Intel Core i9-14900HX vs Intel Core i9-14901E Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data presents a clear split between two very different processors. The Intel Core i9-14900HX wins 12 of the 17 recorded comparisons, while the Intel Core i9-14901E takes 5. The margins, however, tell a more nuanced story than the raw win count.

The largest victory for the i9-14900HX comes in PassMark data compression, where it scores 539965 against 288777 for the i9-14901E, a 87% advantage. That is the single biggest delta in the entire comparison. Data encryption follows a similar pattern, with the HX part delivering 32619 versus 18571, a 75.6% lead. Extended instruction workloads show an 81.2% gap, with scores of 31247 and 17249 respectively. These three tests belong to the HX part by wide margins.

Cinebench R15 multicore also heavily favors the i9-14900HX, with a score of 4574 versus 2595 for the i9-14901E, a 76.3% difference. Cinebench R20 multicore shows a 44.4% lead for the HX chip, with scores of 15616 and 10816. Interestingly, Cinebench R20 singlecore also goes to the i9-14900HX by the same 44.4% margin, scoring 2204 versus 1526. That result is unusual because single-core tests typically favor the desktop part in this pairing, but the recorded data shows otherwise.

Cinebench R23 multicore narrows the gap considerably. The i9-14900HX scores 30055, while the i9-14901E scores 25753, a 16.7% difference. That remains a solid win for the mobile chip, but it is far from the blowout seen in R15 and R20 multicore runs.

PassMark multithread gives the i9-14900HX a 44.5% edge, with 43778 against 30298. Integer math favors the HX part by 39.6% (157375 versus 112736), and floating-point math by 38.5% (112273 versus 81089). Random string sorting shows a 55.5% advantage for the i9-14900HX, with 60861 against 39138.

The i9-14901E takes its wins in single-threaded and light-threaded workloads. The most dramatic is Cinebench R23 singlecore, where the desktop chip scores 3635 against 2181.5 for the HX part, a 40% advantage. Cinebench R15 singlecore also goes to the i9-14901E, scoring 366 versus 310.5, a 15.2% lead. PassMark single-thread shows a smaller 4.1% edge for the i9-14901E, with 4354 versus 4175. PassMark physics goes to the i9-14901E by 13.3%, scoring 3041 against 2638.

The closest contest in the entire dataset is PassMark find prime numbers, where the i9-14900HX wins by just 2.1%, 193 versus 189.

Where Each One Wins

The data indicates that the i9-14900HX dominates in throughput-oriented tasks. Every multi-threaded benchmark in the comparison goes to the HX part, often by substantial margins. Rendering workloads, data compression, encryption, and extended instruction execution all favor the 24-core mobile processor. The 87% lead in data compression and the 81.2% lead in extended instructions suggest that workloads which scale with core count will see major benefits from the HX chip.

The i9-14901E wins in single-threaded performance categories. Cinebench R23 singlecore is its strongest result, with a 40% advantage. Cinebench R15 singlecore shows a 15.2% lead. PassMark single-thread is closer, at 4.1%. PassMark physics, which often reflects per-core efficiency in simulation workloads, also goes to the desktop chip by 13.3%. Applications that rely heavily on one or two cores, or that have strict per-thread latency requirements, would see better results from the i9-14901E.

The i9-14901E has a higher base clock of 2.80 GHz against 2.20 GHz for the HX part, and a slightly lower boost clock of 5.60 GHz versus 5.80 GHz. Those clock differences help explain the single-thread wins. The HX part compensates with 24 cores and 32 threads against 8 cores and 16 threads for the desktop chip, which explains the multi-thread dominance.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in multi-threaded rendering?

A: The Intel Core i9-14900HX leads in all multi-threaded Cinebench tests. In R15 multicore it scores 4574 against 2595, a 76.3% advantage. In R20 multicore it scores 15616 against 10816, a 44.4% lead. In R23 multicore it scores 30055 against 25753, a 16.7% edge.

Q: Which processor wins in single-core performance?

A: The Intel Core i9-14901E wins in Cinebench R23 singlecore with 3635 versus 2181.5, a 40% lead. It also wins Cinebench R15 singlecore with 366 versus 310.5, a 15.2% advantage, and PassMark single-thread with 4354 versus 4175, a 4.1% edge.

Q: How do the two processors compare in PassMark multithread?

A: The i9-14900HX scores 43778, while the i9-14901E scores 30298. That gives the HX part a 44.5% advantage in multithreaded PassMark performance.

Q: What is the difference in PassMark physics scores?

A: The i9-14901E wins PassMark physics with a score of 3041 against 2638 for the i9-14900HX, a 13.3% difference in favor of the desktop chip.

Q: Which processor has the larger core count?

A: The i9-14900HX has 24 cores and 32 threads. The i9-14901E has 8 cores and 16 threads.

Q: What are the closest benchmark results between the two?

A: PassMark find prime numbers is the closest, with the i9-14900HX scoring 193 against 189 for the i9-14901E, a 2.1% difference. PassMark single-thread is also close, with the i9-14901E leading by 4.1%.

