Core i9 14900K Vs Ryzen 9 7900X: A Battle of Titans

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Shehryar Khan

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Both major CPU makers have released their tog dogs for this generation, both very powerful in their own right. In this Core i9 14900K vs Ryzen 9 7900X comparison, we will look at the different approaches both processors take to maximize their power.

Key Takeaway

• According to our tests, the Core i9 14900K is around 13% faster than the Ryzen 9 7900X at 1080p, running around 165 FPS on average instead of the Ryzen’s 146 FPS average.
• From what we observed, the 14900K uses around 23% more power than the Ryzen 9 7900X at around 123 watts, instead of the 99.5 watts of the Ryzen.
• The Core i9 14900K is around $160 more expensive than the Ryzen 9 7900X at launch.

Comparison Table

Architectural Differences

1. Frequency: The Ryzen 9 7900X has a base clock of around 4.7GHz, while it can boost all the way up to 5.6GHz. In contrast, the lowest frequency the i9 can achieve is around 3.2GHz on its efficiency cores, while it can go all the way up to 6GHz.
2. Core Count: The Ryzen has 12 cores, which add up to 24 threads, while the i9 has 16 efficiency cores in addition to 8 performance cores, adding up to a behemoth of 32 threads in total. 
3. L3 Cache: The L3 cache size is around double on the Ryzen, around 64MB, much higher than the 36MB L3 cache of the i9.
4. Default TDP: Both processors can go up to very large power draws, but the Ryzen draws around 170 watts of power at default, while the i9 only takes aback 125 watts. We will see their real-world performance in a later section of this comparison.
5. Process Node: The i9 14900K has 10nm processing nodes, while the Ryzen 9 uses a newer 5nm process size.

Gaming Benchmarks

You might wonder about the actual real-world differences between these processors, which is why we’ve put both these processors through rigorous testing using our test setup.

Test Bench

The setup we’ve used in this comparison puts the processor as the only point of failure in the system to give you the worst-case scenario for when your CPU becomes the limiting factor in your system. To do this, we’ve tested several games at the 1080p resolution.

• MOBO – Gigabyte X670E Master
• MOBO – MSI MAG Z790 Tomohawk DDR5
• RAM –XPG Lancer RGB 32GB 7200MT/s DDR5 RAM
• CPU Cooler – Artic Liquid Freezer II 360
• Graphics Card – Asus ROG  RTX 4090 OC Edition
• SSD – Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus G 2TB
• OS – Windows 11 Version 21H2

Baldur’s Gate 3

• We noticed quite a dramatic difference between our two cards when benchmarking the city area of Baldur’s Gate 3, with an average framerate of around 155 FPS on the 14900K, while the 7900X had an output of around 123 FPS. This equates to a massive 26% advantage for the Intel processor.
• The 1% lows of the 14900K hung around 132 FPS in our short benchmark run, which is higher than the average performance of the AMD processor. Meanwhile, the 1% lows of the 7900X was around 101 FPS.

Starfield

• It is no secret that AMD had a big part in the creation of Starfield, but the Intel processors knocked it out of the park in our test of the game. The 14900K had an average framerate of 108 FPS, while the Ryzen 9 7900X had a much lower average of around 87 FPS. The advantage here for the Intel processor is up to 24%.
• The 14900K had 1% lows of around 91 FPS, making the gameplay significantly smoother than the 7900X, which had a minimum framerate of around 77 FPS.

Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty

• The 14900K had an average framerate of 170 FPS in our benchmark of Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty. The 7900X kept disappointing us with an average framerate of around 146 FPS. The Intel processor had an advantage of around 16% in this game.
• The 14900K had a relatively high framerate for its 1% lows, with minimum framerates of around 142 FPS. The Ryzen 9 7900X had minimums closer to 125 FPS.

The Last Of Us Part 1

• The Last Of Us Part 1 did not fare any better on the AMD processor, with an average framerate of around 166 FPS, while the 14900K scored above the competition with a framerate of 182 FPS. This gave the Intel processor an approximate 9.6% advantage in our test of this game.
• The minimum framerates of the Ryzen 9 7900X hung around 144 FPS, while the 14900K had lows of 169 FPS. The difference was barely noticeable at such a high framerate, but it was there nonetheless.

