly parallel tasks. These workloads benefit directly from the 24-core, 32-thread configuration and the 36 MB L3 cache. Floating point math (-28.2%), random string sorting (-28%), and find prime numbers (-25.6%) also show strong advantages for the i9-14900T, reinforcing its suitability for scientific computing, data processing, and any workload that scales with core count.

The Cinebench results, all hovering around -25.3% to -25.4%, show a consistent rendering performance advantage. For 3D rendering and content creation workloads that use Cinebench-style multi-threaded rendering, the i9-14900T delivers meaningfully higher scores. The single-core Cinebench tests also favor the i9-14900T by the same margin, which is notable because single-core performance typically depends more on clock speed than core count. The i9-14900T's 5.50 GHz boost clock versus 5.00 GHz on the i5-14490F explains this advantage.

The i5-14490F's narrowest losses come in PassMark single-thread (-3.6%) and physics (-6.8%). These results suggest that for lightly threaded applications and basic physics simulations, the i5-14490F remains competitive despite its lower core count. Its higher base clock of 2.50 GHz versus 1.10 GHz helps in short bursts, though the i9-14900T still takes the win. Extended instructions (-8.2%) also shows a relatively modest gap, indicating the i5-14490F handles SIMD-style workloads more competitively than pure integer or floating point math.

The i9-14900T's lower TDP of 35 W versus 65 W for the i5-14490F adds another dimension. Despite drawing less power on paper, the i9-14900T outperforms across every benchmark. This combination of higher performance and lower TDP makes it the stronger part for thermally constrained systems, though its larger die size of 257 mm² versus 215 mm² suggests a more complex physical footprint. The i9-14900T also includes integrated graphics and ECC memory support, features entirely absent from the i5-14490F. For systems requiring a discrete GPU only, the i5-14490F's lack of integrated graphics is not a drawback, but for troubleshooting, basic display output, or ECC-based reliability, the i9-14900T holds clear feature advantages. The data does not show a single workload category where the i5-14490F comes out ahead, making the i9-14900T the definitive winner across all recorded metrics.