Intel Core i7-14700K vs Intel Core Ultra 5 250KF Plus Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data splits these two processors into clearly different personalities. The Intel Core i7-14700K takes the crown in 7 of the 17 recorded head-to-head tests, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 250KF Plus wins 10. That alone suggests the newer Arrow Lake Refresh part is not simply a downgrade; it is a rebalancing of strengths.

The i7-14700K dominates in workloads that hammer integer throughput and data movement. Its PassMark integer math score of 182876 crushes the 250KF Plus score of 123030, a 48.6% advantage. Data compression also favors the older chip heavily: 695234 versus 553155, a 25.7% gap. Random string sorting goes to the i7 by 11.2%, and the multicore Cinebench R15 and R20 results side with the i7 as well (17% and 3.4% ahead, respectively). The PassMark multithread score of 52392 edges out 50146, a 4.5% win. This is a processor that thrives when the task involves many threads hammering on a shared dataset or when integer work is the bottleneck.

The Ultra 5 250KF Plus, by contrast, wins in the newer Cinebench iterations and in several specialized math and encryption tasks. Its Cinebench R23 multicore score of 42718 is 21.7% higher than the i7's 33440.5. Single-core performance is a massive story: the 250KF Plus scores 6030 in Cinebench R23 single-core versus 2160 for the i7, a 64.2% difference. In Cinebench R15 single-core, the margin is even starker: 607 versus 313.5, a 48.4% gap. The newer part also leads in PassMark physics (3183 vs 2964, 6.9% ahead), floating point math (159824 vs 134222, 16% ahead), extended instructions (42880 vs 40632, 5.2% ahead), and data encryption (41292 vs 40091, 2.9% ahead). The 250KF Plus also wins PassMark single-thread by 4.8% and find prime numbers by a massive 53.1% (452 vs 212).

So the split is nearly clean: the i7-14700K is the workhorse for integer-heavy, memory-heavy, and high-thread-count legacy benchmarks, while the Ultra 5 250KF Plus is the efficiency-focused part that wins in modern single-core tests, floating point, and the latest Cinebench version.

Architecture Differences

The underlying designs could not be more different. The i7-14700K is built on Raptor Lake Refresh, a 10 nm Intel process, with a die size of 257 mm². It uses the Intel Socket 1700 platform. The Ultra 5 250KF Plus moves to Arrow Lake Refresh, fabricated on a 3 nm TSMC node, with a die size of 243 mm² and 17,800 million transistors. That process shrink is immediately visible in the power and efficiency characteristics, though the TDP is listed as 125 W for both.

The core configurations diverge sharply. The i7-14700K offers 20 cores and 28 threads, meaning it has hyperthreading enabled. The Ultra 5 250KF Plus has 18 cores and 18 threads, no hyperthreading. That explains why the i7 wins in multithread-heavy legacy tests despite having a lower boost clock (5.60 GHz versus 5.30 GHz). The base clock, however, is much higher on the 250KF Plus: 4.20 GHz versus 3.40 GHz, which contributes to its single-core dominance.

Cache hierarchies also differ. The i7-14700K has 80 KB L1 per core, 2 MB L2 per core, and 33 MB shared L3. The Ultra 5 250KF Plus has 192 KB L1 per core, 3 MB L2 per core, and 30 MB shared L3. The per-core cache increases on the newer part are substantial, especially L1, which is 2.4 times larger per core.

Memory support is another major split. The i7-14700K supports both DDR4 and DDR5, dual-channel, with ECC. The Ultra 5 250KF Plus supports only DDR5, also dual-channel, with a listed memory bandwidth of 115.2 GB/s and ECC support. The older part's compatibility with DDR4 is a flexibility point, while the newer part is locked to modern memory.

PCIe lanes differ as well: the i7-14700K has Gen 5 with 16 CPU lanes, while the Ultra 5 250KF Plus has Gen 5 with 20 CPU lanes. Integrated graphics are present on the i7 (UHD Graphics 770) but absent on the 250KF Plus, which has N/A listed. Both are unlocked for overclocking and both are currently Active in production.

The release dates are far apart: the i7-14700K launched on 2023-10-16, the Ultra 5 250KF Plus on 2026-03-10. The launch MSRP for the i7 is $409, for the 250KF Plus it is $184. Both are desktop parts.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core i7-14700K has 20 cores and 28 threads. The Intel Core Ultra 5 250KF Plus has 18 cores and 18 threads. The i7 also enables hyperthreading, while the 250KF Plus does not.

Q: Why does the Ultra 5 250KF Plus win Cinebench R23 multicore despite having fewer cores?

A: The 250KF Plus scores 42718 in Cinebench R23 multicore versus 33440.5 for the i7-14700K, a 21.7% advantage. This likely stems from its much higher base clock (4.20 GHz vs 3.40 GHz), newer 3 nm TSMC process, and larger per-core L1 (192 KB vs 80 KB) and L2 (3 MB vs 2 MB) caches, which help in scaling across 18 cores.

Q: Is the i7-14700K better for integer-heavy workloads?

A: Yes. The i7-14700K leads in PassMark integer math by 48.6% (182876 vs 123030) and in data compression by 25.7% (695234 vs 553155). It also wins random string sorting by 11.2%. These are classic integer and data-manipulation tasks.

Q: Does the Ultra 5 250KF Plus have integrated graphics?

A: No. The integrated graphics field for the Ultra 5 250KF Plus is listed as N/A. The i7-14700K includes UHD Graphics 770.

Q: Which processor supports DDR4 memory?

