Intel Core i7-14701E vs Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus records an average benchmark score of 66855, while the Intel Core i7-14701E records 33206. The Ultra 5 sits at the 93rd percentile among all CPUs, compared to the 83rd percentile for the i7-14701E.

Q: How do the two processors compare in Cinebench R23 multi-core performance?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus scores 30867 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, which is 28.1% ahead of the Intel Core i7-14701E's 22195. The i7-14701E wins the single-core portion of the same test, scoring 3133 versus 2261, a 38.6% advantage.

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus has 18 cores and 18 threads. The Intel Core i7-14701E has 8 cores and 16 threads. The Ultra 5 does not use simultaneous multithreading, while the i7-14701E does.

Q: What are the TDP ratings for these two desktop processors?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus has a TDP of 125 watts. The Intel Core i7-14701E has a TDP of 65 watts. The i7-14701E is the lower-power part of the pair.

Q: Which processor uses a smaller manufacturing process node?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus is built on a 3 nm process from TSMC. The Intel Core i7-14701E uses Intel's 10 nm process. The Ultra 5 also lists 17,800 million transistors on a 243 mm² die, while the i7-14701E lists a 257 mm² die size.

Q: Which processor supports DDR4 memory?

A: The Intel Core i7-14701E supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory. The Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus supports only DDR5. Both use dual-channel memory buses, and the Ultra 5 lists a memory bandwidth of 115.2 GB/s.

Architecture Differences

The Intel Core i7-14701E belongs to the Core 14th Gen family, using the Raptor Lake architecture with the Raptor Lake-R codename. The Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus belongs to Core Ultra Series 2, using the Arrow Lake Refresh codename under the Arrow Lake generation. These are fundamentally different designs with distinct manufacturing approaches.

The i7-14701E is fabricated by Intel on a 10 nm process. The Ultra 5 250K Plus is fabricated by TSMC on a 3 nm process and carries 17,800 million transistors on a 243 mm² die. The i7-14701E has a larger die at 257 mm² despite containing fewer cores, which reflects the older process node.

Core count and threading differ sharply. The i7-14701E provides 8 cores and 16 threads, indicating support for simultaneous multithreading. The Ultra 5 250K Plus provides 18 cores and 18 threads with no multithreading, so every thread maps to a physical core. This explains why the Ultra 5 has nearly double the cores while the thread count difference is only two.

Cache hierarchies also diverge. The i7-14701E uses 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 33 MB of shared L3. The Ultra 5 250K Plus uses 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 30 MB of shared L3. The Ultra 5 has larger per-core caches, while the i7-14701E has the larger L3 pool.

Memory support separates the two as well. The i7-14701E accepts DDR4 and DDR5, while the Ultra 5 250K Plus is DDR5-only. Both run dual-channel memory, but the Ultra 5 lists a memory bandwidth of 115.2 GB/s, a figure not recorded for the i7-14701E. Both support ECC memory.

The integrated graphics differ. The i7-14701E uses UHD Graphics 770, while the Ultra 5 250K Plus uses Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 64EU. The Ultra 5 has a higher base clock of 4.20 GHz versus 2.60 GHz, but the i7-14701E has a higher boost clock of 5.40 GHz versus 5.30 GHz.

The i7-14701E uses Intel Socket 1700, while the Ultra 5 250K Plus uses Intel Socket 1851. The i7-14701E has a locked multiplier, whereas the Ultra 5 250K Plus has an unlocked multiplier. The Ultra 5 provides 20 PCIe Gen 5 lanes, while the i7-14701E provides 16.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus dominates the Intel Core i7-14701E across nearly every measured workload. Of the 17 head-to-head benchmark entries, the Ultra 5 wins 16. The only recorded victory for the i7-14701E is Cinebench R23 single-core, where it leads by 38.6%.

The Ultra 5 250K Plus is the clear choice for multi-core throughput. It wins Cinebench R15 multi-core by 51.8%, Cinebench R20 multi-core by 49.5%, and Cinebench R23 multi-core by 28.1%. In PassMark tests, the Ultra 5 wins data compression by 50.2%, data encryption by 64.7%, floating point math by 62%, and integer math by 35%. The multithread test shows a 49.4% advantage.

Single-core performance is split. The Ultra 5 wins PassMark single-thread by 9.5% and Cinebench R15 single-core by 4%, but the i7-14701E wins Cinebench R23 single-core by 38.6%. The Cinebench R20 single-core result goes to the Ultra 5 by 49.5%, which is the largest single-core margin in either direction.

The i7-14701E offers a lower TDP of 65 watts versus 125 watts, making it the more power-conscious option. The data shows the i7-14701E remains competitive in one specific single-core scenario, but the Ultra 5 250K Plus wins the overwhelming majority of recorded tests, including both single-core and multi-core categories.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in the following recorded specifications. The Intel Core i7-14701E has 8 cores and 16 threads, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus has 18 cores and 18 threads. The i7-14701E has a base clock of 2.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. The Ultra 5 250K Plus has a base clock of 4.20 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz.

