CPU Comparison

The Intel Core i7-14700F and the Intel Xeon Phi 7290 represent two radically different interpretations of high-core-count computing. The i7-14700F is a modern 20-core desktop processor built for high frequency and efficiency, while the Xeon Phi 7290 is a 72-core many-core server/workstation part from the Knights Landing generation. Benchmark data shows a complete inversion of strengths: the i7 dominates single-threaded and most multi-threaded workloads, yet the Xeon Phi wins decisively in specific data-processing and vectorized tasks. The average benchmark score for the i7-14700F is 54097, placing it 1.2% ahead of the Xeon Phi's 53469, though both sit at the 94th percentile of all CPUs.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Xeon Phi 7290 has 72 cores and 288 threads, compared to the Intel Core i7-14700F's 20 cores and 28 threads.

Q: Which processor wins in Cinebench R23 multi-core, and by how much?

A: The Intel Core i7-14700F wins with a score of 35443 versus the Xeon Phi's 15163, representing a 133.7% advantage.

Q: In which benchmark does the Xeon Phi 7290 achieve its largest win?

A: The Xeon Phi 7290 wins PassMark Extended Instructions with a score of 41517, beating the i7-14700F's 29030 by 30.1%.

Q: What is the single-thread performance difference?

A: The i7-14700F scores 4261 in PassMark Single Thread, which is 778.6% higher than the Xeon Phi's 485.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: Yes, both the Intel Core i7-14700F and the Intel Xeon Phi 7290 list ECC memory support.

Q: What are the launch dates for these two processors?

A: The Intel Core i7-14700F was released on 2024-01-07, while the Intel Xeon Phi 7290 was released on 2016-06-19.

Architecture Differences

The fundamental architectural divide is stark. The Intel Core i7-14700F is built on a 10nm Raptor Lake-R process with a 257 mm² die, while the Intel Xeon Phi 7290 uses a 14nm Knights Landing process with 8,000 million transistors. The i7-14700F is a hybrid design from the Raptor Lake generation, offering a base clock of 2.10 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. In contrast, the Xeon Phi 7290 operates at a base clock of 1500.00 MHz and a boost clock of 1700.00 MHz, which is drastically lower—a design choice prioritizing many cores over raw frequency.

Cache hierarchies are also fundamentally different. The i7-14700F provides 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 2 MB of L2 cache per core, and 33 MB of shared L3 cache. The Xeon Phi 7290 has 32 KB of L1 per core and 512 KB of L2 per core, with no L3 cache listed in the data. This absence of L3 cache in the Xeon Phi is typical of the Knights Landing architecture, which instead relies on high-bandwidth memory. The i7-14700F supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, while the Xeon Phi supports only DDR4. The i7-14700F also features PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes (CPU only), whereas the Xeon Phi's PCIe information is not listed.

The market positioning differs completely. The i7-14700F is a desktop processor with an active production status, while the Xeon Phi is a server/workstation part with no production status listed. The i7-14700F's socket is Intel Socket 1700, and the Xeon Phi uses Intel Socket 3647. Both are locked (multiplier unlocked: false), but the i7-14700F has a launch MSRP of $359, while no launch MSRP is available for the Xeon Phi.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data reveals a lopsided contest, with the Intel Core i7-14700F winning 14 of 17 head-to-head tests and the Xeon Phi taking 3. The most dramatic disparity is in single-threaded performance. In PassMark Single Thread, the i7 scores 4261 against the Xeon Phi's 485, a 778.6% lead. This same pattern appears in Cinebench R15 single-core, where the i7 scores 504 versus 215 for the Xeon Phi, a 134.4% advantage. The i7's high boost clock of 5.40 GHz is the clear driver here.

Multi-threaded Cinebench results are equally one-sided. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the i7 scores 35443, which is 133.7% higher than the Xeon Phi's 15163. The Cinebench R20 multi-core test shows the i7 at 14886 versus 6368 for the Xeon Phi, a 133.8% delta. Even PassMark Multi-Thread, which would seemingly favor the 72-core Xeon Phi, is won by the i7 with a score of 41765 against 17839—a 134.1% advantage. This indicates that the i7's superior per-core efficiency and clock speed overwhelm the Xeon Phi's raw core count in these workloads.

