Intel’s 14th Gen Top Desktop CPUs: Core i9-14900F vs i9-14900KF vs i9-14900K vs i9-14900KS

May 16, 2024 – In October last year, Intel® released its 14th generation of desktop processors (CPUs), all based on the Raptor Lake Refresh architecture. Among the top-performing new CPUs were the Intel® Core i9-14900K and the Intel® Core i9-14900KF.

This year, Intel® released two new members of its Raptor Lake Refresh CPUs, the Intel® Core i9-14900F and the Intel® Core i9-14900KS, which join the above-mentioned CPUs among the most powerful processors that Intel® has to offer.

But what are the main differences between these four CPUs? Which one should you pick as the demanding gamer you are? We will break it down for you below.

Four powerful CPUs

All four of these processors perform very well in gaming tasks, but there are some small differences.

	Intel® Core™ i9-14900F	Intel® Core™ i9-14900KF	Intel® Core™ i9-14900K	Intel® Core™ i9-14900KS
Processor Cores (P-cores + E-cores)	24 (8P + 16E)	24 (8P + 16E)	24 (8P + 16E)	24 (8P + 16E)
Max Turbo Frequency [GHz]	Up to 5.8	Up to 6.0	Up to 6.0	Up to 6.2
Performance-core Max Turbo Frequency [GHz]	Up to 5.4	Up to 5.6	Up to 5.6	Up to 5.7
Efficient-core Max Turbo Frequency [GHz]	Up to 4.3	Up to 4.4	Up to 4.4	Up to 4.5
Integrated Graphics	No	No	Yes	Yes
Total Processor Threads	32	32	32	32
Max Memory Speed [MT/s]	DDR5-5600	DDR5-5600	DDR5-5600	DDR5-5600
Intel® Smart Cache (L3) Size	36 MB	36 MB	36 MB	36 MB
Total L2 Cache Size	32 MB	32 MB	32 MB	32 MB
Processor Base Power	65 W	125 W	125 W	150 W
Maximum Turbo Power	219 W	253 W	253 W	253 W

Intel® Core i9 desktop processors, comparison of main features (data from Intel.com [1], [2], [3], [4]). If unfamiliar with the terms, you can read more about performance cores, efficient cores, clock speed, threads, and cache size here.

As you can see from the summary table above, the F series processor has the lowest clock speeds (frequencies), but also the lowest power consumption. While KF and K series CPUs are almost the same, the difference is that the latter also comes with integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 770).

K and KS series CPUs are also almost identical, both include integrated graphics but the latter can achieve slightly higher clock speeds. Because of its higher clock speeds, the KS series CPU also has a higher base power consumption, which translates into higher temperatures and the need for a more efficient cooling system.

Performance

According to data from cpubenchmark.net, while the Intel® Core i9-14900F is still one of the best CPUs available for gaming, it isn’t the best deal in terms of performance vs price. In fact, it is outperformed (average CPU mark) by the older (13th gen) and cheaper Intel® Core i9-13900K and Intel® Core i9-13900KF, and even by the much cheaper Intel® Core i7-14700K.

Intel® Core i9-14900KF and Intel® Core i9-14900K both perform very well in terms of average CPU mark, even if only slightly better than their 13th gen predecessors.

The Intel® Core i9-14900KS comes out on top when compared to the F, K, and KF series CPUs, although the last two are not too far behind. Most notably, Its average CPU mark beats the flagship of the competition, the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D, even if only by a small margin.

Pricing

As of the date of this post, Intel’s recommended price ranges for the Intel® Core i9-14900F, Intel® Core i9-14900KF, Intel® Core i9-14900K, and Intel® Core i9-14900KS are $524.00-$554.00, $564.00-$574.00, $589.00-$599.00, and $689.00-$699.00, respectively.

Final Considerations

According to Intel.com, the Intel® Core i9-14900KS, delivering up to 6.2 GHz max turbo frequency, holds the title of the world’s fastest desktop processor and is ideal both for gamers and content creators.

However, it’s important to point out that the higher performance of the Intel® Core i9-14900KS depends on it being cooled efficiently. If you go over its thermal limit, you will be unable to squeeze out all that extra power.

So, if your budget allows it, and you can splurge on a top-notch cooling system such as AIO liquid cooling (read more about cooling systems here), then we would definitely recommend spending the extra money to buy an Intel® Core i9-14900KS.

The second-best choice would be the Intel® Core i9-14900K, thanks to its competitive performance and integrated graphics, absent in the Intel® Core i9-14900KF. But keep in mind that as shown by the people over at anandtech.com, despite its marginally lower clock speeds (we are talking only a 0.1-0.2 GHz difference) compared to the KS series CPU, the Intel® Core i9-14900K is still a fantastic option, only slightly outperformed by the Intel® Core i9-14900KS on single-threaded tests.

Regarding the Intel® Core i9-14900F, we don’t feel like recommending it at this point in time for its current price, mainly because of its relatively low performance compared to cheaper alternatives.