Intel Core i9-14900KS

[W1zzard]

The Intel Core i9-14900KS reaches impressive clock frequencies up to 6.2 GHz, which yields remarkable performance in applications and gaming. However, this comes at the cost of serious power consumption, especially if you go beyond stock, where we saw over 500 W during testing.

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[W1zzard]

Video summary of the review:

 

[usiname]

Holy $hit

 

[theouto]

I remember someone in techpowerup saying that the 14900KS would be the most efficient processor in the market.*

On topic, great review! And sheesh, that power draw, it's uuhh, it's one hell of a thing, isn't it?


*Do note that I may be misremembering things.

 

[dgianstefani]

Nice swansong for monolithic.

I remember someone in techpowerup saying that the 14900KS would be the most efficient processor in the market.*

On topic, great review! And sheesh, that power draw, it's uuhh, it's one hell of a thing, isn't it?


*Do note that I may be misremembering things.

That was referencing when tuned.

https://www.techpowerup.com/review/...ke-tested-at-power-limits-down-to-35-w/8.html TPU testing shows tuned 14900K indeed being the most efficient. Note this is a simple tune, power limit only. More involved tuning together with a per core overclock and specified voltages will offer good frequencies and in many cases better than stock performance, while also improving efficiency.

 

[BoggledBeagle]

I remember someone in techpowerup saying that the 14900KS would be the most efficient processor in the market.

Well I can tell you that if I limited KS to the same frequency as a K, KS would be running at lower voltage and would be consuming less power.

 

[Intervention]

Incredible how power efficient AMD has become. The 7800X3D uses ~50w and still outperforms the 14900KS in games, while using 1/4 the power consumption.

 

[dgianstefani]

Incredible how power efficient AMD has become. The 7800X3D uses ~50w and still outperforms the 14900KS in games, while using 1/8 the power consumption.

How is 50 W 1/8 of 160 W?

Min FPS is still better with 14900KS interestingly, I wonder why that is.

 

[Onasi]

I remember someone in techpowerup saying that the 14900KS would be the most efficient processor in the market.*

On topic, great review! And sheesh, that power draw, it's uuhh, it's one hell of a thing, isn't it?


*Do note that I may be misremembering things.

Oh, it will be.
Once you restrict and disable everything that makes it a KS.

 

[Chaitanya]

Irrespective of the hot garbage that Intel produces, giving full warranty coverage for delided chips is a step in right direction(even if its limited to OEM builds).

 

[Evrsr]

I don't understand why you would test the CPU at 115ºC, this is 15ºC over the max tjunction.

What is the point, breaking the CPU?

 

[GTB2]

Couldn't you get the same results by just overclocking a 14900k?

 

[Intervention]

How is 50 W 1/8 of 160 W?

Min FPS is still better with 14900KS interestingly, I wonder why that is.

Overclocked, the 14900KS will consume around 500w full load. True, in games its more like 1/3 the power consumption. And still the 7800X3D is miles faster. Amazing.

 

[W1zzard]

I don't understand why you would test the CPU at 115ºC, this is 15ºC over the max tjunction.

What is the point, breaking the CPU?

This is specifically for the temp tests on air, so I can get you actual numbers that you can put into perspective

Couldn't you get the same results by just overclocking a 14900k?

Definitely not on my 14900K sample, but you can get close of course. 14900K with 6.2 is ultra-rare

 

[GTB2]

This is specifically for the temp tests on air, so I can get you actual numbers that you can put into perspective


Definitely not on my 14900K sample, but you can get close of course

Isn't the 14900KS physically the same chip though?

 

[phints]

https://tpucdn.com/review/intel-core-i9-14900ks/images/efficiency-gaming.png

Congrats Intel, you have effectively made the worst CPU I've ever seen in my 20 years of hobby PC building. I didn't think there was any way to make such an unimaginably bad CPU in 2024 but you have done it.

Edit: okay I'm seeing at a 65W cap this CPU actually has decent efficiency (especially given the ancient Intel 7 lithography used), this is how it should come by default with OC available as an option. Oh well.

 

[W1zzard]

Isn't the 14900KS physically the same chip though?

Yeah these are all the same, but sorted differently at the factory. The same silicon die is used for like a dozen chips

 

[napata]

Nice swansong for monolithic.

View attachment 338997


That was referencing when tuned.

https://www.techpowerup.com/review/...ke-tested-at-power-limits-down-to-35-w/8.html TPU testing shows tuned 14900K indeed being the most efficient. Note this is a simple tune, power limit only. More involved tuning together with a per core overclock and specified voltages will offer good frequencies and in many cases better than stock performance, while also improving efficiency. View attachment 338998

This isn't really a fair comparison because the other CPUs aren't being limited. I know dual CCD Zen 4 drops off hard at very low wattages because of MCM but I think at 95W the 7950x would beat it in efficiency.

Min FPS is still better with 14900KS interestingly, I wonder why that is.

Most likely the memory subsystem on Intel is faster so better minimums as that's often the weakest link in games. If you plot a frametime graph Intel generally does better, but the difference isn't really that big. This isn't something new. A 11700k lost to a 5800x but at minimums it was mostly even or even in favor of Intel.

Overclocked, the 14900KS will consume around 500w full load. True, in games its more like 1/3 the power consumption. And still the 7800X3D is miles faster. Amazing.

5% is miles faster? I've seen hyperboles on the internet but this one is in the top 10.

 

[Denver]

500w @ 118° C ??? What the... Intel always breaking its own records! Congrats. I wonder what AMD is doing, not even server processors can achieve this feat. Well played intel.

 

[xSneak]

Is there any word on APO support expanding to include esports titles ? I didn't even know they had expanded it to 12 games now.
I wouldn't mind ditching my 7800x3d since i think i have a defective motherboard or something - it only boots in 1 out of 20 attempts.

 

[phanbuey]

I remember someone in techpowerup saying that the 14900KS would be the most efficient processor in the market.*

On topic, great review! And sheesh, that power draw, it's uuhh, it's one hell of a thing, isn't it?


*Do note that I may be misremembering things.

Maybe heavily undervolted to13600k performance...

If they could configure the chip to run an APO-like setup at all times that would have given a better performance increase than whatever this is.

The fact that the chip can live at 118C at stock and still be sold as a retail product is really something. I remember the P4 chips being hot monsters translated into core 2 duos being basically unkillable with e6300 clocking up to some monster clocks.

 

[AusWolf]

I don't think the power consumption and temperature pages leave room for any comment here.

 

[BorisDG]

Nice 1% uplift! Worths 100% the upgrade!

 

[kapone32]

Let me get this straight? You would only buy this for the performance. You would probably be using a 4090 with it but your 1000W PSU is no longer enough and actually validates that 2.5 K PSU we saw at CES. In what scenario can this be considered a good thing? We complain about GPU mining Power draw but now we have a CPU that can draw double the Power draw of a 6800XT GPU. Even the 160 Watts in Gaming will have your Cooler fans singing.

 

[BoggledBeagle]

You would only buy this for the performance.

No, you would get this for bragging rights or as a part of your hobby. People do horrible things as their hobbies anyway. This is relatively harmless.