Spider-Man Remastered

• Though the differences were still there, Spider-Man Remastered had both of our processors relatively close to each other in terms of average framerate. The i9 clocked in at around 156 FPS, while the Ryzen came across with an average of 147 FPS, marking a 6% difference between the two.
• The 1% lows were even closer, with the Ryzen coming across with minimums of around 125 FPS, while the Intel processor came with minimums of around 128 FPS. This marked an almost similar performance between the two contenders.

A Plague Tale: Requiem

• These processors were relatively close once again in our test of A Plague Tale: Requiem, with the Intel processor getting an average framerate of 150 FPS in A Plague Tale Requiem, while the 7900X came out with an average of 146 FPS. This was an advantage of around 2.7% for our Intel processor.
• The 1% lows were also closer than ever, with the i9 giving a minimum framerate of 136 FPS, while the Ryzen had a minimum framerate of 133 FPS.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage

• In our test of the new Assassin’s Creed game, the Intel processor had an average framerate of 197 FPS, while the 7900X got an average of 183 FPS. This difference equates to an advantage of around 7.6%.
• The 1% lows were closer in this game than the averages. The i9 had an average of 164 FPS, while the minimum framerate was around 161 FPS for the Ryzen 9 7900X.

Editor`s Note

Considering your budget constraints and performance needs, I recommend the Core i9 14900K. It offers exceptional gaming and multi-threaded performance, albeit at a higher cost. If top-tier performance is your priority and you can accommodate the budget, the i9 14900K is the optimal choice. But you can also read more about how well the Ryzen 9 7900X stacks up against the i9-12900K in another of our reviews.

– Shehryar Khan

Overall Gaming Performance

The i9 beat out its competition by quite a bit, with an average framerate of 165 FPS in our tests, while the Ryzen 9 was around 146 FPS on average. This comes out to a performance uplift of around 13% advantage for the Intel processor. Do note that our cumulative performance includes some games we did not discuss above. The overall gaming experience was significantly smoother on the Core i9 14900K.

The 1% lows had deficiencies for the Ryzen as well, culminating in an average of around 140 FPS for the i9, while the Ryzen 9 had minimums of around 123 FPS on average in our tests.

Winner: Intel’s Core-i9 14900K

Temperatures

All the i9 14900K cores can’t be packed without some high thermal numbers, which we found in our testing. The Ryzen 9 had an average temperature of around 53°C, while the Intel processor hung out closer to 56°C. Our tests stood to prove that the 14900K ran slightly warmer than the 7900X.

Bear in mind that the conditions for our test bench could be very different than your setup, so your mileage might vary. So, if you are facing high temperatures, you can opt to another guide on How To Lower CPU Temperature.

Winner: AMD’s Ryzen 9 7900X

Power Consumption

On average, the Ryzen consumed 99.5 watts of power, while the Intel processor was significantly more power-hungry, with a power consumption of around 123 watts. The higher power consumption comes hand in hand with the higher performance of the i9.

The performance per watt of the Ryzen comes out to be around 10% greater than that of the Intel processor. Realistically, the drastic difference in performance can justify this power draw situation.

In case you are a gaming fan, we have dissected this topic in great detail in our guide Gaming PC Power Usage.

Winner: AMD’s Ryzen 9 7900X

Price And Availability

The performance of the i9 14900K comes with a hefty price tag of $589, while the Ryzen 9 7900X comes relatively cheap at around $429. This makes the Core i9 14900K significantly more expensive than the AMD chip.

Both processors should be accessible all around the globe in any relatively large computer store.

What We Recommend

By and large, the comparison of the Core i9 14900K vs Ryzen 9 7900X comes down to the budget restraints you might have on your build. The i9 performs significantly faster but comes in at a significantly higher price as well.

We find it important to point out that if your concerns lie with gaming only, rearing towards the Ryzen 7 7800X3D may make you a happier customer. 

In conclusion, the i9 14900K is for people who want great gaming and multi-threaded performance, while the Ryzen 9 7900X is a cheaper option that gets you good results.

Pros And Cons

More From Ryzen 9 7900X

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Shehryar Khan

[Comparisons Expert]

Shehryar Khan, a seasoned PC hardware expert, brings over three years of extensive experience and a deep passion for the world of technology. With a love for building PCs and a genuine enthusiasm for exploring the latest advancements in components, his expertise shines through his work and dedication towards this field. Currently, Shehryar is rocking a custom loop setup for his built.

Get In Touch: shehryar@tech4gamers.com