The Xeon Phi's wins are specific and revealing. Its largest victory is in PassMark Extended Instructions, where it scores 41517 against the i7's 29030, a 30.1% margin. This suggests the Knights Landing architecture's strength in vectorized and SIMD-heavy code. The Xeon Phi also wins PassMark Data Compression with a score of 564535 versus 512810 (9.2% ahead) and PassMark Random String Sorting with 68593 versus 56354 (17.8% ahead). These three wins point toward workloads that can leverage massive parallelism with regular memory access patterns.

Other notable i7 wins include PassMark Data Encryption (30379 vs 12505, a 142.9% lead), PassMark Floating Point Math (108275 vs 47417, a 128.3% lead), and PassMark Integer Math (157242 vs 126922, a 23.9% lead). The i7 also wins PassMark Find Prime Numbers (178 vs 114, a 56.1% lead) and PassMark Physics (2495 vs 2257, a 10.5% lead). The data clearly shows the i7 is the more versatile processor across most general-purpose and even many multi-threaded workloads.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i7-14700F | Intel Xeon Phi 7290 |

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

| Cores | 20 | 72 |

| Threads | 28 | 288 |

| Base Clock | 2.10 GHz | 1500.00 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 5.40 GHz | 1700.00 MHz |

| TDP | 65 W | 245 W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 1700 | Intel Socket 3647 |

| Architecture | Raptor Lake | Knights Landing |

| Codename | Raptor Lake-R | Knights Landing |

| Generation | Core i7 (Raptor Lake Refresh) | Xeon Phi (Knights Landing) |

| Process Node | 10 nm | 14 nm |

| Transistors | Not listed | 8,000 million |

| Die Size | 257 mm² | Not listed |

| L1 Cache | 80 KB (per core) | 32 KB (per core) |

| L2 Cache | 2 MB (per core) | 512 KB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 33 MB (shared) | Not listed |

| Memory Support | DDR4, DDR5 | DDR4 |

| Memory Bus | Dual-channel | Not listed |

| PCIe | Gen 5, 16 Lanes (CPU only) | Not listed |

| Market Segment | Desktop | Server/Workstation |

| Production Status | Active | Not listed |

| Release Date | 2024-01-07 | 2016-06-19 |

| Launch MSRP | $359 | Not listed |

| Part Number | SRN3Z | SR2WY |

The Verdict

The data dictates a clear verdict for most users: the Intel Core i7-14700F is the superior processor for the vast majority of workloads. Its 133.7% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 778.6% lead in PassMark Single Thread demonstrate a massive performance advantage in both general and single-threaded tasks. The i7 also achieves this with a TDP of 65 W versus the Xeon Phi's 245 W, making it far more efficient. For desktop users, software developers, or anyone running standard productivity, rendering, or gaming-adjacent workloads, the i7-14700F is the obvious choice based on benchmark results.

The Intel Xeon Phi 7290, however, should not be dismissed. Its victories in PassMark Extended Instructions (30.1% ahead), Data Compression (9.2% ahead), and Random String Sorting (17.8% ahead) indicate a specialized niche. The Xeon Phi's 72 cores and 288 threads, while unable to overcome the i7's clock advantage in most tests, still provide an edge in highly parallel, memory-friendly data-processing workloads. The data suggests the Xeon Phi 7290 is a specialist tool for server/workstation environments running targeted workloads that can exploit its many-core architecture.

For a generic recommendation, the i7-14700F wins on 14 of 17 benchmarks and is the more balanced, modern part. The Xeon Phi 7290 is only preferable if the specific workload matches its three winning benchmark categories, particularly vectorized instructions. Given that the i7 also has a 1.2% higher average benchmark score (54097 vs 53469) and a much lower TDP, the Xeon Phi's appeal is limited to its unique architecture strengths. Choose the i7-14700F for general-purpose computing; choose the Xeon Phi 7290 only if your application is dominated by data compression, random string sorting, or extended instruction sets.