Intel Core i9-14900K

[Tomgang]

The problem with both amd with Zen 4 and intel with there latest 2 or 3 gens. They are pushing there cpu way beyond there efficiency curve.

You can se that with the extreme heat and power consumption. Both Zen 4 and intels chips runs hot because of that.

I am glad i jumped on Zen 3. Sure not the fastest any more. But Zen 3 use significantly less power than Zen 4 and specially intel 13/14 gen chips.
5950X you can easily get away with a good aircooler (noctua nh-d15 Stock 60 c full load Stock 141 watts and with pbo on 78 C with full load use 200 watts) while a 7950X seems to need at least a 360 mm aio to avoid Thermal throttle with a Stock power consumption of 230 watts and more with pbo. Now for 14900K at Stock up to over 300 watt and 400 watt with out power limits. For 14 gen it seems that you need a custom water loop to have any chance of keeping heat in check. 360 mm aio dosent cut it.

Said with other words. Modern cpus with k or x in there model designation. Runs so out of there efficiency curve for what? A few procent performance lift. High core boost clock come at a cost...

 

[rbgc]

Big plus is release date in October because winter is around the corner.

 

[Tomgang]

Big plus is release date in October because winter is around the corner.

Sure. Good heat, but comes with a price...

 

[Godrilla]

Why is this even launching? Waste of silicon.

It's a mind game. If you have the inferior product in terms of efficiency or performance you just release a higher nomenclature number to perceive that its superior than previous generation for the brand loyalists, naive consumers and the such. This is to keep the price stack from collapsing imo. Zen 4 3d is probably a big headache especially with the price fall of the 7800X3D at $329.99.
Update Price went back up to $349.99.

 

[sLowEnd]

The multithreaded load power consumption is quite a bit more reasonable than the 13900KS, at least. Intel has gotten quite good at binning it seems.

 

[dick_cheney]

But it loses in gaming to x3d chips more often then not. Especially in 1% lows.

That's my point lol

 

[Ravenas]

Thanks for the review W1z.

11% increase in average FPS at 4K over my 7950X while picking up a 61% increase in average power usage. Good God wow what a train wreck how is this an editor's choice. This is same thing Intel has been doing for the past 5 years (or longer if we look back at the +++++++ days where no competition was present from AMD fabs), but somehow power usage isn't a con in this day and age. I'm not downplaying innovative solutions that they have developed in terms of E cores.

On the same token, a 4090 versus a 7900 xtx... On the 4090 I would obtain 23% greater FPS on average over my 7900 XTX, at a cost of 15% increased average power.

It makes sense with the 4090, my frames are outweighing my power by 8%. With Intel I'm getting outweighed by 50% in power gains. How is Intel even considered at this point...

Intel literally hasn't been held accountable by Tech Enthusiasts for the last 5 years, and receives this free pass for gross power consumption for good single core performance. Do the same thing, but consume as much power as the 7800 X3D and I'm impressed. The only group that has held Intel accountable for this mess is the consumer and industry, Intel is between ~10% - 12% of worldwide market now versus TSMC. The real test is what they do with all of this SUBSIDIZED money that the Biden administration just provided them, in the future.

 

[mechtech]

Great for people living in Canada...

nah

natural gas is cheaper for heating...............at least in ontario

 

[ymdhis]

Good God wow what a train wreck how is this a editor's choice.

I'm gonna say because free review sample. It wasn't too long ago that "AMD is not sending use free review samples" was front page news after all. And every friday night you have a Best Deals on Microsoft Office promo article staying for the duration of the weekend.

 

[Daven]

Last time that happened, CPUs lasted for a decade and software had to be optimized to make do with what was available.

You know, that's not all that bad sounding.

But the motherboards didn’t last a decade and there was no apparent reason the sockets had to keep changing.

 

[lexluthermiester]

you cannot tell me you actually took the time to read a review posted 4 minutes ago....

Speed reading is a thing..

 

[Mistral]

It's reassuring to see that I'm not the only one who thinks the "Editor's Choice" award is handed out too easily.

Yes, the 14900k is an amazing CPU if price positioning, heat and power consumption are not a factor...

 

[Garrus]

"editor's choice" this review is embarrassing for Techpowerup again

 

[Dr. Dro]

Thanks for the review W1z.

11% increase in average FPS at 4K over my 7950X while picking up a 61% increase in average power usage. Good God wow what a train wreck how is this an editor's choice. This is same thing Intel has been doing for the past 5 years (or longer if we look back at the +++++++ days where no competition was present from AMD fabs), but somehow power usage isn't a con in this day and age. I'm not downplaying innovative solutions that they have developed in terms of E cores.

On the same token, a 4090 versus a 7900 xtx... On the 4090 I would obtain 23% greater FPS on average over my 7900 XTX, at a cost of 15% increased average power.

It makes sense with the 4090, my frames are outweighing my power by 8%. With Intel I'm getting outweighed by 50% in power gains. How is Intel even considered at this point...

