Intel Core i9-14901E vs Intel Core Ultra 7 266V Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i9-14901E posts an average benchmark score of 37911, while the Intel Core Ultra 7 266V records 23297. That puts the i9-14901E roughly 62.7% higher overall.

Q: How do the two compare in single-threaded workloads?

A: In Cinebench R23 single-core, the i9-14901E scores 3635 versus 2335 for the Ultra 7 266V, a 55.7% advantage. In PassMark single-thread, the margin narrows to 10.4%, with scores of 4354 and 3943.

Q: Which chip wins in multi-threaded rendering?

A: The i9-14901E dominates. Cinebench R23 multi-core shows 25753 against 16544, and Cinebench R20 multi-core shows 10816 against 6948. Both deltas are 55.7%.

Q: Is there any benchmark where the Ultra 7 266V wins?

A: Yes, one test: PassMark find prime numbers. The Ultra 7 266V scores 191, while the i9-14901E scores 189, a 1% difference in favor of the Lunar Lake part.

Q: What is the difference in CPU percentile ranking?

A: The i9-14901E sits at the 86th percentile among all CPUs, while the Ultra 7 266V is at the 76th percentile.

Q: What are the nearest rivals for each processor?

A: The i9-14901E is closest to the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 (delta 0%), AMD Ryzen 7 9700X (delta -0.1%), and Intel Core 5 211E (delta 0.2%). The Ultra 7 266V is closest to the AMD Ryzen 7 5800H (delta 0.1%), Intel Core i9-11900F (delta 0.2%), and Intel Core Ultra 9 288V (delta 0.3%).

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different Intel design lineages. The i9-14901E belongs to the Core 14th Gen family, built on the Raptor Lake architecture with the codename Raptor Lake-R. It uses a 10 nm process node fabricated by Intel. The Ultra 7 266V belongs to the Core Ultra Series 2 family, built on the Lunar Lake architecture and fabricated on a 3 nm node by TSMC. This process difference alone explains much of the power and efficiency gap between the two.

Both chips have 8 physical cores, but threading differs sharply. The i9-14901E supports 16 threads via Hyper-Threading, while the Ultra 7 266V has 8 threads with no simultaneous multithreading. The i9-14901E also has a much higher base clock of 2.80 GHz and boost clock of 5.60 GHz, compared to 2.20 GHz and 5.00 GHz for the Ultra 7 266V.

Cache layouts diverge as well. The i9-14901E carries 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 36 MB of shared L3 cache. The Ultra 7 266V has larger L1 at 192 KB per core and L2 at 2.5 MB per core, but only 12 MB of shared L3. The larger L3 on the Raptor Lake part likely supports its heavier multi-threaded workloads.

Memory support differs by platform. The i9-14901E supports DDR4 and DDR5 in dual-channel configuration, with ECC enabled. The Ultra 7 266V supports LPDDR5X depending on the motherboard, also dual-channel, but without ECC. The Lunar Lake part lists a memory bandwidth figure of 136.5 GB/s, while the Raptor Lake part does not specify bandwidth in the database.

PCIe lane counts separate the two clearly. The i9-14901E provides Gen 5 with 16 lanes from the CPU, while the Ultra 7 266V provides Gen 5 with only 4 lanes. This reflects the desktop versus mobile positioning. The i9-14901E uses Intel Socket 1700, while the Ultra 7 266V uses Intel BGA 2833, meaning the former is socketed for desktop builds and the latter is soldered for mobile systems.

Integrated graphics also differ. The i9-14901E includes UHD Graphics 770, while the Ultra 7 266V includes Arc 140V. Both are active production parts, and neither has an unlocked multiplier. The i9-14901E has a TDP of 65, while the Ultra 7 266V has a TDP of 17, a substantial difference that aligns with their respective desktop and mobile market segments.

Where Each One Wins

The i9-14901E wins in nearly every measured category. It takes 16 of the 17 head-to-head benchmarks, with only the find prime numbers test going to the Ultra 7 266V. The desktop part is clearly stronger in compute-heavy workloads: rendering, integer math, floating point math, encryption, compression, and physics simulations all favor the Raptor Lake chip by wide margins.

The Ultra 7 266V has a single narrow victory in prime number searching, scoring 191 versus 189. That 1% edge suggests a slight advantage in a specific algorithmic pattern, likely related to its newer architecture's integer handling in small, repeated operations. But this is an isolated result and does not carry over to broader integer math, where the i9-14901E leads by 171.3%.

