Intel Core i9-14900K vs Ryzen 9 7950X3D: Which is best in 2024?

The Intel Core i9-14900K and the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D are the two best high-end chips, with both processors promising the ultimate performance with zero compromises. They are mainly targeted towards professionals and enthusiasts who want the best hardware for their setups. This also means the chips are sold at a hefty premium. Both of them will set you back by over $500.

Since the 14900K and 7950X3D share a similar DNA, choosing between them can be a bit difficult. Both fall into the same tier within a similar performance range as well, making things even more confusing.

In this article, we will compare the two processors. We will look at their on-paper specs, value proposition, and performance to conclude once and for all which is the better deal.

---

The Intel Core i9-14900K and Ryzen 9 7950X3D are both competent chips for gamers

Packaging of the flagship AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D (Image via AMD)

Let's go through what each of these chips brings to the table before diving into the performance and pricing details.

---

Specs comparison

The Core i9-14900K and Ryzen 9 7950X3D are slightly different in terms of their underlying architecture. For instance, the Raptor Lake Refresh lineup is based on a monolithic design, while AMD opts for a chipset layout. There are certain other minute differences that make an apples-to-apples specs comparison unscientific. It may be far from the actual reality of the performance of these chips.

Nevertheless, the 14900K bundles a total of 24 cores, eight of which are high-performance 'P' cores, with the rest being efficient 'E' cores. The 7950X3D bundles sixteen cores, all of which are high-performance cores. However, since the AMD architecture works differently, we can't directly conclude that this is a bad thing.

An overview of the specs of the i9-14900K (Image via Intel)

The 14900K also is one of the rare chips that can boost up to 6 GHz. The 7950X3D also boosts pretty high and can get up to 5.7 GHz. Again, since these technologies work differently, boost clock speeds cannot be a point of comparison.

Below is a list of the on-paper specs for the two processors:

	Intel Core i9-14900K	AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D
Processor family	Raptor Lake Refresh	Ryzen 7000
Lithography	Intel 7 (10 nm)	Zen 4 (5 nm)
Core count	24 (8P+16E)	16
Thread count	32	32
Max. turbo frequency	6 GHz	up to 5.7 GHz
RAM support	Up to 192 GB DDR5 5600 MT/s, Up to DDR4 3200 MT/s	Up to DDR5 5200 MT/s
iGPU	Intel UHD 770	RDNA 3-based 2-core iGPU
Power draw	125W (253W turbo power)	120W

Both chips are pretty notorious for the amount of power they draw. However, the 7950X3D is considerably more efficient than the i9-14900K. It is rated for a lower level and draws much less under sustained load.

---

Performance comparison

In terms of performance, Intel still has the crown. As we found in our detailed review, the new 3D V-cache technology makes the 7950X3D suitable for gaming. But it is still slower than the Intel variant. In synthetic benchmarks, the gains with the new cache-stacking technologies simply don't show up.

Below is a list of results in some leading benchmark software sourced from scores aggregator, NanoReview. Since the database is mostly based on user submissions, these scores depict a good middle point of what you can expect from the average 14900K or 7950X3D.

	Intel Core i9-14900K	AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D
Cinebench R23 single-core	2293	2,067
Cinebench R23 multi-core	38,263	36,532
Geekbench 5 single-core	3,288	3,050
Geekbench 5 multi-core	22,478	20,191

The 14900K is undoubtedly better for professionals and creators who require the extra single-core and multi-core performance the chip can deliver. But gamers are recommended to stick to the Ryzen 9 7950X3D because the processor boasts a significant advantage in the latest video games. So, you can expect equivalent or even slightly better performance with the 7950X3D CPU in some cases.

---

The Ryzen 9 7950X3D can be quite expensive (Image via AMD)

Unfortunately, both the Core i9-14900K and Ryzen 9 7950X3D are expensive chips. While they are currently available for less than their launch MSRP, they will still burn a hole in your pocket. The 14900K is available for $575 on Newegg today. Intel also sells a slightly cheaper i9-14900KF, which might save you some money.

The 7950X3D is even costlier, selling for a whopping $651. However, with this chip, you get a free copy of Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora. The game is decent overall but has some key caveats, as mentioned in our review.

You need to have some deep pockets to afford any of them, but the 14900K turns out to be the better option for most.