A: The i7-14700K supports both DDR4 and DDR5. The Ultra 5 250KF Plus supports only DDR5. Both are dual-channel and support ECC.

Q: What is the single-core performance gap?

A: The Ultra 5 250KF Plus wins Cinebench R23 single-core by 64.2% (6030 vs 2160) and Cinebench R15 single-core by 48.4% (607 vs 313.5). PassMark single-thread also favors it by 4.8% (4698 vs 4472).

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i7-14700K | Intel Core Ultra 5 250KF Plus |

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

| Cores | 20 | 18 |

| Threads | 28 | 18 |

| Base clock | 3.40 GHz | 4.20 GHz |

| Boost clock | 5.60 GHz | 5.30 GHz |

| Socket | Intel Socket 1700 | Intel Socket 1851 |

| Process node | 10 nm | 3 nm |

| Foundry | Intel | TSMC |

| Transistors | Not listed | 17,800 million |

| Die size | 257 mm² | 243 mm² |

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

| L2 cache | 2 MB (per core) | 3 MB (per core) |

| L3 cache | 33 MB (shared) | 30 MB (shared) |

| Memory support | DDR4, DDR5 | DDR5 |

| Memory bandwidth | Not listed | 115.2 GB/s |

| PCIe | Gen 5, 16 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 5, 20 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated graphics | UHD Graphics 770 | N/A |

| Release date | 2023-10-16 | 2026-03-10 |

| Launch MSRP | $409 | $184 |

| Part number | SRN3X | SA4V3 |

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest win for the i7-14700K is in PassMark integer math, where it scores 182876 against 123030, a 48.6% delta. This is a decisive victory in a test that measures arithmetic and logic operations on integer data, a core strength of the older 20-core, 28-thread design. Data compression is another big i7 win: 695234 versus 553155, a 25.7% margin. These two tests alone show that the i7 is the better choice for number-crunching integer tasks and compression workloads.

The i7 also wins Cinebench R15 multicore with 5035 versus 4305, a 17% advantage, and Cinebench R20 multicore with 18544 versus 17941, a 3.4% edge. The PassMark multithread score favors the i7 by 4.5% (52392 vs 50146), and random string sorting by 11.2% (74733 vs 67209). These wins are concentrated in older Cinebench versions and in multithreaded integer or sorting tasks.

The Ultra 5 250KF Plus strikes back in the newer Cinebench R23. Its multicore score of 42718 is 21.7% higher than the i7's 33440.5. The single-core R23 result is even more lopsided: 6030 versus 2160, a 64.2% delta. In Cinebench R15 single-core, the newer chip scores 607 versus 313.5, a 48.4% gap. These numbers indicate a fundamentally different microarchitecture that prioritizes per-core efficiency over raw thread count.

In PassMark physics, the 250KF Plus wins 3183 versus 2964, a 6.9% margin. Floating point math goes to the 250KF Plus by 16% (159824 vs 134222). Extended instructions favor it by 5.2% (42880 vs 40632). Data encryption is a narrow 2.9% win (41292 vs 40091). Find prime numbers is a massive 53.1% win (452 vs 212), and single-thread PassMark is a 4.8% win (4698 vs 4472).

The overall win count is 7 for the i7-14700K and 10 for the Ultra 5 250KF Plus, but the magnitude of the losses matters more. The i7's losses in single-core and R23 are enormous, while the 250KF Plus's losses in integer math and compression are also large. The data suggests neither chip is universally superior; they are tuned for different workloads.

The Verdict

The benchmark results indicate that the Intel Core i7-14700K is the processor to choose for integer-intensive, multithreaded legacy workloads. Its 48.6% lead in PassMark integer math, 25.7% lead in data compression, and 17% lead in Cinebench R15 multicore make it the stronger pick for compression tools, integer-heavy simulations, and older multithreaded applications that scale well with 28 threads. The 33 MB shared L3 cache and DDR4 compatibility also provide flexibility for systems that need older memory or maximize thread count.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 250KF Plus is the better choice for modern single-core performance and efficiency-sensitive tasks. Its 64.2% lead in Cinebench R23 single-core, 48.4% lead in Cinebench R15 single-core, and 21.7% lead in Cinebench R23 multicore show that it excels in the newest rendering benchmarks. It also wins in floating point math (16% ahead), physics (6.9% ahead), and find prime numbers (53.1% ahead), making it suitable for scientific calculations and workloads that favor the newer instruction set and 3 nm process.

The data does not support a single winner. The i7-14700K holds a 94th percentile ranking among all CPUs, while the 250KF Plus sits at the 93rd percentile, and their average benchmark scores are close (69355 for the i7, 66159 for the 250KF Plus). The i7's nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X (0.2% behind) and AMD Ryzen 7 9700F (0.9% behind), while the 250KF Plus sits near the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D (0.4% behind) and Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus (1% behind). These are different performance neighborhoods, but the workloads matter more than the averages.

For a user prioritizing legacy multithreaded integer performance and the ability to use DDR4, the i7-14700K is the clear pick. For a user focused on modern single-core speed, the latest Cinebench releases, and floating point math, the Ultra 5 250KF Plus is the one. The 250KF Plus also has a lower launch MSRP of $184 versus $409 for the i7, though that is a listed fact and not a recommendation.

The final word from the database: choose the i7-14700K if your software is old and thread-hungry, choose the Ultra 5 250KF Plus if your software is new and single-thread sensitive. Both are active products, both are unlocked, and both sit in the top percentiles of all CPUs. The gap between them is not a quality gap; it is a workload alignment gap.