For use cases, the i9-14901E suits desktop workstations and any scenario where sustained multi-threaded performance matters: video rendering, data compression, encryption workloads, and physics calculations. The Ultra 7 266V fits mobile systems where the 17 TDP and BGA package enable thin laptops, and where the Arc 140V integrated graphics may be relevant. The single-thread gap is smaller than the multi-thread gap, which matters for lightly threaded apps on battery-constrained devices.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i9-14901E | Intel Core Ultra 7 266V |

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

| Series | Core 14th Gen | Core Ultra Series 2 |

| Cores | 8 | 8 |

| Threads | 16 | 8 |

| Base clock | 2.80 GHz | 2.20 GHz |

| Boost clock | 5.60 GHz | 5.00 GHz |

| TDP | 65 | 17 |

| Socket | Intel Socket 1700 | Intel BGA 2833 |

| Architecture | Raptor Lake | Lunar Lake |

| Process node | 10 nm | 3 nm |

| Foundry | Intel | TSMC |

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

| L2 cache | 2 MB (per core) | 2.5 MB (per core) |

| L3 cache | 36 MB (shared) | 12 MB (shared) |

| Memory support | DDR4, DDR5 | LPDDR5X |

| Memory bandwidth | Not specified | 136.5 GB/s |

| ECC memory | Yes | No |

| PCIe | Gen 5, 16 Lanes | Gen 5, 4 Lanes |

| Integrated graphics | UHD Graphics 770 | Arc 140V |

| Market segment | Desktop | Mobile |

| Release date | 2024-06-30 | 2024-09-23 |

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most lopsided result in the entire comparison is PassMark integer math. The i9-14901E scores 112736 against 41558 for the Ultra 7 266V, a 171.3% advantage. This is the largest delta in the dataset and indicates that the desktop chip's higher clocks and dual-threaded cores provide an enormous edge in integer-heavy workloads.

PassMark physics shows a similarly decisive gap. The i9-14901E scores 3041 versus 1608, a 89.1% lead. PassMark random string sorting follows with 39138 versus 22905, a 70.9% difference. Data compression comes in at 54.4% ahead, with scores of 288777 and 187050. Data encryption is 34.4% ahead, at 18571 versus 13822.

The Cinebench suite shows consistent 55.7% deltas across all six tests. R15 multi-core: 2595 versus 1667. R15 single-core: 366 versus 235. R20 multi-core: 10816 versus 6948. R20 single-core: 1526 versus 980. R23 multi-core: 25753 versus 16544. R23 single-core: 3635 versus 2335. The uniformity of this delta across both single and multi-core versions suggests the difference stems from clock speed and threading rather than any specific workload characteristic.

PassMark floating point math shows a 42.5% lead for the i9-14901E, with 81089 versus 56923. Extended instructions are closer: 17249 versus 15928, an 8.3% margin. PassMark single-thread shows a 10.4% lead, with 4354 versus 3943. The find prime numbers test is the sole reversal, with the Ultra 7 266V winning by 1% (191 versus 189).

The multi-threaded PassMark test mirrors the Cinebench results exactly at 55.7%, with scores of 30298 and 19461. Across all 17 benchmarks, the i9-14901E wins 16 and the Ultra 7 266V wins 1. The average benchmark score difference is substantial: 37911 versus 23297, placing the i9-14901E at percentile 86 and the Ultra 7 266V at percentile 76.

The Verdict

The data presents a clear hierarchy. The Intel Core i9-14901E outperforms the Intel Core Ultra 7 266V in 16 of 17 benchmarks, with an average score advantage of roughly 62.7%. The desktop Raptor Lake part delivers higher clocks, double the threads, and a much larger L3 cache, all of which translate into decisive wins across rendering, math, compression, encryption, and physics workloads. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 and AMD Ryzen 7 9700X, both within 0.1% of its average score.

The Ultra 7 266V does not compete on raw performance. Its single win in prime number searching is narrow and isolated. Its strengths lie elsewhere: a 17 TDP, a 3 nm TSMC process, and a mobile BGA package. The 136.5 GB/s memory bandwidth and Arc 140V integrated graphics suit a compact laptop design. Its nearest rivals, including the AMD Ryzen 7 5800H and Intel Core i9-11900F, show that it competes with older high-end mobile parts rather than current desktop silicon.

The verdict depends on the platform. For desktop systems where power consumption is not the primary constraint, the i9-14901E is the obvious choice based on every meaningful benchmark. For mobile devices where the 17 TDP and soldered BGA 2833 package are requirements, the Ultra 7 266V is the only one of the two that fits. The performance gap is large enough that no workload on this list justifies choosing the Ultra 7 266V on speed alone, but the power envelope and form factor considerations are equally decisive in the other direction.