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 i5-14450HX

2024

Why buy it

✅+1.1% higher PassMark.
✅+25% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 16 MB).
✅Newer platform on FCBGA1964 with DDR5 support instead of FP6 and DDR4.
✅25% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 5980HX across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Ryzen 9 5980HX

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +9.6% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (23,300 vs 23,557).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 20 MB).
❌Older platform position on FP6 with DDR4, while Core i5-14450HX moves to FCBGA1964 and DDR5.

Core i5-14450HX

2024

Ryzen 9 5980HX

2021

Why buy it

✅+1.1% higher PassMark.
✅+25% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 16 MB).
✅Newer platform on FCBGA1964 with DDR5 support instead of FP6 and DDR4.
✅25% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +9.6% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 5980HX across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (23,300 vs 23,557).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 20 MB).
❌Older platform position on FP6 with DDR4, while Core i5-14450HX moves to FCBGA1964 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-14450HX better than Ryzen 9 5980HX?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen 9 5980HX is ahead with a 9.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-14450HX pulls ahead with 1.1% better PassMark. Core i5-14450HX also has the bigger cache pool with 25% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 16 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-14450HX is the better fit. You are getting 1.1% better PassMark, backed by 10 cores and 16 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 25% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 16 MB).

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

Core i5-14450HX still looks like the safer overall buy. Core i5-14450HX is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you 1.1% better PassMark.

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

Core i5-14450HX is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2021), a healthier platform with FCBGA1964 and DDR5 instead of FP6, 25% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 16 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 10 cores / 16 threads instead of 8/16. That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

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 i5-14450HX Benchmark Check

Ryzen 9 5980HX Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-14450HX	Ryzen 9 5980HX
1080p
low	252 FPS	260 FPS
medium	242 FPS	239 FPS
high	202 FPS	201 FPS
ultra	173 FPS	170 FPS
1440p
low	218 FPS	231 FPS
medium	187 FPS	192 FPS
high	151 FPS	156 FPS
ultra	132 FPS	136 FPS
4K
low	151 FPS	159 FPS
medium	129 FPS	134 FPS
high	99 FPS	103 FPS
ultra	87 FPS	91 FPS

Open Core i5-14450HX Open Ryzen 9 5980HX

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-14450HX	Ryzen 9 5980HX
1080p
low	555 FPS	428 FPS
medium	470 FPS	356 FPS
high	393 FPS	308 FPS
ultra	361 FPS	273 FPS
1440p
low	457 FPS	357 FPS
medium	402 FPS	312 FPS
high	345 FPS	276 FPS
ultra	300 FPS	236 FPS
4K
low	279 FPS	245 FPS
medium	246 FPS	220 FPS
high	231 FPS	207 FPS
ultra	203 FPS	180 FPS

Open Core i5-14450HX Open Ryzen 9 5980HX

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-14450HX	Ryzen 9 5980HX
1080p
low	589 FPS	582 FPS
medium	526 FPS	582 FPS
high	466 FPS	576 FPS
ultra	404 FPS	472 FPS
1440p
low	588 FPS	582 FPS
medium	484 FPS	532 FPS
high	423 FPS	451 FPS
ultra	369 FPS	372 FPS
4K
low	433 FPS	456 FPS
medium	371 FPS	396 FPS
high	333 FPS	347 FPS
ultra	284 FPS	282 FPS

Open Core i5-14450HX Open Ryzen 9 5980HX

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-14450HX	Ryzen 9 5980HX
1080p
low	589 FPS	582 FPS
medium	589 FPS	582 FPS
high	589 FPS	582 FPS
ultra	589 FPS	582 FPS
1440p
low	589 FPS	582 FPS
medium	589 FPS	582 FPS
high	588 FPS	554 FPS
ultra	512 FPS	475 FPS
4K
low	531 FPS	511 FPS
medium	486 FPS	460 FPS
high	434 FPS	405 FPS
ultra	378 FPS	348 FPS

Open Core i5-14450HX Open Ryzen 9 5980HX

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-14450HX and Ryzen 9 5980HX

Core i5-14450HX

The Core i5-14450HX 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 10 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 20 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1964. Thermal design power (TDP): + 20 MB. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 23,557 points. Launch price was $299.

Ryzen 9 5980HX

The Ryzen 9 5980HX is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 12 January 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Cezanne-HX (Zen 3) (2021) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 23,300 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-14450HX packs 10 cores / 16 threads, while the Ryzen 9 5980HX offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Core i5-14450HX has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.8 GHz on the Core i5-14450HX versus 4.8 GHz on the Ryzen 9 5980HX — identical boost frequencies (base: 2.4 GHz vs 3.3 GHz). The Core i5-14450HX uses the Raptor Lake-HX Refresh (2024) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen 9 5980HX uses Cezanne-HX (Zen 3) (2021) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-14450HX scores 23,557 against the Ryzen 9 5980HX's 23,300 — a 1.1% lead for the Core i5-14450HX. L3 cache: 20 MB (total) on the Core i5-14450HX vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 9 5980HX.

Feature	Core i5-14450HX	Ryzen 9 5980HX
Cores / Threads	10 / 16+25%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	4.8 GHz	4.8 GHz
Base Clock	2.4 GHz	3.3 GHz+38%
L3 Cache	20 MB (total)+25%	16 MB (total)
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)+300%	512 kB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	7 nm
Architecture	Raptor Lake-HX Refresh (2024)	Cezanne-HX (Zen 3) (2021)
PassMark	23,557+1%	23,300

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Memory & Platform

The Core i5-14450HX uses the FCBGA1964 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 9 5980HX uses FP6 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-5600 on the Core i5-14450HX versus LPDDR4-4266 on the Ryzen 9 5980HX — the Core i5-14450HX supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i5-14450HX 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. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-14450HX) vs 16 (Ryzen 9 5980HX) — the Core i5-14450HX offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	Core i5-14450HX	Ryzen 9 5980HX
Socket	FCBGA1964	FP6
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+67%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-5600+25%	LPDDR4-4266
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB+200%	64 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	No
PCIe Lanes	20+25%	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Only the Core i5-14450HX supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-14450HX) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 9 5980HX). Both include integrated graphics — Intel UHD Graphics (Core i5-14450HX) and Radeon Graphics (8CU) (Ryzen 9 5980HX) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-14450HX targets Mobile, Ryzen 9 5980HX targets Mobile High-End.

Feature	Core i5-14450HX	Ryzen 9 5980HX
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	Intel UHD Graphics	Radeon Graphics (8CU)
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	Yes	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	AMD-V
Target Use	Mobile	Mobile High-End