Intel Core i5-14600T vs Intel Core i9-11900 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a dominant performance profile for the Intel Core i5-14600T, which wins 16 of the 17 head-to-head benchmark comparisons. The margin of victory varies significantly depending on the workload, revealing where the newer 14th Gen architecture pulls ahead and where the older 11th Gen flagship still holds ground.

The Cinebench suite provides the most consistent gap between the two processors. Across all six Cinebench tests, the i5-14600T leads by exactly 18.2% in R15 multicore, R15 singlecore, R20 multicore, R20 singlecore, R23 multicore, and R23 singlecore. The single-core results are particularly telling: the i5-14600T scores 319 in R15 singlecore versus 270 for the i9-11900, and 3169 in R23 singlecore versus 2680. This consistent 18.2% delta in both single-threaded and multi-threaded rendering tasks indicates that the i5-14600T's architectural improvements benefit all types of workloads equally, rather than scaling only with core count.

The multi-core Cinebench results show the i5-14600T posting 2262 in R15, 9427 in R20, and 22447 in R23, compared to 1913, 7973, and 18985 for the i9-11900 respectively. The i5-14600T's 14 cores and 20 threads provide a substantial advantage over the i9-11900's 8 cores and 16 threads, though the consistent 18.2% delta suggests that core count alone does not explain the full gap. The per-core efficiency improvements in the newer architecture contribute equally to the margin.

PassMark workloads reveal a more varied picture. The largest single victory for the i5-14600T comes in the find prime numbers test, where it scores 121 versus 63, a 92.1% advantage over the i9-11900. This near-doubling of performance in a heavily integer-bound, latency-sensitive workload highlights the superior per-core throughput of the Raptor Lake design. Similarly, the physics test shows a 91.7% lead for the i5-14600T with scores of 1873 versus 977, indicating that the newer processor handles complex simulation workloads with significantly greater efficiency.

Floating-point math performance favors the i5-14600T by 32.2%, with scores of 64726 versus 48948. Data encryption shows a 30.7% advantage for the i5-14600T, scoring 18226 versus 13942. Integer math follows with a 13.4% lead, 95112 versus 83893. The multithread PassMark score gives the i5-14600T a 17.6% edge, 26409 versus 22456. Single-thread PassMark shows an 11% advantage for the i5-14600T, 3744 versus 3373.

Data compression and random string sorting are closer contests. The i5-14600T leads data compression by 5.8% (301827 versus 285159) and random string sorting by 3.8% (34310 versus 33054). These memory-heavy workloads narrow the gap, suggesting that the i9-11900's 51.2 GB/s memory bandwidth helps it remain competitive in tasks that stress memory throughput rather than raw compute.

The sole benchmark victory for the i9-11900 comes in extended instructions, where it scores 19654 versus 16985 for the i5-14600T, a 13.6% advantage. This result indicates that the Rocket Lake architecture retains a meaningful edge in specialized instruction sets and vectorized workloads that leverage its AVX-512 capabilities. The i5-14600T's Raptor Lake design does not include this feature, and the benchmark data reflects that difference clearly.

The average benchmark scores place the i5-14600T at 32707, ranking in the 83rd percentile of all CPUs, while the i9-11900 averages 32226, ranking in the 82nd percentile. The i5-14600T's nearest rivals include the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H with a delta of 0%, the AMD Ryzen 5 7400F at -0.1%, and the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 360 at 0.1%. The i9-11900's closest competitors are the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U at 0% delta, the Intel Core i5-14400F at -0.2%, and the Intel Core i7-12800H at 0.3%.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins the most benchmark comparisons?

A: The Intel Core i5-14600T wins 16 of the 17 head-to-head benchmarks, with the Intel Core i9-11900 winning only the extended instructions test.

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

A: The i5-14600T scores 22447 in Cinebench R23 multicore versus 18985 for the i9-11900, representing an 18.2% advantage for the newer processor.

Q: Where does the i9-11900 outperform the i5-14600T?

A: The i9-11900 leads in the PassMark extended instructions test, scoring 19654 versus 16985, a 13.6% advantage. This is the only benchmark where the older processor comes out ahead.

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

A: The PassMark find prime numbers test shows the largest margin, with the i5-14600T scoring 121 versus 63 for the i9-11900, a 92.1% difference.

Q: How do the single-core Cinebench scores compare?

A: The i5-14600T achieves 3169 in Cinebench R23 singlecore versus 2680 for the i9-11900, an 18.2% lead. In R20 singlecore, the scores are 1330 versus 1125, also an 18.2% difference.

Q: Which processor has the higher overall average benchmark score?

A: The i5-14600T averages 32707 across all recorded benchmarks, while the i9-11900 averages 32226, a difference of 481 points.

