Intel Core i7-14700 vs Intel Core Ultra 7 356H Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The recorded benchmark data splits cleanly along workload type. The Intel Core i7-14700 wins 14 of 17 head-to-head tests, while the Intel Core Ultra 7 356H takes 3. The i7-14700 dominates multi-threaded and throughput-oriented workloads. Its most commanding victory comes in PassMark integer math, where it scores 154535 against 83111, a delta of 85.9%. Cinebench R23 multicore shows a 54.4% lead, with 28398 versus 18395. Data compression follows at 48.2% ahead, scoring 498198 against 336177. Random string sorting goes to the i7-14700 by 32.6%, and Cinebench R15 multicore by 32.9%. The desktop part also wins multithread (40318 vs 33978, 18.7%), Cinebench R20 multicore (14388 vs 12153, 18.4%), data encryption (29601 vs 26345, 12.4%), and PassMark single thread (4236 vs 4072, 4%).

The Ultra 7 356H wins the remaining tests, and they are instructive. PassMark find prime numbers goes decisively to the mobile chip: 327 versus 164, a 49.8% advantage. PassMark physics also favors the Ultra 7 at 2895 versus 2226, a 23.1% lead. The third win is narrow: Cinebench R15 singlecore, 303 versus 299, a 1.3% edge. These wins cluster in single-thread latency-sensitive and physics-style workloads, not raw throughput.

The overall average benchmark scores reflect the split. The i7-14700 posts an average of 52301 with a percentile of 91 among all CPUs. The Ultra 7 356H averages 41215 at the 87th percentile. The i7-14700 sits between the Intel Xeon Gold 5320H (52431, 0.2% ahead) and the AMD EPYC 8124P (52121, 0.3% behind). The Ultra 7 356H matches the AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 440 within 0%, trails the Intel Core Ultra 7 366H by 0.1%, and leads the Intel Core Ultra X7 358H by 0.6%.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different Intel families and target different market segments. The i7-14700 is a Raptor Lake-R desktop part in the Core 14th Gen series, built on Intel's 10 nm process with a 257 mm² die. It uses the Intel Socket 1700. The Ultra 7 356H belongs to the Core Ultra Series 3, codenamed Panther Lake, on a 3 nm Intel process, and it is a mobile part soldered as Intel BGA 2540. The release dates differ by two years: the i7-14700 launched on 2024-01-07, the Ultra 7 356H on 2026-01-04.

Core and thread counts diverge sharply. The i7-14700 has 20 cores and 28 threads. The Ultra 7 356H has 16 cores and 16 threads, meaning no hyperthreading on the mobile chip. Clock speeds also differ: the i7-14700 runs a 2.10 GHz base and 5.40 GHz boost, while the Ultra 7 356H runs 1.90 GHz base and 4.70 GHz boost. Thermal design power tells the mobility story: 65 W for the desktop part, 25 W for the mobile part.

Cache hierarchies are structured differently. The i7-14700 uses 80 KB L1 per core, 2 MB L2 per core, and 33 MB shared L3. The Ultra 7 356H uses a larger 192 KB L1 per core, 2.5 MB L2 per core, but a much smaller 18 MB shared L3. Memory support also differs: the i7-14700 accepts DDR4 and DDR5, while the Ultra 7 356H accepts DDR5 and LPDDR5X and records a memory bandwidth figure of 115.2 GB/s. The desktop part supports ECC memory; the mobile part does not. PCIe lanes differ as well: Gen 5 with 16 lanes on the i7-14700 versus Gen 5 with 12 lanes on the Ultra 7 356H. Integrated graphics are UHD Graphics 770 on the desktop chip and Intel Xe3 Graphics on the mobile chip. Both have locked multipliers, and both are listed as Active production.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core i7-14700 has 20 cores and 28 threads. The Intel Core Ultra 7 356H has 16 cores and 16 threads.

Q: How do the two compare in single-core performance?

A: The i7-14700 wins most single-thread tests. It leads Cinebench R23 singlecore by 2% (2080 vs 2040) and PassMark single thread by 4% (4236 vs 4072). The Ultra 7 356H wins Cinebench R15 singlecore by 1.3% (303 vs 299).

Q: What is the biggest performance gap between the two?

A: The largest delta is in PassMark integer math, where the i7-14700 scores 154535 versus 83111, an 85.9% advantage. The largest win for the Ultra 7 356H is PassMark find prime numbers, where it leads by 49.8% (327 vs 164).

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: No. The i7-14700 supports ECC memory. The Ultra 7 356H does not.

Q: What memory types does each processor support?

A: The i7-14700 supports DDR4 and DDR5. The Ultra 7 356H supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X, with a recorded memory bandwidth of 115.2 GB/s.

Q: Are these processors on the same socket?

A: No. The i7-14700 uses Intel Socket 1700. The Ultra 7 356H uses Intel BGA 2540.

