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 i7-14700

2024

Why buy it

✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen AI Max 390.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen AI Max 390 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (40,934 vs 41,834).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (33 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $384 MSRP, while Ryzen AI Max 390 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌18.2% higher power demand at 65W vs 55W.

Ryzen AI Max 390

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +6.7% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+93.9% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 33 MB).
✅Draws 55W instead of 65W, a 10W reduction.
✅40% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i7-14700.

Core i7-14700

2024

Ryzen AI Max 390

2025

Why buy it

✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen AI Max 390.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +6.7% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+93.9% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 33 MB).
✅Draws 55W instead of 65W, a 10W reduction.
✅40% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen AI Max 390 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (40,934 vs 41,834).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (33 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $384 MSRP, while Ryzen AI Max 390 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌18.2% higher power demand at 65W vs 55W.

Trade-offs

❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i7-14700.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen AI Max 390 better than Core i7-14700?

Yes. Ryzen AI Max 390 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 6.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 2.2% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen AI Max 390 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 6.7% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen AI Max 390 is the better fit. You are getting 2.2% better PassMark, backed by 12 cores and 24 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 93.9% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 33 MB).

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

Ryzen AI Max 390 is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i7-14700 makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen AI Max 390 is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $384 MSRP, and it gives you a 6.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i7-14700 is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (106.6 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

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

Ryzen AI Max 390 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2024), 93.9% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 33 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 12 cores / 24 threads instead of 20/28. 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 i7-14700 Benchmark Check

Ryzen AI Max 390 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-14700	Ryzen AI Max 390
1080p
low	315 FPS	265 FPS
medium	307 FPS	241 FPS
high	244 FPS	205 FPS
ultra	204 FPS	178 FPS
1440p
low	273 FPS	252 FPS
medium	236 FPS	206 FPS
high	175 FPS	162 FPS
ultra	154 FPS	146 FPS
4K
low	187 FPS	175 FPS
medium	160 FPS	143 FPS
high	119 FPS	107 FPS
ultra	107 FPS	96 FPS

Open Core i7-14700 Open Ryzen AI Max 390

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-14700	Ryzen AI Max 390
1080p
low	350 FPS	671 FPS
medium	299 FPS	578 FPS
high	251 FPS	435 FPS
ultra	228 FPS	376 FPS
1440p
low	304 FPS	564 FPS
medium	270 FPS	503 FPS
high	229 FPS	392 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	312 FPS
4K
low	179 FPS	318 FPS
medium	163 FPS	288 FPS
high	155 FPS	255 FPS
ultra	136 FPS	219 FPS

Open Core i7-14700 Open Ryzen AI Max 390

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-14700	Ryzen AI Max 390
1080p
low	647 FPS	769 FPS
medium	529 FPS	602 FPS
high	466 FPS	526 FPS
ultra	404 FPS	442 FPS
1440p
low	590 FPS	668 FPS
medium	490 FPS	527 FPS
high	426 FPS	457 FPS
ultra	370 FPS	387 FPS
4K
low	433 FPS	478 FPS
medium	373 FPS	395 FPS
high	338 FPS	351 FPS
ultra	289 FPS	292 FPS

Open Core i7-14700 Open Ryzen AI Max 390

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-14700	Ryzen AI Max 390
1080p
low	924 FPS	1046 FPS
medium	841 FPS	953 FPS
high	725 FPS	833 FPS
ultra	651 FPS	751 FPS
1440p
low	778 FPS	838 FPS
medium	694 FPS	746 FPS
high	599 FPS	652 FPS
ultra	528 FPS	566 FPS
4K
low	549 FPS	616 FPS
medium	499 FPS	552 FPS
high	445 FPS	487 FPS
ultra	389 FPS	422 FPS

Open Core i7-14700 Open Ryzen AI Max 390

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-14700 and Ryzen AI Max 390

Core i7-14700

The Core i7-14700 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 8 January 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-R (2023−2025) 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: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 40,934 points. Launch price was $384.

Ryzen AI Max 390

The Ryzen AI Max 390 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Strix Halo (2025) architecture. It features 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: FP11. Thermal design power (TDP): 55 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 41,834 points. Launch price was $499.

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Processing Power

The Core i7-14700 packs 20 cores / 28 threads, while the Ryzen AI Max 390 offers 12 cores / 24 threads — the Core i7-14700 has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.4 GHz on the Core i7-14700 versus 5 GHz on the Ryzen AI Max 390 — a 7.7% clock advantage for the Core i7-14700 (base: 2.1 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Core i7-14700 uses the Raptor Lake-R (2023−2025) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen AI Max 390 uses Strix Halo (2025) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-14700 scores 40,934 against the Ryzen AI Max 390's 41,834 — a 2.2% lead for the Ryzen AI Max 390. L3 cache: 33 MB (total) on the Core i7-14700 vs 64 MB (total) on the Ryzen AI Max 390.

Feature	Core i7-14700	Ryzen AI Max 390
Cores / Threads	20 / 28+67%	12 / 24
Boost Clock	5.4 GHz+8%	5 GHz
Base Clock	2.1 GHz	3.2 GHz+52%
L3 Cache	33 MB (total)	64 MB (total)+94%
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)+100%	1 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	4 nm-43%
Architecture	Raptor Lake-R (2023−2025)	Strix Halo (2025)
PassMark	40,934	41,834+2%

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Memory & Platform

The Core i7-14700 uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen AI Max 390 uses FP11 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 5600 on the Core i7-14700 versus 8000 on the Ryzen AI Max 390 — the Ryzen AI Max 390 supports 35.3% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i7-14700 supports up to 192 of RAM compared to 128 — 40% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i7-14700) vs 4 (Ryzen AI Max 390). PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i7-14700) vs 28 (Ryzen AI Max 390) — the Ryzen AI Max 390 offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Z790,B760 (Core i7-14700) and Strix Halo (Ryzen AI Max 390).

Feature	Core i7-14700	Ryzen AI Max 390
Socket	LGA1700	FP11
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	5600	8000+43%
Max RAM Capacity	192+50%	128
RAM Channels	2	4+100%
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	28+40%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen AI Max 390 has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Ryzen AI Max 390 supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-14700) vs VT-x, VT-d, AMD-V (Ryzen AI Max 390). Both include integrated graphics — Intel UHD Graphics 770 (Core i7-14700) and AMD Radeon 8050S (Ryzen AI Max 390) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Core i7-14700 rivals Ryzen 7 7700; Ryzen AI Max 390 rivals Apple M4 Max.

Feature	Core i7-14700	Ryzen AI Max 390
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	Intel UHD Graphics 770	AMD Radeon 8050S
Unlocked	No	Yes
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d, AMD-V

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-14700 launched at $384 MSRP, while the Ryzen AI Max 390 debuted at $0. On MSRP ($384 vs $0), the Ryzen AI Max 390 is $384 cheaper.