Intel literally hasn't been held accountable by Tech Enthusiasts for the last 5 years, and receives this free pass for gross power consumption for good single core performance. Do the same thing, but consume as much power as the 7800 X3D and I'm impressed. The only group that has held Intel accountable for this mess is the consumer and industry, Intel is between ~10% - 12% of worldwide market now versus TSMC. The real test is what they do with all of this SUBSIDIZED money that the Biden administration just provided them, in the future.

It's a fun chip. It brings the 13900KS's fun to more people at a lower price, I suppose. But it has the same problems and they are actually aggravated due to looser binning and the stock power clamp. In essence, this CPU is like a muscle car, it is very powerful but it's insanely inefficient when compared to Zen 4.

Between you and me, Intel should be ashamed of releasing this trash as a full generation - notice my harsh words are specifically targeted at it being trash as a next-gen chip... this doesn't have as much as a minor stepping compared to the 13900K people bought a year ago. This simply isn't a next-gen CPU and has no right to be called one. 13950K at best. It is not a bad product, however, it is a bad launch and not even a reheat of the 13th gen - it's straight up leftovers.

But Intel investors would be deeply upset otherwise so you have them putting up this farce. Was looking at the Intel Insiders discord just now and they had like 30 people looking at their launch event talk. I didn't even bother to connect, just dropped a line on the general channel defending TPU test methodology that some fans were upset with and another on the hardware channel saying that I'd like them to enable APO for us i9-13900KS owners. We deserve as much, not only because we bought, you know, a special edition chip, but because when push comes to shove the 13900KS is a better processor than the 14900K anyway (due to binning).

 

[ratirt]

Oh my. I did not expect much from the 14th gen but after what has been shown, it is hard to call it next gen. It literally gives no improvement but instead, makes it a furnace. 13900k was not considered cool chip but this one beats all expectations in power consumption and temps. Why would Intel release something like this as 14th gen? It could have been a refresh of a 13th gen with some crazy numbers and still it would have been received with a sour smirk at least.

 

[fevgatos]

11% increase in average FPS at 4K over my 7950X while picking up a 61% increase in average power usage. Good God wow what a train wreck how is this an editor's choice.

In order to understand why it god an editor's choice, try to increase your 7950x's FPS by 11% and see how much power increases. Performance and power draw aren't linear

 

[Tek-Check]

We used to complain that generational uplift in Skylake era was minimal.
But this? No meaningful uplift in performance, no better iGPU, no new chipset.
Kaby Lake at least introduced UHD 600 graphics for 4K media and new, more capable chipset.
With 14th Gen, Intel did not even put basic effort to bring new features, apart from discrete WiFi 7 module.

 

[BoggledBeagle]

The problem with both amd with Zen 4 and intel with there latest 2 or 3 gens. They are pushing there cpu way beyond there efficiency curve.

You can se that with the extreme heat and power consumption. Both Zen 4 and intels chips runs hot because of that.
....

There are very nice efficient chips hiding in each of these fire breathing monsters. You just need to limit them to sane frequencies and power draw.

I have a 13600K now, which is limited already pretty well from the factory to 5100 MHz and it draws max. 160 - 170W, if I remember correctly. I have an air cooler on it. It is still a reasonable product out of the factory.

 

[gridracedriver]

A real portable oven!
Congratulations Intel

 

[BoggledBeagle]

We used to complain that generational uplift in Skylake era was minimal.
But this? No meaningful uplift in performance, no better iGPU, no new chipset.

Keep in mind that these are extremely complex products at the cutting edge of the knowledge of a humankind. There is only so much progress that can be done.

Depending on the circumstances in development and manufacturing, there is no wonder that one year a company has nothing really new to offer. This "14th gen" is a PR stunt, nothing more.

I personally believe that expecting new CPUs each year is dumb and making a new CPU a year actually wastes a lot of resources. Two or three year cadence seems much more reasonable to me. You would get nice performance improvements in this more reasonable cadence too.

 

[TechHalp]

I can not remember a CPU generation that has ever had such little gains. Has there ever been a less impressive uplift before?

 

[arni-gx]

so, today is the end of era for using 2x12cm air cooler HSF for this cpu i9 14900k ??

 

[Tomgang]

There are very nice efficient chips hiding in each of these fire breathing monsters. You just need to limit them to sane frequencies and power draw.

I have a 13600K now, which is limited already pretty well from the factory to 5100 MHz and it draws max. 160 - 170W, if I remember correctly. I have an air cooler on it. It is still a reasonable product out of the factory.

I am aware that under volting/lower power limits can make them more efficient.

But that goes for all cpu's and gpus for that matter.

But it dosent change the fact that intel and amd Stock run these cpus way out of there efficiency curve and it is not all that have the knowledge to limit power or lower voltage. So i still see it as a problem, Specielly for those less knowledge of it or Dont know example bios settings or maybe are afraid of changing things because they are afraid of damage the cpu in the process.

 

[mahirzukic2]

Needs more cores!!

Needs more cowbells.

 

[Hyrel]

Possibly the most puzzling "Editor's Choice" I've seen ever given on this website, this thing is just a slightly overclocked 13900k.