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AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D vs Intel Core i9-14900KF: Comparison

What is the difference between AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D and Intel Core i9-14900KF?

The gap that matters here is l3 cache: AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D 128 MB against Intel Core i9-14900KF 36 MB, which puts AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D 72% ahead. The benchmark result agrees. Everyday Performance puts AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D 3% ahead, 128 against 124. Add l2 cache to that, 16 MB on the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D versus 32 MB on the Intel Core i9-14900KF, and the pattern holds.

Who each one is for

Buy the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D for high-refresh-rate gaming and flagship gaming builds, though it is the wrong buy for budget builds and non-gaming workstation loads. The Intel Core i9-14900KF is the one to take for enthusiast desktop gaming and overclocking, though it is not built for laptops and fanless designs. Our rating of the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D (9.2/10): the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D is one of the best gaming CPUs available, its huge L3 cache translating directly into higher in-game frame rates. Our rating of the Intel Core i9-14900KF (8.7/10): the Intel Core i9-14900KF is an unlocked flagship desktop chip, a top pick for enthusiasts who want to overclock.

Where the two are identical

Everything else lines up. Total threads, form factor, market segment, smt enabled and unlocked multiplier read the same on both, so those are not worth weighing. They match on 7 further specifications as well.

Which is cheaper, AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D or Intel Core i9-14900KF?

At the last price check the Intel Core i9-14900KF was $564 and the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D $699, a 24% premium.

Frequently asked questions

Do the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D and Intel Core i9-14900KF differ on total cores?

Yes. Total Cores reads 16 on the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D versus 24 on the Intel Core i9-14900KF.

Is the Bundled Cooler the same on the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D and Intel Core i9-14900KF?

It is. Both are listed at None, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.

Specs and benchmarks

  • Everyday Performance

    AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
    128Best
    Intel Core i9-14900KF
    124-3%
  • Heavy Workload Performance

    AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
    176Best
    Intel Core i9-14900KF
    162-8%
  • Form Factor

    AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
    Desktop
    Intel Core i9-14900KF
    Desktop
  • Codename

    AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
    Granite Ridge
    Intel Core i9-14900KF
    Raptor Lake Refresh
  • Release Year

    AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
    2025
    Intel Core i9-14900KF
    2023
  • TDP

    AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
    170 W
    Intel Core i9-14900KF
    125 W
  • iGPU

    AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
    AMD Radeon Graphics
    Intel Core i9-14900KF
    None
  • Market Segment

    AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
    Desktop
    Intel Core i9-14900KF
    Desktop
  • Microarchitecture

    AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
    Zen 5 (9000 series)
    Intel Core i9-14900KF
    Raptor Lake Refresh
  • Socket

    AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
    AM5
    Intel Core i9-14900KF
    FCLGA1700
  • Socket Status

    AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
    Current
    Intel Core i9-14900KF
    End of Life
  • Process Node

    AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
    4 nm
    Intel Core i9-14900KF
    10 nm
  • Total Cores

    AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
    16
    Intel Core i9-14900KF
    24Best
  • Performance Cores

    AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
    16Best
    Intel Core i9-14900KF
    8
  • Efficiency Cores

    AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
    0
    Intel Core i9-14900KF
    16Best
  • Total Threads

    AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
    32
    Intel Core i9-14900KF
    32
  • SMT Enabled

    AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
    Yes
    Intel Core i9-14900KF
    Yes
  • P-Core Base Clock

    AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
    4.3 GHz
    Intel Core i9-14900KF
    3.2 GHz
  • P-Core Boost Clock

    AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
    5.7 GHz
    Intel Core i9-14900KF
    5.6 GHz
  • Unlocked Multiplier

    AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
    Yes
    Intel Core i9-14900KF
    Yes
  • L2 Cache

    AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
    16 MB-50%
    Intel Core i9-14900KF
    32 MBBest
  • L3 Cache

    AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
    128 MBBest
    Intel Core i9-14900KF
    36 MB-72%
  • 3D Stacked Cache

    AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
    Yes
    Intel Core i9-14900KF
    No
  • Base Power

    AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
    170 W
    Intel Core i9-14900KF
    125 W
  • Max Turbo Power

    AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
    230 W
    Intel Core i9-14900KF
    253 W
  • Max Operating Temp

    AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
    95 C
    Intel Core i9-14900KF
    100 C
  • Bundled Cooler

    AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
    None
    Intel Core i9-14900KF
    None
  • Memory Type

    AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
    DDR5
    Intel Core i9-14900KF
    DDR5 or DDR4
  • Max Memory Speed

    AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
    5600 MT/s
    Intel Core i9-14900KF
    5600 MT/s
  • Memory Channels

    AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
    2
    Intel Core i9-14900KF
    2
  • Max Memory Capacity

    AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
    256 GBBest
    Intel Core i9-14900KF
    192 GB
  • ECC Support

    AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
    Yes
    Intel Core i9-14900KF
    Yes
  • Integrated Graphics

    AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
    Yes
    Intel Core i9-14900KF
    No
  • Copilot Plus Certified

    AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
    No
    Intel Core i9-14900KF
    No
  • PCIe Generation

    AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
    PCIe 5.0
    Intel Core i9-14900KF
    PCIe 5.0
  • PCIe Lanes

    AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
    24
    Intel Core i9-14900KF
    20-17%
  • Launch MSRP

    AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
    $699
    Intel Core i9-14900KF
    $564
  • Retail Availability

    AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
    Boxed Retail
    Intel Core i9-14900KF
    Boxed Retail

Benchmarks

  • General CPU
  • Cinebench 2024 (Multi-Core)

    AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
    2,395Best
    Intel Core i9-14900KF
    2,183-9%

    Renders a 3D scene on every core. Shows speed in rendering and other heavy work.

  • Cinebench 2024 (Single-Core)

    AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
    138
    Intel Core i9-14900KF
    138

    Renders a 3D scene on one core. Shows how quick the CPU feels in everyday apps and games.

  • Cinebench R23 (Multi-Core)

    AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
    42,246Best
    Intel Core i9-14900KF
    39,056-8%

    Renders a 3D scene on every core. Shows speed in rendering and other heavy work.

  • Cinebench R23 (Single-Core)

    AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
    2,262-2%
    Intel Core i9-14900KF
    2,311Best

    Renders a 3D scene on one core. Shows how quick the CPU feels in everyday apps and games.

  • Geekbench 6 (Multi-Core)

    AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
    22,332-2%
    Intel Core i9-14900KF
    22,783Best

    Everyday tasks like photo editing, compression and compiling, run on all cores.

  • Geekbench 6 (Single-Core)

    AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
    3,456Best
    Intel Core i9-14900KF
    3,255-6%

    The same everyday tasks on one core. Tracks how responsive the PC feels.

Which one should you pick?

Choose 9950X3D if you want the higher everyday performance (128.0 vs 124.0), the higher heavy workload performance (176.0 vs 162.0) and the higher L3 cache (128 MB vs 36 MB).

Choose 14900KF if you want the higher L2 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB), the higher cinebench R23 (Single-Core) (2,311 vs 2,262) and the higher geekbench 6 (Multi-Core) (22,783 vs 22,332).

Price comparison

RetailerAMD Ryzen 9 9950X3DIntel Core i9-14900KF
Amazon

$699.00

View on Amazon

$564.00

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

AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D

9.2 / 10 Expert Rating

The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D is one of the best gaming CPUs available, its huge L3 cache translating directly into higher in-game frame rates.

Intel Core i9-14900KF

8.7 / 10 Expert Rating

The Intel Core i9-14900KF is an unlocked flagship desktop chip, a top pick for enthusiasts who want to overclock.

More comparisons in Processors (CPUs)