Specification Differences

The two processors share the same Raptor Lake architecture, 10 nm process node, and Intel foundry. Both use 257 mm² die size, 80 KB L1 cache per core, 2 MB L2 cache per core, and 36 MB shared L3 cache. Both support DDR4 and DDR5 memory in dual-channel configuration, both support ECC memory, and both use Gen 5 PCIe with 16 lanes from the CPU. Both feature UHD Graphics 770 integrated graphics and are listed as Active production parts.

The core and thread counts differ sharply. The i9-14900HX delivers 24 cores and 32 threads, while the i9-14901E delivers 8 cores and 16 threads. Base clocks differ, with the HX part at 2.20 GHz and the desktop part at 2.80 GHz. Boost clocks are closer, 5.80 GHz for the HX and 5.60 GHz for the desktop chip. TDP differs, with the HX rated at 55 and the desktop part at 65. The HX uses the Intel BGA 1964 socket, while the i9-14901E uses Intel Socket 1700. The market segment differs: Mobile for the HX, Desktop for the i9-14901E. The multiplier is unlocked on the HX part but locked on the i9-14901E. Part numbers differ, with the HX listed as SRMXF and the desktop chip as Q49ESRNJH. Release dates differ, with the HX released in January 2024 and the i9-14901E in June 2024.

Architecture Differences

Both processors belong to Intel's Core 14th Gen series and share the Raptor Lake architecture. The HX part carries the codename Raptor Lake-HX, while the desktop chip carries Raptor Lake-R. The generation field records the HX as "Core i9 (Raptor Lake-HX Refresh)" and the i9-14901E as "Core i9 (Raptor Lake Refresh)".

The HX part is a Raptor Lake-HX refresh variant, which in this database context pairs the Raptor Lake core design with a 24-core, 32-thread configuration. The i9-14901E is a Raptor Lake Refresh desktop part with 8 cores and 16 threads. Both use the same 10 nm process node from Intel, and both have identical cache hierarchies: 80 KB L1 per core, 2 MB L2 per core, and 36 MB shared L3.

The socket difference is significant. The HX uses Intel BGA 1964, a ball-grid array package designed for mobile platforms. The i9-14901E uses Intel Socket 1700, a desktop socket. The HX part has an unlocked multiplier, meaning it supports overclocking, while the i9-14901E has a locked multiplier. Both support ECC memory and both use UHD Graphics 770 as integrated graphics. Both support Gen 5 PCIe with 16 lanes from the CPU.

The average benchmark score in the database places the i9-14900HX at 56004, in the 91st percentile of all CPUs. The i9-14901E averages 37911, in the 86th percentile. The HX part's nearest rivals include the Intel Core 7 253PQE at 55919 (0.2% delta), the AMD Ryzen AI Max 390 at 56273 (-0.5%), the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 470 at 56306 (-0.5%), and the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX at 56555 (-1%). The i9-14901E's nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 at 37904 (0% delta), the AMD Ryzen 7 9700X at 37943 (-0.1%), the Intel Core 5 211E at 37829 (0.2%), and the AMD Ryzen AI Embedded P132 at 37804 (0.3%).

The Verdict

The data points to two different usage profiles. The Intel Core i9-14900HX is the clear choice for multi-threaded workloads. It wins every multi-threaded benchmark in the comparison, with margins ranging from 16.7% in Cinebench R23 multicore to 87% in PassMark data compression. Its 24 cores and 32 threads provide a substantial throughput advantage over the 8-core, 16-thread i9-14901E. The 91st percentile ranking against all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 56004, places it ahead of its nearest rivals by small margins, including a 0.2% lead over the Intel Core 7 253PQE and a 1% edge over the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX.

The Intel Core i9-14901E is the better option for single-threaded performance. It wins Cinebench R23 singlecore by 40%, Cinebench R15 singlecore by 15.2%, PassMark single-thread by 4.1%, and PassMark physics by 13.3%. Its higher base clock of 2.80 GHz helps explain these results. The 86th percentile ranking and average benchmark score of 37911 put it in line with the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, which shows a 0% delta, and the AMD Ryzen 7 9700X at -0.1%.

The i9-14900HX is a mobile processor, using the Intel BGA 1964 socket and rated at 55 TDP, with an unlocked multiplier. The i9-14901E is a desktop processor, using Intel Socket 1700 and rated at 65 TDP, with a locked multiplier. Both share the same architecture, process node, cache configuration, memory support, and integrated graphics.

For workloads that scale across many cores, such as rendering, compression, encryption, and extended instruction execution, the i9-14900HX delivers the stronger results. For workloads that depend on single-thread speed, the i9-14901E shows the better scores. The PassMark find prime numbers test, with a 2.1% difference, confirms that in some narrow integer workloads the two processors are nearly equivalent. The overall pattern is consistent: core count drives the HX part's wins, clock speed drives the desktop part's wins.