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AMD Ryzen 9 5950X vs Intel Core i9-14900K: Comparison

AMD Ryzen 9 5950X vs Intel Core i9-14900K: the l3 cache difference

Start with l3 cache, because it is the widest measured gap between them: AMD Ryzen 9 5950X 64 MB against Intel Core i9-14900K 36 MB, 44% in favour of AMD Ryzen 9 5950X. The benchmark result agrees. Blender Cycles (CPU) puts Intel Core i9-14900K 23% ahead, 508 against 391 over 272 runs. L2 cache runs the same way, 8 MB on the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X versus 32 MB on the Intel Core i9-14900K, another win for Intel Core i9-14900K.

Which should you buy, AMD Ryzen 9 5950X or Intel Core i9-14900K?

Take the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X for content creators and prosumers needing genuine 16-core throughput for video encoding, rendering, or compiling. It is equally the pick for buyers wanting strong gaming performance alongside high-end multi-threaded capability in one chip. It is the wrong buy for buyers who need integrated graphics, this chip requires a discrete GPU. Take the Intel Core i9-14900K for buyers on the mature, widely-supported LGA 1700 platform wanting Intel's strongest 14th Gen gaming and productivity performance. It is not the one for new builds without an existing LGA 1700 investment, the newer Arrow Lake lineup offers better power efficiency on a fresh platform.

What AMD Ryzen 9 5950X and Intel Core i9-14900K have in common

Where they agree, they agree completely, total threads, socket status, form factor, market segment and smt enabled included, so the decision does not turn on any of those. They match on 6 further specifications as well.

AMD Ryzen 9 5950X vs Intel Core i9-14900K price

At the last price check the Intel Core i9-14900K was $589 and the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X $799, a 36% premium.

Frequently asked questions

Do the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X and Intel Core i9-14900K differ on total cores?

Yes. Total Cores reads 16 on the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X versus 24 on the Intel Core i9-14900K.

Is the Unlocked Multiplier the same on the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X and Intel Core i9-14900K?

It is. Both are listed at Yes, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.

Specs and benchmarks

  • Brand

    AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
    AMD
    Intel Core i9-14900K
    Intel
  • Product Line

    AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
    Ryzen 9
    Intel Core i9-14900K
    Core i9
  • Form Factor

    AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
    Desktop
    Intel Core i9-14900K
    Desktop
  • Model Number

    AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
    5950X
    Intel Core i9-14900K
    14900K
  • Codename

    AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
    Vermeer
    Intel Core i9-14900K
    Raptor Lake Refresh
  • Release Year

    AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
    2020
    Intel Core i9-14900K
    2023
  • TDP

    AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
    105 W
    Intel Core i9-14900K
    125 W
  • iGPU

    AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
    None
    Intel Core i9-14900K
    Intel UHD Graphics 770
  • Market Segment

    AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
    Desktop
    Intel Core i9-14900K
    Desktop
  • Microarchitecture

    AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
    Zen 3, Ryzen 5000 Series
    Intel Core i9-14900K
    Raptor Lake Refresh, 14th Gen Intel Core
  • Socket

    AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
    AM4
    Intel Core i9-14900K
    FCLGA1700
  • Socket Status

    AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
    End of Life
    Intel Core i9-14900K
    End of Life
  • Process Node

    AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
    7 nm
    Intel Core i9-14900K
    10 nm
  • Total Cores

    AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
    16
    Intel Core i9-14900K
    24Best
  • Performance Cores

    AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
    16Best
    Intel Core i9-14900K
    8
  • Efficiency Cores

    AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
    0
    Intel Core i9-14900K
    16Best
  • Total Threads

    AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
    32
    Intel Core i9-14900K
    32
  • SMT Enabled

    AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
    Yes
    Intel Core i9-14900K
    Yes
  • P-Core Base Clock

    AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
    3.4 GHz
    Intel Core i9-14900K
    3.2 GHz
  • P-Core Boost Clock

    AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
    4.9 GHz
    Intel Core i9-14900K
    5.6 GHz
  • Unlocked Multiplier

    AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
    Yes
    Intel Core i9-14900K
    Yes
  • L2 Cache

    AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
    8 MB-75%
    Intel Core i9-14900K
    32 MBBest
  • L3 Cache

    AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
    64 MBBest
    Intel Core i9-14900K
    36 MB-44%
  • 3D Stacked Cache

    AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
    No
    Intel Core i9-14900K
    No
  • Base Power

    AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
    105 W
    Intel Core i9-14900K
    125 W
  • Max Turbo Power

    AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
    142 W
    Intel Core i9-14900K
    253 W
  • Memory Type

    AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
    DDR4
    Intel Core i9-14900K
    DDR5 or DDR4Best
  • Max Memory Speed

    AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
    3200 MT/s
    Intel Core i9-14900K
    5600 MT/sBest
  • Memory Channels

    AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
    2
    Intel Core i9-14900K
    2
  • Max Memory Capacity

    AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
    128 GB
    Intel Core i9-14900K
    192 GBBest
  • ECC Support

    AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
    Yes
    Intel Core i9-14900K
    Yes
  • Integrated Graphics

    AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
    No
    Intel Core i9-14900K
    Yes
  • Copilot Plus Certified

    AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
    No
    Intel Core i9-14900K
    No
  • PCIe Generation

    AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
    PCIe 4.0
    Intel Core i9-14900K
    PCIe 5.0
  • PCIe Lanes

    AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
    24
    Intel Core i9-14900K
    20-17%
  • Launch MSRP

    AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
    $799
    Intel Core i9-14900K
    $589
  • Retail Availability

    AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
    Boxed Retail
    Intel Core i9-14900K
    Boxed Retail

Benchmarks

  • 3D Rendering
  • Blender Cycles (CPU)

    AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
    391-23%
    Intel Core i9-14900K
    508Best

    Blender 4.5, Blender Open Data (CC0). Median of monster + junkshop + classroom, combined samples/min.

    Renders a 3D scene using every core. Shows speed for 3D and rendering work, not gaming.

Which one should you pick?

Choose 5950X if you want the higher L3 cache (64 MB vs 36 MB), the higher memory channels (2 vs 2) and the higher PCIe lanes (24 vs 20).

Choose 14900K if you want the higher L2 cache (32 MB vs 8 MB) and the higher blender cycles (CPU) (508 vs 391).

Price comparison

RetailerAMD Ryzen 9 5950XIntel Core i9-14900K
Amazon

$799.00

View on Amazon

$589.00

View on Amazon
NeweggView on NeweggView on Newegg
B&H PhotoView on B&H Photo

Disclaimer: The price and specification of the given product may differ from the actual product. Please confirm on the retailer's website before buying.

Verdict

Intel Core i9-14900K

8.6 / 10 Expert Rating

The Intel Core i9-14900K is a very fast unlocked desktop chip with 24 cores, best for enthusiasts who can cool its high power draw.

More comparisons in Processors (CPUs)