Intel Core i7-14700HX vs Intel Core i9-14900HX: Which is the best for gaming?

In the domain of premium laptop processors, a comparison between the Intel Core i7-14700HX and the Intel Core i9-14900HX would be an interesting one. You can find both these processors on premium laptops are are typically equipped with an RTX GPU, making them absolute beasts for gaming. These laptops come with a hefty price tag but would be the last laptop you'd have to buy for years to come as they're just so well-equipped.

If you're looking to buy a laptop featuring either of these chips, chances are you're confused because of the similarities. However, to help you make an informed decision, we have put together a thorough comparison comparing the specs, features, and performance to see which one proves to be the better processor for gaming.

Intel Core i7-14700HX vs Intel Core i9-14900HX: Specifications

The 14th-gen lineup possesses quite an interesting list of features (Image via Intel)

To get a better idea of the Intel Core i7-14700HX vs Intel Core i9-14900HX comparison, we need to look into the specs of the two. As you can see they're both very close when it comes to clock speeds, making them excellent for complex tasks like video rendering and gaming. However, the i9 being the more advanced processor outperforms the latter by a small margin.

You get 20 cores and 24 threads on the i7, whereas you have 24 cores and 32 threads on the i9. This gives the Core i9-14900HX a much faster computing speed, making it the better choice for video editing and rendering. Moreover, the 36MB cache that you have on the i9 also helps with faster memory fetching and allows for a much smoother experience overall.

Features	Intel Core i7-14700HX	Intel Core i9-14900HX
Architecture	Raptor Lake	Raptor Lake
Cores	20 (8 performance, 12 efficient)	24 (8 performance, 16 efficient)
Threads	28	32
Base Clock Speed	2.1 GHz	2.2 GHz
Boost Clock Speed	5.5 GHz	5.8 GHz
Cache	33 MB	36 MB
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	55 W	55 W
Maximum Turbo Power (MTP)	157 W	157 W

One thing to note is that the power efficiency of these CPUs is quite impressive in my opinion. However, I feel the RTX graphics processors would add up to that. If you're into graphics or creative work, you should go for the i9-14900HX as it would be the faster option. But for gaming, either one of these would do as they're more reliant on the GPU that you have.

Check out: Intel Core i9 vs Core Ultra 9: Which is best for gaming?

Intel Core i7-14700HX vs Intel Core i9-14900HX: Performance

Both 14th-gen processors perform really well on the benchmarks (Image via Intel)

Performance-wise, I feel we have two very capable processors as we see some very big numbers on both. The Intel Core i7-14700HX, despite having a lower number of cores and threads puts up very close single-core performance, which was quite impressive.

Benchmark	Intel Core i7-14700HX	Intel Core i9-14900HX
Cinebench R23 single core	2100	2197
Cinebench R23 multi core	22350	31959
Geekbench 6 single core	2739	3029
Geekbench 6 multi core	15908	18430

As you can see, both processors put up very good numbers on the benchmark tests. While the i7 performs incredibly well, it can't directly compete with the latter. Overall, the Intel Core i9-14900HX performed much better when it came to multi-core performance. Thus proving to be the better choice for gaming.

Gaming performance

The 14th-gen i9 processor performs incredibly well on most AAA titles (Image via YouTube/@Adi 4 u)

Both these CPUs are solid performers when it comes to gaming. Not only do they put up good framerates, but also handle complex textures and resolutions with ease. Yes, most games are GPU-heavy, but the CPUs do their bit perfectly well in this case.

The following framerates that you see have been sourced from YouTube channels like Venom's Tech and Adi 4 u and have been tested on laptops featuring an RTX 4070 GPU. Thus, you can expect top-tier performance from both chips.

Games (tested with RTX 4070 card)	Intel Core i7-14700HX	Intel Core i9-14900HX
Cyberpunk 2077	60 fps	62 fps
Grand Theft Auto V	150 fps	187 fps
Horizon Forbidden West	64 fps	83 fps
Forza Horizon 5	72 fps	116 fps

The Intel Core i7-14700HX still puts up really good numbers when compared to the i9-14900HX. While it doesn't match, it still looks really good and shows no stutters even at ultra settings, with RTX turned on in some cases. Thus, you can go for either of these processors without a doubt, but the i9-14900HX would be the better performer.

Intel Core i7-14700HX vs Intel Core i9-14900HX: Which has greater value for money?

The i7-14700HX offers a much better value for money with its laptops (Image via Asus, MSI, HP, Lenovo)

Choosing a better-valued laptop can be quite tricky here. This is because you can get an Intel Core i7-14700HX powered laptop for $999, while most Intel Core i9-14900HX laptops start at upwards of $1,799.

It's quite obvious that the i9 laptop would be more expensive, but there are also other things in play here. Laptops featuring these processors typically have a powerful RTX GPU along with really good displays, which add to the price.

Thus, overall you should go for the i7-14700HX laptop as I feel it offers great value for the money. When paired with the right GPU, it works wonders and performs well. However, if you have money to spare and are okay with the higher price tag, go for the i9-powered laptop as you'd get much better performance there.

Intel Core i7-14700HX vs Intel Core i9-14900HX: Final Verdict

We have come to a close on this article and we feel the Intel Core i9-14900HX is the better processor for gaming. It performs much better than the i7 processor and would be the ideal choice for creative work and gaming.

However, for those on a tighter budget, I'd suggest you go for the i7-14700HX powered laptop as it offers a greater value for money.

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Edited by Srijan Sen