Intel Core i5-14600 vs Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark split between these two processors is unusually lopsided. The Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus wins 15 of the 17 recorded head-to-head comparisons, while the Intel Core i5-14600 claims only 2 victories. That distribution tells a clear story about workload orientation.

The Core i5-14600 takes its wins in Cinebench R15 single-core and Cinebench R23 single-core. In the R15 test, it scores 433 against 340 for the Ultra 9, a 27.4% advantage. The R23 single-core result is even more dramatic: 4300 versus 2356, an 82.5% lead. These are legacy rendering workloads that respond strongly to high per-thread frequency, and the i5-14600 delivers that with its 5.20 GHz boost clock.

The Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus dominates everywhere else. Its multicore scores are substantially higher across all Cinebench versions: R15 multicore at 5981 versus 3070 (48.7% ahead), R20 multicore at 21198 versus 12794 (39.6% ahead), and R23 multicore at 39684 versus 30464 (23.2% ahead). The PassMark suite shows the same pattern, with the Ultra 9 winning every single subtest, from integer math (164839 versus 117078, 29% ahead) to floating-point math (201773 versus 85759, 57.5% ahead) to data encryption (50008 versus 25082, 49.8% ahead).

The pattern is consistent: the i5-14600 is a single-thread specialist in legacy benchmarks, while the Ultra 9 290HX Plus is a throughput monster across modern multithreaded workloads. The average benchmark scores reflect this gulf. The i5-14600 sits at 44889, while the Ultra 9 290HX Plus reaches 79574, roughly 77% higher. The percentile ranking also separates them: the i5-14600 lands in the 89th percentile of all CPUs in the database, while the Ultra 9 290HX Plus reaches the 95th percentile.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design generations. The Core i5-14600 is built on Intel's Raptor Lake architecture, specifically the Raptor Lake-R refresh, fabricated on a 10 nm process at Intel's own fabs. The Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus uses the Arrow Lake-HX Refresh architecture, fabricated on a 3 nm process at TSMC. That process difference is reflected in transistor density: the Ultra 9 packs 17,800 million transistors into a 243 mm² die, while the i5-14600 uses a larger 257 mm² die with no disclosed transistor count.

Core configurations differ sharply. The i5-14600 has 14 cores and 20 threads, meaning it relies on Hyper-Threading to reach that thread count. The Ultra 9 290HX Plus has 24 cores and 24 threads, indicating a design without simultaneous multithreading. Despite having fewer threads per core, the Ultra 9's raw core count gives it a significant parallel throughput advantage.

Cache hierarchies also diverge. The i5-14600 provides 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 24 MB of shared L3. The Ultra 9 290HX Plus offers 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 36 MB of shared L3. The larger caches on the Ultra 9 support its higher core count and help feed the wider execution resources.

Memory support differs as well. The i5-14600 supports both DDR4 and DDR5 over a dual-channel bus, giving system builders flexibility. The Ultra 9 290HX Plus supports only DDR5 but provides a rated memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s, a figure not recorded for the desktop part. Both processors support ECC memory.

Platform and socket choices are entirely separate. The i5-14600 uses Intel Socket 1700, a desktop platform with 16 PCIe Gen 5 lanes from the CPU. The Ultra 9 290HX Plus uses Intel BGA 2114, a mobile socket, and offers 20 PCIe Gen 5 lanes. The Ultra 9 is also multiplier-unlocked, while the i5-14600 is not, though the mobile form factor limits practical overclocking.

Integrated graphics differ as well. The i5-14600 pairs with UHD Graphics 770, while the Ultra 9 290HX Plus uses Arc Xe-LPG Graphics with 64 execution units. The Ultra 9 also carries a lower thermal envelope at 55 W TDP versus 65 W for the i5-14600, despite delivering substantially higher multicore performance.

Release timing separates the two by more than two years. The i5-14600 launched in January 2024, while the Ultra 9 290HX Plus launched in March 2026. The i5-14600 carries a launch MSRP of $255. The Ultra 9 290HX Plus has no recorded launch MSRP.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench suite reveals a mixed picture. In R15, the Ultra 9 wins multicore with 5981 against 3070, a 48.7% margin. But the i5-14600 wins R15 single-core with 433 versus 340, a 27.4% lead. The R20 results shift decisively: the Ultra 9 wins both multicore (21198 versus 12794) and single-core (2992 versus 1806), each by 39.6%. The R23 results are more complex: the Ultra 9 wins multicore with 39684 versus 30464, a 23.2% margin, but the i5-14600 takes single-core by an enormous 82.5% (4300 versus 2356). The R23 single-core gap is the largest delta in the entire comparison, suggesting the i5-14600's older architecture retains a massive advantage in certain single-threaded scenarios.