Specification Differences

The table below lists only the fields where the two processors differ, per the database records.

| Field | Intel Core i7-14700 | Intel Core Ultra 7 356H |

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

| Series | Core 14th Gen | Core Ultra Series 3 |

| Cores | 20 | 16 |

| Threads | 28 | 16 |

| Base clock | 2.10 GHz | 1.90 GHz |

| Boost clock | 5.40 GHz | 4.70 GHz |

| TDP | 65 W | 25 W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 1700 | Intel BGA 2540 |

| Architecture | Raptor Lake | Panther Lake |

| Codename | Raptor Lake-R | Panther Lake |

| Generation | Core i7 (Raptor Lake Refresh) | Ultra 7 (Panther Lake-H) |

| Process node | 10 nm | 3 nm |

| Die size | 257 mm² | null |

| L1 cache | 80 KB (per core) | 192 KB (per core) |

| L2 cache | 2 MB (per core) | 2.5 MB (per core) |

| L3 cache | 33 MB (shared) | 18 MB (shared) |

| Memory support | DDR4, DDR5 | DDR5, LPDDR5X |

| Memory bandwidth | null | 115.2 GB/s |

| ECC memory | true | false |

| PCIe | Gen 5, 16 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 5, 12 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated graphics | UHD Graphics 770 | Intel Xe3 Graphics |

| Market segment | Desktop | Mobile |

| Release date | 2024-01-07 | 2026-01-04 |

| Launch MSRP | $384 | null |

| Part number | SRN40 | SA4RGQ9EU |

| Average benchmark score | 52301 | 41215 |

| Percentile vs all CPUs | 91 | 87 |

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database records 17 head-to-head comparisons. The most one-sided result is PassMark integer math. The i7-14700 delivers 154535 against 83111, a 85.9% margin. This is the single largest delta in either direction. Cinebench R23 multicore is the second-largest gap: 28398 versus 18395, a 54.4% advantage. These two results establish the desktop chip as the clear choice for compute-heavy integer workloads and long multi-core render passes.

Data compression follows the same pattern. The i7-14700 scores 498198, the Ultra 7 356H scores 336177, for a 48.2% lead. Random string sorting is also strongly in favor of the desktop part: 54340 versus 40990, a 32.6% margin. Cinebench R15 multicore shows 4061 against 3055, a 32.9% gap. PassMark multithread goes to the i7-14700 by 18.7% (40318 vs 33978). Cinebench R20 multicore is next at 18.4% (14388 vs 12153). Data encryption favors the i7-14700 by 12.4% (29601 vs 26345).

The i7-14700 also wins the moderate-margin tests. PassMark single thread shows 4236 versus 4072, a 4% edge. PassMark floating point math goes 106716 against 103128, a 3.5% lead. Cinebench R23 singlecore is close, 2080 versus 2040, a 2% margin. PassMark extended instructions are nearly tied: 28388 versus 27898, a 1.8% advantage. Cinebench R20 singlecore goes to the i7-14700 by 18.4% (2031 vs 1715).

The Ultra 7 356H takes three tests. PassMark find prime numbers is its strongest result: 327 versus 164, a 49.8% lead. This is a remarkable inversion of the overall pattern, indicating the mobile chip's per-core integer prime-search efficiency is far ahead. PassMark physics goes to the Ultra 7 by 23.1% (2895 vs 2226). Cinebench R15 singlecore is the narrowest win anywhere: 303 versus 299, a 1.3% margin. That single-core result, combined with the Cinebench R23 singlecore and PassMark single thread leads for the i7-14700, suggests the two chips are broadly comparable in single-threaded scalar work, with the Ultra 7 holding a slight edge in the oldest Cinebench single-core test.

The wins are not evenly distributed by test category. The i7-14700 wins all three Cinebench multicore tests by wide margins (32.9%, 18.4%, 54.4%), while the Ultra 7 wins only the R15 singlecore test. In PassMark, the i7-14700 wins 8 of 10 tests, with the Ultra 7 taking find prime numbers and physics. The average benchmark score difference, 52301 versus 41215, is a 26.9% gap, though that aggregate figure is not directly listed in the head-to-head set.

The Verdict

The data points to a straightforward conclusion for heavy multi-threaded work: the Intel Core i7-14700 is the stronger processor. It wins every multicore Cinebench test, with margins from 18.4% to 54.4%. It wins PassMark multithread by 18.7%, integer math by 85.9%, data compression by 48.2%, and random string sorting by 32.6%. Its average benchmark score of 52301 places it at the 91st percentile, and its nearest rivals are server and high-end desktop parts like the Intel Xeon Gold 5320H and AMD Ryzen 9 5950X. The desktop chip uses 65 W, supports ECC memory, and runs on Socket 1700 with DDR4 and DDR5 support. Its launch MSRP is $384.

The Intel Core Ultra 7 356H is the better choice for constrained power environments. Its 25 W TDP and mobile BGA 2540 socket fit thin-and-light systems. Its wins in find prime numbers (49.8% over the i7-14700) and physics (23.1% over the i7-14700) show that a 3 nm node and larger per-core L1 and L2 caches deliver real advantages in latency-bound tests. Its single-core Cinebench R15 result, 303 versus 299, demonstrates that the mobile chip can match or slightly exceed a desktop part in short single-thread bursts. The 115.2 GB/s memory bandwidth figure and LPDDR5X support indicate a platform designed for integrated memory, which suits portable use.

For buyers who need sustained multi-core throughput, desktop expansion, ECC memory, or DDR4 compatibility, the i7-14700 is the only option that satisfies those requirements from the recorded data. For buyers who prioritize power efficiency, physics simulation, prime-number workloads, or a modern 3 nm mobile platform, the Ultra 7 356H delivers those specific advantages. The 16-core, 16-thread configuration and 18 MB L3 cache limit the Ultra 7 in throughput-heavy tasks, while the 20-core, 28-thread configuration and 33 MB L3 cache give the i7-14700 a structural edge in parallel workloads. Neither chip is unlocked, so overclocking is not a differentiator. The choice, per the benchmark data, depends entirely on whether the workload is throughput-bound or latency-bound, and whether the platform must be desktop or mobile.