Twelve months after Intel’s 13th Generation Core CPUs launched, we are once again exploring the next generation of CPUs and their implications for gamers, enthusiasts, and content creators. Unlike the previous generation, this new iteration is not introducing a new microarchitecture; instead, the new CPUs are known as the Raptor-Lake refresh. Through a series of manufacturing process improvements, Intel has successfully extracted more performance through increased operating frequencies in the 14th Gen Core CPUs released today.
Of particular interest to us, is the Intel Core i7-14700K, which receives the most significant upgrade compared to its predecessor. Unlike other models, the 14700K now boasts an additional E-Core cluster, increasing the total thread count to 28, just four threads shy of the flagship Core i9-14900K CPU. This single change, combined with a 200MHz clock frequency increase, often places the Core i7-14700K on par with the previous flagship Core i9-13900K in many tasks.
Before delving into performance, it’s essential to note that, besides clock frequency advances, Intel has made improvements to the memory controller within the 14th Gen Core CPUs. This enhanced memory controller offers better compatibility with dual-rank DDR5 memory and, according to Intel, supports higher DRAM frequencies compared to what the 13th Gen Core CPUs could achieve in general.
As an enthusiast, I appreciate this advancement, although I must admit it has limited value for most users, as the improvements are most noticeable at the outer limits of DDR5 memory capabilities. Furthermore, if your current 13th Gen Core CPU has a strong memory controller, you won’t notice any difference when transitioning to a 14th Gen Core CPU with an average memory controller. However, you might find value in the refreshed Z790 motherboards, which have bolstered their memory support, enabling higher frequencies for your CPU.
Regardless of the factors contributing to the improved memory speeds, we can anticipate enhanced DRAM performance moving forward. It’s becoming more commonplace to find retail DDR5 kits exceeding 4000MHz (DDR5 8000), and at the high end, even DDR5 8600 (4,300MHz).
A noteworthy aspect concerning the 14th Gen Core CPUs, mainly the Core i9 and i7 models, is the Thermal Design Power (TDP). Since the launch of the 12th Gen Core CPUs, Intel has encouraged motherboard vendors to effectively set the TDP of the CPUs to 253 Watts, which is over 100 Watts higher than the base specification of 125 Watts. The 253-Watt value is not new but merely represents the CPU’s PL2 (Power Limit) rating, which both the motherboard and CPU should be capable of sustaining for 10ms or less, according to Intel documentation. Intel asserts that most motherboards can reliably supply and maintain such power draw levels indefinitely, prompting them to recommend setting PL1 to PL2. Consequently, the PL1 125-Watt specification is effectively disregarded. On paper, the CPUs still bear a 125-watt rating, but in practice, their behaviour on your motherboard resembles that of 253-watt parts.
Fortunately, the Core i7-14700K consumes far less power than the 253-watt limit would suggest. When overclocked in gaming scenarios, it seldom exceeds 125 Watts. During our review testing, the maximum power draw while overclocked and gaming reached 130 Watts. The CPU only exceeds 200 Watts when tackling highly threaded workloads like CineBench or V-RAY.
Now, let’s turn our attention to operating temperatures. The Core i7-14700K demonstrates that outside of heavily threaded workloads, temperatures rarely surpass 70 degrees. For instance, in Forza Horizon 5, the operating temperature typically hovers between 65 and 69 degrees. Even when the CPU is overclocked, the temperature only increased to 71 degrees, which remains reasonable. Our tests were conducted using a 360mm radiator AIO, but similar results should be achievable with a high-quality 240mm AIO or a premium air cooler. CineBench 2024 results represent extreme cases, so the high operating temperature should be considered a worst-case scenario.
Regarding overclocking, the Core i7-14700K is quite impressive. It can match the Core i9-14900K’s 6GHz clock frequency in lightly threaded workloads and achieve 5.5GHz for all core loads (4.3GHz for the E-Cores). While some better CPU samples might reach 5.6GHz, even at 5.5GHz, the performance is remarkable. It often outperforms the previous flagship Core i9-13900K at default settings. This isn’t always the case, but in workloads representative of most users, an overclocked Core i7-14700K tends to outperform the Core i9-13900K while staying well within acceptable power limits and temperatures.
In addition to clock speed improvements, Intel has introduced AI Assist and Intel Application Optimisation. AI Assist is a feature in Intel’s XTU (Extreme Tuning Utility) software designed to estimate stable overclocking settings.
AI Assist functions by characterizing the system through specially designed tests, establishing baseline performance and overclocking potential. Notably, this data is not captured from the current system but has already been pre-calculated using a substantial number of systems in Intel’s labs. These systems feature various combinations of motherboards, CPU coolers, memory, and CPUs. The AI is trained using the data from these systems, allowing for a reasonably accurate estimate of your system’s potential.
According to Intel, AI Assist is primarily aimed at novice overclockers. More experienced users will likely prefer to manually configure their systems to extract even greater performance from them.
Intel has introduced a second technology with this generation of CPUs called Intel Application Optimization (APO). In Intel’s own words, APO is a new software policy that offers a user interface for enabling or disabling optimizations for specific applications or the overall policy. Those experienced in extreme overclocking have likely used similar programs, allowing them to select benchmark tuning modes, such as AIDA64 memory scores, GeekBench, or other benchmarks. Intel’s APO functions similarly, albeit with different mechanisms compared to those used in other tuning programs. Instead, APO operates within Intel’s Dynamic Tuning Technology framework, dynamically optimizing thread scheduling in real time by managing application resources.
APO is application-specific and is currently functional in two titles: Rainbow 6 Siege and Metro Exodus. Although these titles are not the most recent, Intel has expressed its active collaboration with other developers to integrate their titles into this framework.
To use Intel’s Application Optimisation, you’ll need to enable Dynamic Tuning Technology on your motherboard and install the appropriate Windows driver. Please note that this feature is not yet available for all motherboards but should be a default feature on all refreshed Z790 boards. We will test the impact of Intel APO on application performance at a later date, but any effort to enhance CPU performance is undoubtedly appreciated.
The 14th Gen Core CPUs represent a swan song for the LGA 1700 socket and traditional monolithic die from Intel. While the performance improvements over the previous generation are relatively modest, the most significant boost in performance can be attributed to the Core i7-14700K, which we examined today. For those still using 12th Gen Core CPUs, upgrading to 14th Gen Core parts is worthwhile. However, if you already possess a 13th Gen Core CPU, the new offerings may not provide sufficient incentive for an upgrade. According to Intel’s own admission, performance gains are sometimes minimal or non-existent, particularly in GPU-bound scenarios in a gaming context.
Nonetheless, if you’re planning to build a system based on the Z790 chipset, now is likely the best time. The CPUs are operating at their peak performance, and DRAM support has most likely reached its pinnacle for this platform.
We eagerly anticipate the arrival of the next generation of tile-based Core CPUs. But, for the time being, the 14th Gen Core CPUs represent the best available for desktop PCs today.