The PassMark suite is uniformly favorable to the Ultra 9. Data compression shows 658724 versus 434620, a 34% lead. Data encryption shows 50008 versus 25082, a 49.8% lead. Extended instructions show 51290 versus 25674, a 49.9% lead. The largest PassMark margin comes in find prime numbers, where the Ultra 9 scores 519 against 155, a 70.1% advantage. Floating-point math favors the Ultra 9 at 201773 versus 85759, a 57.5% gap. Integer math is closer at 164839 versus 117078, a 29% lead. Multithread performance shows 59439 versus 35848, a 39.7% gap. Physics runs 3387 versus 2330, a 31.2% lead. Random string sorting shows 80327 versus 48043, a 40.2% lead. Even single-thread PassMark favors the Ultra 9, at 4951 versus 4167, a 15.8% margin.

The nearest-rival data places each processor in context. The i5-14600, with an average benchmark score of 44889, sits within 0.5% of the Intel Core i9-12900KS (45094) and the AMD EPYC 4344P (45122), while running 0.7% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D (44573) and 1% ahead of the Intel Core Ultra X9 388H (44466). The Ultra 9 290HX Plus, with an average of 79574, runs 0.3% behind the Intel Core i9-14900KF (79371), 0.6% ahead of the AMD EPYC 7413 (80041), and 1.4% ahead of the Intel Xeon w5-2565X (80671). The i9-14900K sits 0.6% below the Ultra 9's average score.

The Verdict

The data supports a clear separation of roles. The Intel Core i5-14600 is the choice for legacy single-threaded workloads, particularly Cinebench R15 and R23 single-core tests where it leads by 27.4% and 82.5% respectively. Its 14 cores and 20 threads, combined with a 5.20 GHz boost clock and 65 W TDP, make it a capable desktop processor for applications that favor older instruction patterns and high per-thread frequency.

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus is the throughput leader in nearly every measurable category. Its 24 cores, 36 MB of shared L3 cache, and 5.50 GHz boost clock deliver multicore scores that lead by margins ranging from 23.2% to 70.1% across the benchmark suite. The 102.4 GB/s memory bandwidth and 20 PCIe Gen 5 lanes support data-heavy workflows. Its 95th percentile ranking versus 89th for the i5-14600 confirms the overall performance tier difference.

The platform distinction matters. The i5-14600 uses Socket 1700 with DDR4 and DDR5 support, offering flexibility for desktop builders. The Ultra 9 290HX Plus uses BGA 2114, a mobile socket, with DDR5-only support, meaning it belongs in laptops or compact mobile workstations. The i5-14600 has a recorded launch MSRP of $255; the Ultra 9 290HX Plus has no recorded launch MSRP.

For legacy single-threaded performance in a desktop socket, the i5-14600 is the recorded winner. For modern multithreaded throughput, mobile deployment, and overall benchmark dominance, the Ultra 9 290HX Plus is the clear choice from the data.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins more benchmark comparisons?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus wins 15 of the 17 head-to-head benchmarks. The Intel Core i5-14600 wins 2.

Q: How large is the single-core performance gap in Cinebench R23?

A: The i5-14600 scores 4300 in Cinebench R23 single-core versus 2356 for the Ultra 9 290HX Plus, a 82.5% advantage for the i5-14600.

Q: What is the biggest multicore margin in the comparison?

A: The largest multicore lead for the Ultra 9 290HX Plus appears in PassMark find prime numbers, where it scores 519 versus 155 for the i5-14600, a 70.1% gap.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: Yes, both the Intel Core i5-14600 and the Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus support ECC memory.

Q: What memory types does each processor support?

A: The i5-14600 supports both DDR4 and DDR5 over a dual-channel bus. The Ultra 9 290HX Plus supports only DDR5 with a rated bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s.

Q: How do the core and thread counts compare?

A: The i5-14600 has 14 cores and 20 threads. The Ultra 9 290HX Plus has 24 cores and 24 threads, with no simultaneous multithreading.