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Ryzen 5 9600X vs Intel Core i5 14600K: Which Is the Better CPU?

By / Tech / September 30, 2025

Ryzen 5 9600X meets Core i5 14600K. Discover which one is superior in gaming, benchmarks, and multithreading.

AMD Ryzen 5 9600X vs Intel Core i5-14400: Which Is the Better CPU?
Ryzen 5 9600X and 14600K Processors (Image via Intel | AMD)

The 14600K is an incredible value and often convinces new budget buyers to invest in this platform. The CPU is easily capable of sustaining prolonged usage, as its computing power is ample. However, the Ryzen 5 9600X is one of the fastest six-core processors available. With the Zen 5 architecture, it’s incredibly efficient and offers tremendous compute power. Below, we compare the two and draw a conclusion on which one to choose.

Read More: Intel Core i3 14100 vs AMD Ryzen 3 8300G: Which Is the Better CPU?

Ryzen 5 9600X vs Intel Core i5 14600K: Detailed Comparison

Specs Comparison

An image of AMD Ryzen 5 9600X CPU
Ryzen 5 9600X (Image via AMD)

Here are the specs of Ryzen 5 9600X and Core i5 14600K:

SpecificationsRyzen 5 9600XIntel Core i5 14600K
ArchitectureZen 5Raptor Lake Refresh
Core/Thread count6/1214 (6P + 8E)/20
Max clock speed5.4 GHz5.3 GHz
L3 cache32 MB24 MB
RAM supportDDR5-5600DDR5-5600 (DDR4-3200 compatible)
PCIe Gen supportGen 5Gen 5
Platform SocketAM5LGA 1700
Thermal design power (TDP)65W-105W125-181W
Manufacturing nodes4nm10nm

In terms of physical core counts, Intel has an advantage; however, in terms of IPC and overall experience, Ryzen has the edge. Intel CPUs, particularly the K-series models, scale incredibly well on a Z-series motherboard.

However, the 9600X will technically perform the same on either B or X series boards, and the out-of-the-box experience will be significantly better. For example, 14600K requires the Ring/LLC clock to be maximized, which is only possible on a Z-series board. 

On the other hand, 9600X’s performance is excellent out of the box and requires no tuning. You have the option to drop in a PBO or a curve optimizer, which can significantly increase performance. On Intel, you would require knowledge of tuning and configuring cache/ring LCC, and possibly using Process Lasso in Windows to refine Intel’s thread director.

Synthetic Performance Comparison

The Zen 5 CPU microarchitecture has faster cores than the Raptor Lake, as indicated by its single-core scores. However, due to the advantage in core count, the 14600K wins in multi-threaded benchmarks. If you disable e-cores on the 14600K, the multicore performance will be identical to or lower than that of the 9600X. 

BenchmarkAMD Ryzen 5 9600XIntel Core I5 14600K
Cinebench R23 Single-Core21542072
Cinebench R23 Multi-Core1744725720
Geekbench 6 Single-Core33342804
Geekbench 6 Multi-Core1503117974

Gaming Performance Comparison

An image of Intel Core i5-14600K CPU
Core i5 14600K (Image via Intel)

The data is sourced from Hardware Tested’s YouTube channel, where the person conducted the tests using all the mentioned games at a low preset, with a DDR5 6000T/s Dual Channel Memory kit and the RTX 4090 at 1080p.

GamesAMD Ryzen 5 9600XIntel Core i5 14600K
CS:2697 FPS624 FPS
War Thunder294 FPS385 FPS
Witcher 3: Wild Hunt 306 FPS292 FPS
RUST168 FPS186 FPS
Minecraft610 FPS632 FPS
Forza Horizon 5274 FPS283 FPS

The tests here show how capable both CPUs are. If you are looking for a CPU to pair with an RTX 5080 or an equivalent GPU, either will work fine. Both platforms, with a suitable motherboard, can be further tuned to extract even more performance, whether for Intel or AMD. Whichever side you pick, they will be highly capable. Gaming performance-wise, both the CPUs trade blows with each other, and there is no particular answer that is stronger.

Price Comparison

The 9600X currently retails at Newegg.com for $219, and the 14600K for $209. Pricing information is accurate as of September 30 and is subject to change without notice.

Final Verdict on Ryzen 5 9600X vs Intel Core i5 14600K

If you are looking for a mid-range gaming PC with a capable CPU, then spending more on the Ryzen makes more sense. The LGA 1700 socket has reached its end-of-life, and spending more on this platform will basically lock you out of upgrades. Socket AM5 is here to stay, and many more CPUs are on the way that your existing AMD AM5 motherboard will support.

Raptor Lake’s e-cores are more applicable and stronger in multi-threaded tasks, but are less efficient. If you are seriously out of options and want a core-heavy CPU, then only get the 14600K. Otherwise, the 9600X wins as an overall better CPU.

Read More: AMD Ryzen 7 8700G vs Ryzen 5 8600G: Which Is the Better CPU?

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