Intel Core i9-14900KS vs Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus Comparison

The Verdict

The benchmark data splits these two processors into very different roles. The Intel Core i9-14900KS wins 14 of the 17 recorded head-to-head comparisons, while the Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus wins only 3. The average benchmark score confirms the gap: the i9-14900KS sits at 81127, placing it in the 96th percentile of all CPUs, while the Ultra 7 270HX Plus averages 61834, placing it in the 93rd percentile. The i9-14900KS is the clear choice for compute-heavy desktop workloads, particularly those that scale with thread count and raw integer throughput. The Ultra 7 270HX Plus, despite losing most comparisons, shows targeted strengths in prime number finding, floating point math, and physics simulations, making it a viable pick for specific scientific or mathematical tasks. The i9-14900KS also posts a 21.7% advantage in Cinebench R23 multi-core, a 21.7% lead in R23 single-core, and a 73.7% margin in PassMark integer math. For anyone running rendering, compilation, or data compression, the i9-14900KS is the data-backed winner. For niche floating point or prime-search workloads, the Ultra 7 270HX Plus delivers measurable wins.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different Intel generations and foundries. The i9-14900KS uses the Raptor Lake architecture, specifically Raptor Lake-R, built on Intel's 10 nm process. The Ultra 7 270HX Plus uses the Arrow Lake-HX Refresh codename, built on TSMC's 3 nm process. The process node difference is substantial: 10 nm versus 3 nm. The Ultra 7 packs 17,800 million transistors on a 243 mm² die, while the i9-14900KS has no transistor count recorded and a 257 mm² die. The i9-14900KS has 24 cores and 32 threads, while the Ultra 7 has 20 cores and 20 threads, meaning the Ultra 7 lacks hyper-threading. Base clocks differ: 3.20 GHz for the i9 versus 2.40 GHz for the Ultra 7. Boost clocks also differ: 6.20 GHz versus 5.30 GHz. Thermal design power tells a major story: the i9-14900KS is rated at 150 W, while the Ultra 7 is rated at 55 W. The i9-14900KS uses Intel Socket 1700, a desktop socket, while the Ultra 7 uses Intel BGA 2114, a mobile socket. The i9-14900KS supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory, while the Ultra 7 supports only DDR5. The Ultra 7 has a recorded memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s; the i9 has no bandwidth figure recorded. Cache layouts differ significantly. The i9-14900KS has 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 36 MB of shared L3. The Ultra 7 has 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 30 MB of shared L3. The i9 supports ECC memory, while the Ultra 7 does not. PCIe lane counts differ: the i9 provides Gen 5 with 16 lanes from the CPU, while the Ultra 7 provides Gen 5 with 20 lanes. Integrated graphics differ as well: the i9 uses UHD Graphics 770, while the Ultra 7 uses Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 64EU. The i9 was released on 2024-03-13, while the Ultra 7 has a release date of 2026-03-16. The i9 has a recorded launch MSRP of $689; the Ultra 7 has no launch MSRP recorded. Both processors have unlocked multipliers. The i9 part number is SRN7R, and the Ultra 7 part number is SADST.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i9-14900KS boosts to 6.20 GHz, while the Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus boosts to 5.30 GHz. The i9 also has a higher base clock at 3.20 GHz versus 2.40 GHz.

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

A: The i9-14900KS scores 50995, while the Ultra 7 270HX Plus scores 41913. The i9 leads by 21.7% in this test.

Q: Does the Ultra 7 270HX Plus win any benchmark?

A: Yes, it wins 3 of the 17 head-to-head benchmarks: PassMark find prime numbers (482 versus 244, a 49.4% margin), PassMark floating point math (163567 versus 153975, a 5.9% margin), and PassMark physics (3843 versus 3381, a 12% margin).

Q: What are the core and thread counts?

A: The i9-14900KS has 24 cores and 32 threads. The Ultra 7 270HX Plus has 20 cores and 20 threads, meaning it does not have additional threads per core.

Q: Which processor has the larger L3 cache?

A: The i9-14900KS has 36 MB of shared L3 cache, while the Ultra 7 270HX Plus has 30 MB of shared L3 cache. The Ultra 7 has larger per-core L1 and L2 caches.

Q: What is the power consumption difference?

A: The i9-14900KS is rated at 150 W TDP, while the Ultra 7 270HX Plus is rated at 55 W TDP. This is a 95 W difference in the recorded specifications.

