Is the Ryzen 7 7700X or Intel Core i7-14700K the better high-end CPU for gaming?
The AMD Ryzen 7 7700X and Intel Core i7-14700K are top-tier processors made for the most powerful gaming setups. These chips offer some of the best performance metrics available and are aimed at the $400 price range. The newest processing advancements, such as hybrid core designs, increased power efficiency, improved performance per cycle, and others, are all packed within them.
Nevertheless, despite their similarities, the features and performance characteristics of AMD and Intel CPUs differ greatly. To find out which of the two CPUs is a better deal for gamers, let's examine their differences.
Both the Ryzen 7 7700X and the Core i7-14700K are potent gaming CPUs.
Let's have a look at the specifications of the AMD Ryzen 7 7700X and Intel Core i7-14700K before digging into their respective performance disparities.
The AMD CPU utilizes a chipset design and is based on the most recent Zen 4 architecture, whereas the Intel chip is based on the monolithic Raptor Lake Refresh architecture.
Specs comparison
| Specification | Intel Core i7-14700K | AMD Ryzen 7 7700X |
|---|---|---|
| Processor family | Raptor Lake Refresh | Ryzen 7000 |
| Lithography | Intel 7 (10 nm) | Zen 4 (5 nm) |
| Core count | 20 (8P+12E) | 8 |
| Thread count | 28 | 16 |
| Total cache (L2+L3) | 33 MB Intel Smart Cache | 40 MB |
| Max. turbo frequency | 5.6 GHz | Up to 5.4 GHz |
| RAM support | Up to 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) | 105W |
| Price | $400 | $349 |
The differences in the fundamental architecture of the Ryzen 7 7700X and the i7-14700K make it impossible to compare their specs accurately.
To give you a general idea, the i7-14700K is a 20-core processor that has eight 'P' cores for exceptional performance and the remaining 'E' cores for efficiency. On the other side, the Ryzen 7 7700X has only eight cores and no hybrid architecture. In addition, the operating clock speeds and memory support of the two cores are different.
Performance Comparison
The performance levels that the Ryzen 7 7700X and Core i7-14700K can achieve are very different from one another. Considering the additional cores that the Intel chip offers, the multi-core measurements differ significantly. Because of this, the 14700K is a far better choice for workstations.
Gaming performance is still primarily determined by single-core performance. It's not common for games to make use of the numerous cores found in most current CPUs. Therefore, there isn't much to benefit from choosing the more expensive Intel processor.
The performance metrics of the two processors in some of the most widely used CPU benchmark tools are listed below. The benchmark aggregator Nanoreview is where the data was obtained.
| Specification | Intel Core i7-14700K | AMD Ryzen 7 7700X |
|---|---|---|
| Cinebench R23 single-core | 2,069 | 2,022 |
| Cinebench R23 multi-core | 34,818 | 20,166 |
| Geekbench 5 single-core | 2,882 | 2,981 |
| Geekbench 5 multi-core | 20,596 | 15,930 |
Both the Ryzen 7 7700X and the Core i7-14700K are incredibly potent CPUs. Although the 7700X's multi-core performance is worse to that of the Intel offering, it is $50 less expensive.
If you can afford it, we advise going with the Intel CPU. But if you're looking to cut costs, the 7700X is an excellent choice that can easily manage any task.