Intel’s latest lineup, the Intel 14th Gen CPU desktop processors, has been officially released and is now available for purchase. Notably, these new processors come at the same cost as their predecessors while promising up to 23 percent higher gaming performance, effectively outpacing the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D.
The Raptor Lake Refresh series of 14th-generation Intel Core desktop processors is now accessible to consumers, particularly in the USA, at prices mirroring those of their direct forerunners.
The line-up comprises just three processors: the Core i5-14600K featuring six performance cores with clock speeds soaring up to 5.3 GHz and eight efficiency cores, the Core i7-14700K armed with 8 performance and 12 efficiency cores, reaching clock speeds of up to 5.6 GHz, and the Core i9-14900K equipped with 8 performance and 16 efficiency cores, maxing out at an impressive 6.0 GHz. All three processors are also available in a slightly more affordable “KF” version, lacking an integrated graphics chip.
The Intel i7 14th Gen introduces four additional efficiency cores, with the new processors exhibiting marginally higher clock frequencies on paper. Surprisingly, the Core i9 14th 14900K, while achieving the same clock speeds as the Core i9-13900KS, is $100 cheaper. Intel’s benchmark results, although indicating minimal improvements on paper, promise significantly enhanced performance. Specifically, these new processors are anticipated to deliver up to 23 percent improved gaming performance and a maximum of 54 percent faster workflow performance.
Intel spotlighted the Core i7-14700K in their shared benchmarks, showcasing its notable speed gains in selected applications due to its additional cores. On the other hand, when comparing the Core i9-14900K with the Ryzen 9 7950X3D, Intel’s results vary from 23 percent slower to 23 percent faster, indicating relatively comparable gaming performance on average.
Raptor Lake Refresh primarily offers a slight performance boost at the same price point, marking an incremental advancement rather than a substantial leap. The compatibility with motherboards from the 600 and 700 series is an advantage, as Intel maintains the familiar LGA 1700 socket. Furthermore, the new Z790 motherboards support Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4. Customers have the flexibility to choose between DDR4 and DDR5 RAM, depending on the compatibility of the respective motherboard.
Intel 14th Gen CPU release date and price
The pricing for the Intel 14th generation CPUs starts at $309 for the Intel Core i5-14600KF, and these processors are available for purchase through the Bhphotovideo.com online store.