Specification Differences

The recorded specifications show several key differences. The i9-14900KS has 24 cores and 32 threads, while the Ultra 7 270HX Plus has 20 cores and 20 threads. Base clock is 3.20 GHz for the i9 versus 2.40 GHz for the Ultra 7. Boost clock is 6.20 GHz versus 5.30 GHz. TDP is 150 W versus 55 W. Socket type differs: Intel Socket 1700 versus Intel BGA 2114. Architecture names differ: Raptor Lake-R versus Arrow Lake-HX Refresh. Process node is 10 nm for the i9 and 3 nm for the Ultra 7. Foundry is Intel for the i9 and TSMC for the Ultra 7. Transistor count is only recorded for the Ultra 7 at 17,800 million. Die size is 257 mm² for the i9 and 243 mm² for the Ultra 7. L1 cache is 80 KB per core for the i9 and 192 KB per core for the Ultra 7. L2 cache is 2 MB per core for the i9 and 3 MB per core for the Ultra 7. L3 cache is 36 MB shared for the i9 and 30 MB shared for the Ultra 7. Memory support is DDR4 and DDR5 for the i9, while the Ultra 7 supports only DDR5. Memory bandwidth is recorded only for the Ultra 7 at 102.4 GB/s. ECC support is true for the i9 and false for the Ultra 7. PCIe lanes are Gen 5 with 16 lanes for the i9 and Gen 5 with 20 lanes for the Ultra 7. Integrated graphics are UHD Graphics 770 for the i9 and Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 64EU for the Ultra 7. Market segment is Desktop for the i9 and Mobile for the Ultra 7. Release dates are 2024-03-13 for the i9 and 2026-03-16 for the Ultra 7. Launch MSRP is $689 for the i9, with no MSRP recorded for the Ultra 7. Both have unlocked multipliers.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench suite shows a consistent pattern. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i9-14900KS scores 5140 versus 4224 for the Ultra 7, a 21.7% lead. In R15 single-core, the i9 scores 725 versus 596, a 21.6% lead. In R20 multi-core, the i9 scores 21417 versus 17603, a 21.7% lead. In R20 single-core, the i9 scores 3023 versus 2485, a 21.6% lead. In R23 multi-core, the i9 scores 50995 versus 41913, a 21.7% lead. In R23 single-core, the i9 scores 7199 versus 5917, a 21.7% lead. Every Cinebench test shows the i9 ahead by roughly 21.6% to 21.7%.

The PassMark suite splits results. PassMark data compression heavily favors the i9: 803368 versus 493179, a 62.9% margin. Data encryption also favors the i9: 47717 versus 37813, a 26.2% margin. Extended instructions favor the i9: 45524 versus 39283, a 15.9% margin. Integer math strongly favors the i9: 212644 versus 122449, a 73.7% margin. Multithread favors the i9: 60012 versus 48270, a 24.3% margin. Random string sorting favors the i9: 89789 versus 60020, a 49.6% margin. Single thread is close: the i9 scores 4815 versus 4764, a 1.1% margin, recorded twice as passmark_single_thread and passmark_singlethread.

The Ultra 7 270HX Plus wins three PassMark tests. Find prime numbers shows a dramatic reversal: the Ultra 7 scores 482, while the i9 scores 244, a 49.4% margin for the Ultra 7. Floating point math also favors the Ultra 7: 163567 versus 153975, a 5.9% margin. Physics favors the Ultra 7: 3843 versus 3381, a 12% margin. These three wins are concentrated in mathematical and physics-style workloads, while the i9 dominates in integer, compression, encryption, and multithreaded tasks.

The average benchmark scores place each processor with distinct rival sets. The i9-14900KS averages 81127, with nearest rivals including the Intel Xeon w5-3535X at 81115 (0% delta), AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX at 81103 (0% delta), AMD Ryzen AI Max+ PRO 395 at 80762 (0.5% delta), and Intel Xeon 638 at 80723 (0.5% delta). The Ultra 7 270HX Plus averages 61834, with nearest rivals including the Intel Core i9-13900KF at 61841 (0% delta), Intel Core i9-13900K at 61766 (0.1% delta), Intel Core i9-13900T at 61723 (0.2% delta), and Intel Xeon 636 at 61360 (0.8% delta). The i9-14900KS sits in the 96th percentile of all CPUs, while the Ultra 7 sits in the 93rd percentile.

Where Each One Wins

The i9-14900KS wins in all multithreaded rendering workloads. Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 multi-core tests all show the i9 ahead by 21.7%. This aligns with its 24 cores and 32 threads versus the Ultra 7's 20 cores and 20 threads. The i9 also wins in single-core Cinebench tests by 21.6% to 21.7%, driven by its 6.20 GHz boost clock versus 5.30 GHz. Data compression is a major win for the i9 at 62.9% ahead, and integer math is its largest margin at 73.7% ahead. Random string sorting shows a 49.6% lead. Data encryption shows a 26.2% lead. Extended instructions show a 15.9% lead. Multithreaded PassMark shows a 24.3% lead. For any workload involving compression, encryption, integer calculations, or heavily threaded rendering, the i9-14900KS is the superior processor in the recorded data.

The Ultra 7 270HX Plus wins in three specific areas. Find prime numbers shows a 49.4% advantage, meaning prime-search algorithms run significantly faster on the Ultra 7. Floating point math shows a 5.9% advantage, indicating better handling of floating point operations. Physics shows a 12% advantage, suggesting better performance in physics simulation workloads. These wins come despite the Ultra 7 having fewer cores, no hyper-threading, lower clocks, and a 95 W lower TDP. The Ultra 7's 3 nm TSMC process and larger per-core caches (192 KB L1 and 3 MB L2 per core) may explain these targeted wins, though the database does not record a causal link. The Ultra 7 also shows a 1.1% deficit in single-thread PassMark, a very narrow margin compared to its larger Cinebench single-core deficit. This suggests the Ultra 7 is competitive in single-thread PassMark tasks despite the clock disadvantage.

The overall win count is decisive: 14 wins for the i9-14900KS and 3 wins for the Ultra 7 270HX Plus. The average benchmark gap is substantial: 81127 versus 61834, a difference of 19293 points. The percentile gap is smaller: 96th versus 93rd. The i9-14900KS is a desktop processor with a 150 W TDP, while the Ultra 7 is a mobile processor with a 55 W TDP. The data shows the i9-14900KS delivers far higher performance in most measured categories, while the Ultra 7 offers specific mathematical advantages that could matter for specialized workloads.