Intel Core i5-14500 vs Intel Core i7-14701E Comparison

Intel Core i5-14500 and Intel Core i7-14701E are both 14th Gen Raptor Lake Refresh desktop processors on the Intel Socket 1700 platform, yet benchmark results show they serve very different workloads. The i5-14500 records 10 wins in the head-to-head comparisons, while the i7-14701E takes 7. The overall database percentile places the i5 at 86 versus 83 for the i7, and the average benchmark score of 38531 for the i5 exceeds the 33206 of the i7. However, the wins are not distributed evenly; the i7 dominates in single-threaded and specific computational tests, while the i5 leads heavily in throughput-oriented workloads.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i5-14500 is the clear winner for parallel, data-intensive workloads. It leads in Cinebench R15 and R20 multi-core tests, PassMark data compression, data encryption, extended instructions, floating point math, integer math, multithreaded performance, and random string sorting. The largest margin appears in data encryption, where the i5 is 44.4% ahead of the i7. Integer math and random string sorting also show substantial advantages at 33% and 40.5% respectively. This pattern indicates that the i5 is the better choice for applications that scale across many cores, such as rendering in older Cinebench versions, compression tools, and cryptographic operations. The PassMark multithread score of 30777 versus 26112 confirms that the i5 handles concurrent tasks with more aggregate throughput.

The Intel Core i7-14701E wins in exactly the opposite category: single-threaded and latency-sensitive workloads. It takes Cinebench R15 single-core, Cinebench R23 both single-core and multi-core, PassMark find prime numbers, PassMark physics, and PassMark single-thread tests. The most striking victory is in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where the i7 scores 22195 against 15012 for the i5, a 32.4% lead. This is unusual because the i5 has more cores and threads, yet the i7 still wins in this modern multi-threaded benchmark. The i7 also shows a 38.8% lead in Cinebench R23 single-core and a 27.2% lead in PassMark physics. These results point to the i7 being superior for workloads that depend on high clock speeds and per-core efficiency, such as simulation physics, prime number calculations, and lightly threaded applications.

Architecture Differences

Both processors share the Raptor Lake architecture and the Raptor Lake-R codename, but they differ fundamentally in core configuration. The i5-14500 has 14 cores and 20 threads, while the i7-14701E has 8 cores and 16 threads. This core count difference is the primary driver of the i5's multi-threaded wins. The i5 uses a 215 mm² die size, while the i7 uses a larger 257 mm² die. Both are built on the same 10 nm process node from Intel, and neither has a 3D V-Cache.

Cache hierarchies differ significantly. The i5 has 1.25 MB of L2 cache per core and 24 MB of shared L3 cache. The i7 has 2 MB of L2 per core and 33 MB of shared L3 cache. The larger per-core L2 and total L3 on the i7 helps explain its single-threaded and physics benchmark advantages, as more data can reside closer to the execution cores. Both have 80 KB of L1 cache per core. The i7's boost clock is 5.40 GHz versus 5.00 GHz for the i5, while base clocks are identical at 2.60 GHz. This 0.40 GHz boost clock difference directly supports the i7's single-thread performance margins.

Both processors have identical memory support, PCIe, and integrated graphics. Each supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory over a dual-channel bus, includes ECC memory support, and provides Gen 5 PCIe with 16 lanes from the CPU. Both integrate UHD Graphics 770. The i7 has a larger die due to its bigger cache and core layout, and it also has a different part number, Q49FSRNJK versus SRN3T for the i5.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench results are the most revealing because they show contradictory trends across versions. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i5-14500 scores 2435 against the i7's 2237, a 8.9% win. In Cinebench R20 multi-core, the i5 extends this to 10985 versus 9321, a 17.9% margin. Yet in Cinebench R23 multi-core, the i7 reverses the trend completely, scoring 22195 versus 15012, giving the i7 a 32.4% lead. This suggests that the R23 workload responds better to the i7's higher clock speed and larger cache, despite having fewer cores. The single-core results follow the same pattern: the i7 wins R15 single-core by 13.3% (315 versus 273) and R23 single-core by 38.8% (3133 versus 1917), but the i5 wins R20 single-core by 17.9% (1550 versus 1315).

PassMark tests show a more consistent split. The i5-14500 leads data compression with 371294 against 282939, a 31.2% advantage. Data encryption shows 21457 versus 14862, a 44.4% lead for the i5. Extended instructions go to the i5 at 22473 versus 18528, a 21.3% margin. Floating point math favors the i5 at 79576 versus 61873, a 28.6% lead. Integer math shows 108124 versus 81325, a 33% margin. Random string sorting gives the i5 a 40.5% win with 40980 versus 29158. The PassMark multithread test confirms the i5's aggregate lead at 30777 versus 26112, a 17.9% difference.

The i7-14701E counters in PassMark find prime numbers with 176 versus 106, a 39.8% lead. PassMark physics shows 2399 versus 1746, a 27.2% win for the i7. In single-threaded PassMark tests, the i7 records 4305 versus 3952, an 8.2% advantage. These specific tests reward the i7's higher boost clock and larger cache, especially in the prime number calculation which is highly dependent on integer throughput per core.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in several core specification fields. The i5-14500 has 14 cores and 20 threads, while the i7-14701E has 8 cores and 16 threads. Boost clocks are 5.00 GHz for the i5 and 5.40 GHz for the i7, with identical 2.60 GHz base clocks. L2 cache is 1.25 MB per core on the i5 versus 2 MB per core on the i7. L3 cache is 24 MB shared on the i5 versus 33 MB shared on the i7. Die size measures 215 mm² for the i5 and 257 mm² for the i7. The i5 has a launch MSRP of $232, while the i7 has no recorded launch MSRP in the database. Both have a TDP of 65, support DDR4 and DDR5, use dual-channel memory, include ECC support, and are locked with no unlocked multiplier. Both use Intel Socket 1700, integrate UHD Graphics 770, and are marked as Active in production status. Release dates differ: the i5 launched on 2024-01-07 and the i7 on 2024-06-30.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core i5-14500 has 14 cores and 20 threads, while the Intel Core i7-14701E has 8 cores and 16 threads.

Q: Why does the i7-14701E win Cinebench R23 multi-core despite having fewer cores?

A: The i7-14701E scores 22195 in Cinebench R23 multi-core versus 15012 for the i5-14500, a 32.4% lead. This is due to its higher 5.40 GHz boost clock versus 5.00 GHz, and its larger 33 MB shared L3 cache versus 24 MB.

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

A: The largest margin is in PassMark data encryption, where the i5-14500 leads by 44.4% with a score of 21457 versus 14862 for the i7-14701E.

Q: Do both processors support the same memory and expansion options?

A: Yes, both support DDR4 and DDR5 memory over a dual-channel bus, include ECC memory support, and provide Gen 5 PCIe with 16 lanes from the CPU.

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The i5-14500 has an average benchmark score of 38531, while the i7-14701E has 33206. The i5 also sits at the 86th percentile versus the 83rd for the i7.

Q: Are both processors currently in active production?

A: Yes, both list production status as Active. The i5-14500 released on 2024-01-07 and the i7-14701E released on 2024-06-30.