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 i7-14700HX

2024

Why buy it

✅+0.1% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 55W instead of 65W, a 10W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 9700X across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Ryzen 7 9700X

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +26.8% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (37,145 vs 37,173).
❌Launch MSRP is still $359 MSRP, while Core i7-14700HX mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌18.2% higher power demand at 65W vs 55W.

Core i7-14700HX

2024

Ryzen 7 9700X

2024

Why buy it

✅+0.1% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 55W instead of 65W, a 10W reduction.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +26.8% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 9700X across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (37,145 vs 37,173).
❌Launch MSRP is still $359 MSRP, while Core i7-14700HX mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌18.2% higher power demand at 65W vs 55W.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-14700HX better than Ryzen 7 9700X?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen 7 9700X is ahead with a 26.8% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-14700HX pulls ahead with 0.1% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-14700HX is the better fit. You are getting 0.1% better PassMark, backed by 20 cores and 28 threads.

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

Core i7-14700HX is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 7 9700X makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i7-14700HX is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $359 MSRP, and it gives you 0.1% better PassMark. The trade-off is that Ryzen 7 9700X is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 26.8% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 7 9700X is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (103.5 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

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

Core i7-14700HX is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting more multi-core headroom with 20 cores / 28 threads instead of 8/16. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

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 i7-14700HX Benchmark Check

Ryzen 7 9700X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-14700HX	Ryzen 7 9700X
1080p
low	315 FPS	265 FPS
medium	307 FPS	245 FPS
high	244 FPS	209 FPS
ultra	204 FPS	179 FPS
1440p
low	273 FPS	226 FPS
medium	236 FPS	188 FPS
high	175 FPS	154 FPS
ultra	154 FPS	135 FPS
4K
low	187 FPS	157 FPS
medium	160 FPS	131 FPS
high	119 FPS	101 FPS
ultra	107 FPS	87 FPS

Open Core i7-14700HX Open Ryzen 7 9700X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-14700HX	Ryzen 7 9700X
1080p
low	349 FPS	639 FPS
medium	299 FPS	526 FPS
high	251 FPS	436 FPS
ultra	228 FPS	392 FPS
1440p
low	303 FPS	545 FPS
medium	270 FPS	470 FPS
high	229 FPS	395 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	337 FPS
4K
low	179 FPS	319 FPS
medium	163 FPS	281 FPS
high	155 FPS	265 FPS
ultra	136 FPS	232 FPS

Open Core i7-14700HX Open Ryzen 7 9700X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-14700HX	Ryzen 7 9700X
1080p
low	647 FPS	929 FPS
medium	529 FPS	744 FPS
high	466 FPS	650 FPS
ultra	404 FPS	558 FPS
1440p
low	590 FPS	736 FPS
medium	490 FPS	589 FPS
high	426 FPS	506 FPS
ultra	370 FPS	431 FPS
4K
low	433 FPS	508 FPS
medium	373 FPS	420 FPS
high	338 FPS	378 FPS
ultra	289 FPS	318 FPS

Open Core i7-14700HX Open Ryzen 7 9700X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-14700HX	Ryzen 7 9700X
1080p
low	924 FPS	929 FPS
medium	841 FPS	929 FPS
high	725 FPS	850 FPS
ultra	651 FPS	756 FPS
1440p
low	778 FPS	889 FPS
medium	694 FPS	773 FPS
high	599 FPS	678 FPS
ultra	528 FPS	584 FPS
4K
low	549 FPS	582 FPS
medium	499 FPS	517 FPS
high	445 FPS	466 FPS
ultra	389 FPS	405 FPS

Open Core i7-14700HX Open Ryzen 7 9700X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-14700HX and Ryzen 7 9700X

Core i7-14700HX

The Core i7-14700HX 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 20 cores and 28 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 5.4 GHz. L3 cache: 33 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1964. Thermal design power (TDP): 55 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 37,173 points. Launch price was $499.

Ryzen 7 9700X

The Ryzen 7 9700X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 8 August 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Granite Ridge (2024−2025) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.8 GHz, with boost up to 5.5 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: AM5. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 37,145 points. Launch price was $359.

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Processing Power

The Core i7-14700HX packs 20 cores / 28 threads, while the Ryzen 7 9700X offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Core i7-14700HX has 12 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.4 GHz on the Core i7-14700HX versus 5.5 GHz on the Ryzen 7 9700X — a 1.8% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 9700X (base: 2.1 GHz vs 3.8 GHz). The Core i7-14700HX uses the Raptor Lake-HX Refresh (2024) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen 7 9700X uses Granite Ridge (2024−2025) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-14700HX scores 37,173 against the Ryzen 7 9700X's 37,145 — a 0.1% lead for the Core i7-14700HX. L3 cache: 33 MB (total) on the Core i7-14700HX vs 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 9700X.

Feature	Core i7-14700HX	Ryzen 7 9700X
Cores / Threads	20 / 28+150%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	5.4 GHz	5.5 GHz+2%
Base Clock	2.1 GHz	3.8 GHz+81%
L3 Cache	33 MB (total)+3%	32 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)	Granite Ridge (2024−2025)
PassMark	37,173	37,145
Geekbench 6 Single	2,871	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	17,358	—

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Memory & Platform

The Core i7-14700HX uses the FCBGA1964 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 7 9700X uses AM5 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-5600 on the Core i7-14700HX versus 5600 on the Ryzen 7 9700X — the Ryzen 7 9700X supports 199.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Ryzen 7 9700X supports up to 256 of RAM compared to 192 GB — 28.6% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i7-14700HX) vs 24 (Ryzen 7 9700X) — the Ryzen 7 9700X offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Mobile (Core i7-14700HX) and X870E,X670E,B650 (Ryzen 7 9700X).

Feature	Core i7-14700HX	Ryzen 7 9700X
Socket	FCBGA1964	AM5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-5600	5600+111900%
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB+78643100%	256
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	24+20%

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Both support AVX-512 instructions, benefiting scientific computing, AI inference, and encryption workloads. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-14700HX) vs VT-x, VT-d, AMD-V (Ryzen 7 9700X). Both include integrated graphics — UHD Graphics (Core i7-14700HX) and AMD Radeon Graphics (2-core) (Ryzen 7 9700X) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Ryzen 7 9700X rivals Core i7-14700K.