PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Core i5-14500HX

2024

Why buy it

✅+0.2% higher PassMark.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 16 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 260 across 47 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Ryzen 7 260

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +20.1% higher average FPS across 47 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (28,339 vs 28,383).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 24 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $199 MSRP, while Core i5-14500HX mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Core i5-14500HX

2024

Ryzen 7 260

2025

Why buy it

✅+0.2% higher PassMark.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 16 MB).

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +20.1% higher average FPS across 47 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 260 across 47 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (28,339 vs 28,383).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 24 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $199 MSRP, while Core i5-14500HX mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 260 better than Core i5-14500HX?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen 7 260 is ahead with a 20.1% average FPS lead across 47 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-14500HX pulls ahead with 0.2% better PassMark. Core i5-14500HX also has the bigger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 16 MB).

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-14500HX is the better fit. You are getting 0.2% better PassMark, backed by 14 cores and 20 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 16 MB).

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Ryzen 7 260 is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 7 260 is at an unclear MSRP at $199 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 20.1% average FPS lead across 47 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Core i5-14500HX is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 0.2% better PassMark. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (142.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Ryzen 7 260 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2024). That makes it the safer long-term pick.

Games Benchmarks

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Core i5-14500HX Benchmark Check

Ryzen 7 260 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-14500HX	Ryzen 7 260
1080p
low	259 FPS	265 FPS
medium	249 FPS	240 FPS
high	207 FPS	202 FPS
ultra	177 FPS	174 FPS
1440p
low	221 FPS	234 FPS
medium	190 FPS	192 FPS
high	151 FPS	156 FPS
ultra	132 FPS	138 FPS
4K
low	152 FPS	162 FPS
medium	130 FPS	135 FPS
high	99 FPS	104 FPS
ultra	88 FPS	91 FPS

Open Core i5-14500HX Open Ryzen 7 260

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-14500HX	Ryzen 7 260
1080p
low	557 FPS	486 FPS
medium	472 FPS	399 FPS
high	400 FPS	341 FPS
ultra	369 FPS	304 FPS
1440p
low	458 FPS	424 FPS
medium	403 FPS	367 FPS
high	350 FPS	314 FPS
ultra	306 FPS	267 FPS
4K
low	281 FPS	280 FPS
medium	248 FPS	253 FPS
high	234 FPS	237 FPS
ultra	208 FPS	204 FPS

Open Core i5-14500HX Open Ryzen 7 260

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-14500HX	Ryzen 7 260
1080p
low	647 FPS	708 FPS
medium	527 FPS	708 FPS
high	466 FPS	708 FPS
ultra	404 FPS	623 FPS
1440p
low	590 FPS	708 FPS
medium	485 FPS	644 FPS
high	424 FPS	544 FPS
ultra	370 FPS	467 FPS
4K
low	433 FPS	540 FPS
medium	372 FPS	474 FPS
high	334 FPS	421 FPS
ultra	285 FPS	357 FPS

Open Core i5-14500HX Open Ryzen 7 260

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-14500HX	Ryzen 7 260
1080p
low	710 FPS	708 FPS
medium	710 FPS	708 FPS
high	707 FPS	708 FPS
ultra	628 FPS	708 FPS
1440p
low	710 FPS	708 FPS
medium	682 FPS	708 FPS
high	592 FPS	657 FPS
ultra	515 FPS	572 FPS
4K
low	539 FPS	574 FPS
medium	490 FPS	511 FPS
high	437 FPS	455 FPS
ultra	380 FPS	393 FPS

Open Core i5-14500HX Open Ryzen 7 260

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-14500HX and Ryzen 7 260

Core i5-14500HX

The Core i5-14500HX is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 8 January 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-HX Refresh (2024) architecture. It features 14 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.9 GHz. L3 cache: 24 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1964. Thermal design power (TDP): + 24 MB. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 28,383 points. Launch price was $299.

Ryzen 7 260

The Ryzen 7 260 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Hawk Point (2024−2025) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.8 GHz, with boost up to 5.1 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: FP8. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 28,339 points. Launch price was $299.

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Processing Power

The Core i5-14500HX packs 14 cores / 20 threads, while the Ryzen 7 260 offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Core i5-14500HX has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.9 GHz on the Core i5-14500HX versus 5.1 GHz on the Ryzen 7 260 — a 4% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 260 (base: 2.6 GHz vs 3.8 GHz). The Core i5-14500HX uses the Raptor Lake-HX Refresh (2024) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen 7 260 uses Hawk Point (2024−2025) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-14500HX scores 28,383 against the Ryzen 7 260's 28,339 — a 0.2% lead for the Core i5-14500HX. L3 cache: 24 MB (total) on the Core i5-14500HX vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 260.

Feature	Core i5-14500HX	Ryzen 7 260
Cores / Threads	14 / 20+75%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	4.9 GHz	5.1 GHz+4%
Base Clock	2.6 GHz	3.8 GHz+46%
L3 Cache	24 MB (total)+50%	16 MB (total)
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)+100%	1 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	4 nm-43%
Architecture	Raptor Lake-HX Refresh (2024)	Hawk Point (2024−2025)
PassMark	28,383	28,339
Geekbench 6 Single	2,409	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	13,150	—

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Memory & Platform

The Core i5-14500HX uses the FCBGA1964 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 7 260 uses FP8 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-5600 memory speed. The Core i5-14500HX supports up to 192 GB of RAM compared to 64 GB — 100% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 20 PCIe lanes.

Feature	Core i5-14500HX	Ryzen 7 260
Socket	FCBGA1964	FP8
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-5600	DDR5-5600
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB+200%	64 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	No
PCIe Lanes	20	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Core i5-14500HX has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Ryzen 7 260 supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-14500HX) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 7 260). Both include integrated graphics — Intel UHD Graphics (Core i5-14500HX) and Radeon 780M (Ryzen 7 260) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-14500HX targets Gaming Laptop, Ryzen 7 260 targets Mobile.