The Verdict

The benchmark data supports the i5-14600T as the stronger overall processor for virtually every workload category. Its 18.2% lead across the entire Cinebench suite, combined with commanding victories in physics and prime number calculations, establishes it as the better choice for rendering, simulation, and general compute tasks. The 92.1% advantage in find prime numbers and 91.7% lead in physics demonstrate that the newer architecture delivers substantially higher per-core performance, not merely more cores.

The i9-11900 retains a meaningful niche for users who depend on extended instruction set performance. Its 13.6% advantage in that specific benchmark suggests that workloads heavily optimized for AVX-512 or similar specialized instructions will run faster on the older chip. However, the i9-11900's 82nd percentile ranking versus the i5-14600T's 83rd percentile, combined with the 16-to-1 benchmark win margin, makes it difficult to recommend the i9-11900 except for those specific instruction-heavy use cases.

Users building a new system should prefer the i5-14600T. The data shows it is faster in 16 of 17 tests, often by substantial margins. The i9-11900 remains competitive only in the narrow extended instructions domain, and its end-of-life production status means it offers no platform longevity advantage. The i5-14600T's active production status and superior benchmark profile make it the clear choice from a pure performance standpoint.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ significantly in their core and thread configurations. The i5-14600T features 14 cores and 20 threads, while the i9-11900 has 8 cores and 16 threads. Clock speeds show the i9-11900 with a higher base clock of 2.50 GHz versus 1.80 GHz for the i5-14600T, but the i5-14600T's boost clock reaches 5.10 GHz compared to 5.20 GHz for the i9-11900.

Thermal design power differs notably: the i5-14600T is rated at 35W TDP, while the i9-11900 is rated at 65W TDP. The i5-14600T achieves its higher benchmark scores despite the lower power envelope, indicating substantially better performance-per-watt.

Socket compatibility separates the two platforms. The i5-14600T uses Intel Socket 1700, while the i9-11900 uses Intel Socket 1200. Memory support also differs: the i5-14600T supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory, while the i9-11900 supports only DDR4. Both processors use dual-channel memory buses, but the i9-11900's memory bandwidth is specified at 51.2 GB/s, while the i5-14600T has no recorded bandwidth figure.

PCIe capabilities differ as well. The i5-14600T provides Gen 5 with 16 lanes on the CPU, while the i9-11900 provides Gen 4 with 20 lanes. Integrated graphics differ, with the i5-14600T featuring UHD Graphics 770 and the i9-11900 featuring UHD Graphics 750. ECC memory support is present on the i5-14600T but absent on the i9-11900.

The launch MSRP for the i5-14600T is $255, while the i9-11900 launched at $439. Production status also differs: the i5-14600T is active, while the i9-11900 is end-of-life. Release dates show the i5-14600T launching in 2024-01-07 and the i9-11900 in 2021-03-15.

Architecture Differences

The i5-14600T is built on Raptor Lake architecture with the Raptor Lake-R codename, part of the Core 14th Gen series. The i9-11900 uses Rocket Lake architecture with the Rocket Lake codename, part of the Core 11th Gen series. The manufacturing process differs significantly: the i5-14600T uses a 10 nm process node, while the i9-11900 uses a 14 nm process node. Both are fabricated by Intel.

Cache hierarchies differ substantially between the two. The i5-14600T has 80 KB of L1 cache per core and 2 MB of L2 cache per core, with 24 MB of shared L3 cache. The i9-11900 has 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 512 KB of L2 cache per core, with 16 MB of shared L3 cache. Die sizes also differ, with the i5-14600T measuring 257 mm² and the i9-11900 measuring 276 mm².

The architectural generations are several steps apart. The i5-14600T belongs to the Core i5 family within the Raptor Lake Refresh generation, while the i9-11900 belongs to the Core i9 family within the Rocket Lake-S generation. This generational gap explains many of the performance differences observed in the benchmark data, particularly the consistent 18.2% advantage in Cinebench tests and the near-doubling of performance in prime number finding and physics workloads.

The i5-14600T's smaller 10 nm process node allows for higher transistor density and improved power efficiency, which helps explain how it achieves superior benchmark scores while operating at a 35W TDP compared to the i9-11900's 65W TDP. The larger L2 cache per core (2 MB versus 512 KB) and larger L3 cache (24 MB versus 16 MB) provide additional performance headroom for cache-sensitive workloads.

The i9-11900's advantage in extended instructions likely stems from architecture-specific instruction set features that were emphasized in the Rocket Lake design. The newer Raptor Lake architecture prioritizes different workload characteristics, as reflected in its broad benchmark dominance across most test categories.