TDP is 65 watts for the i7-14701E and 125 watts for the Ultra 5 250K Plus. Socket compatibility differs: Intel Socket 1700 for the i7-14701E, Intel Socket 1851 for the Ultra 5. The i7-14701E uses the Raptor Lake architecture with the Raptor Lake-R codename; the Ultra 5 uses Arrow Lake Refresh as its codename.

The process node is 10 nm from Intel for the i7-14701E, while the Ultra 5 uses a 3 nm process from TSMC. The Ultra 5 lists 17,800 million transistors; no transistor count is recorded for the i7-14701E. Die size is 257 mm² for the i7-14701E and 243 mm² for the Ultra 5.

Cache allocations differ at every level. The i7-14701E has 80 KB L1 per core, 2 MB L2 per core, and 33 MB shared L3. The Ultra 5 has 192 KB L1 per core, 3 MB L2 per core, and 30 MB shared L3. The i7-14701E supports DDR4 and DDR5; the Ultra 5 supports DDR5 only. Both are dual-channel. The Ultra 5 lists 115.2 GB/s memory bandwidth; the i7-14701E has no recorded bandwidth figure.

PCIe lane counts differ: 16 Gen 5 lanes for the i7-14701E, 20 Gen 5 lanes for the Ultra 5. The integrated graphics are UHD Graphics 770 for the i7-14701E and Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 64EU for the Ultra 5. The i7-14701E has a locked multiplier; the Ultra 5 has an unlocked multiplier. The Ultra 5 has a launch MSRP of $199.

Release dates also differ. The i7-14701E was released on 2024-06-30, while the Ultra 5 250K Plus was released on 2026-03-10. Both are active production parts for the desktop market segment.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus delivers its largest multi-core margin in Cinebench R15 multi-core. The Ultra 5 scores 4640 against the i7-14701E's 2237, a 51.8% lead. Cinebench R20 multi-core shows a similar pattern: 18442 versus 9321, a 49.5% advantage. The PassMark multithread test confirms the trend with 51596 against 26112, a 49.4% gap.

Cinebench R23 multi-core narrows the gap but still favors the Ultra 5. The Ultra 5 scores 30867, and the i7-14701E scores 22195, a 28.1% difference. PassMark integer math also compresses the margin: 125091 versus 81325, a 35% lead for the Ultra 5. PassMark physics shows 3494 versus 2399, a 31.3% advantage.

The Ultra 5 wins the remaining PassMark workloads by wide margins. Data encryption shows 42144 versus 14862, a 64.7% gap. Floating point math shows 162692 versus 61873, a 62% gap. Extended instructions show 44565 versus 18528, a 58.4% gap. Random string sorting shows 69090 versus 29158, a 57.8% gap. Data compression shows 568721 versus 282939, a 50.2% gap. Find prime numbers shows 486 versus 176, a 63.8% gap.

Single-core results are mixed. The Ultra 5 wins Cinebench R15 single-core with 328 versus 315, a 4% margin. The Ultra 5 wins Cinebench R20 single-core with 2603 versus 1315, a 49.5% margin. The Ultra 5 wins PassMark single-thread with 4757 versus 4305, a 9.5% margin. The i7-14701E takes Cinebench R23 single-core with 3133 versus 2261, a 38.6% margin. This is the only head-to-head test where the i7-14701E finishes ahead.

The average benchmark scores reflect the overall split. The Ultra 5 250K Plus records 66855, while the i7-14701E records 33206. The Ultra 5's nearest rivals are the AMD EPYC 4465P at 66925 (0.1% ahead), the Intel Xeon 6515P at 67006 (0.2% ahead), the Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX at 67469 (0.9% ahead), and the Intel Core Ultra 5 250KF Plus at 66159 (1.1% behind). The i7-14701E's nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 6950H at 33201 (even), the AMD Ryzen 5 8645HS at 33244 (0.1% ahead), the AMD Ryzen 7 7745HX at 33091 (0.3% behind), and the Intel Core i7-13650HX at 33089 (0.4% behind).

The Verdict

The Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus is the stronger processor according to the recorded data. It wins 16 of 17 head-to-head tests, holds a 93rd percentile ranking, and delivers an average benchmark score of 66855, which is roughly double the i7-14701E's 33206. The Ultra 5 is the appropriate choice for workloads that scale with core count, including multi-threaded rendering, encryption, compression, and math-heavy tasks.

The Intel Core i7-14701E is the better option in one specific scenario: Cinebench R23 single-core, where it beats the Ultra 5 by 38.6%. The i7-14701E also carries a lower TDP of 65 watts versus 125 watts, which may matter in power-constrained desktop builds. Its support for DDR4 memory provides an upgrade path for systems already using that standard.

Users selecting between the two should consider the workload profile. The Ultra 5 250K Plus covers nearly all recorded performance categories, including the PassMark single-thread test, where it leads by 9.5%. The i7-14701E's single-core advantage is limited to one benchmark, while the Ultra 5's multi-core advantages span every multi-threaded test in the database. The Ultra 5 also offers an unlocked multiplier and more PCIe Gen 5 lanes, while the i7-14701E uses a locked multiplier and fewer lanes.

The data points to the Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus as the higher-performance desktop processor. The i7-14701E remains relevant for lower-power builds and DDR4-compatible systems, but the Ultra 5's benchmark record is decisive across both single-core and multi-core categories.