The flagship Intel Core i9-14900K has 24 Cores/32 Threads, reaching a Turbo clock frequency of up to 6 GHz.
The new processors maintain compatibility with Intel 600 and 700 series chipsets, requiring only a BIOS update.
The Intel 14th Gen processors will be available for sale on 17th October 2023.
Intel has launched the new Intel 14th Gen Core desktop processor (codenamed Meteor Lake) family with six new processors. The flagship of the new processor family is the Intel Core i9-14900K with 24 Cores / 32 Threads and a clock frequency that goes up to 6 GHz out of the box. The Intel 14th Gen will continue to leverage the hybrid architecture that Intel debuted with the 12th Gen Alder Lake processors. The new processor family will maintain compatibility with the existing Intel 600 and 700 series chipset-based motherboards so all you’ll need is a BIOS update after which these new processors become drop-in upgrades.
“Since the introduction of our performance hybrid architecture, Intel has consistently raised the bar for desktop performance. With our Intel Core 14th Generation processors, we’re showing once again why enthusiasts turn to Intel for the best desktop experience available on the market today.”, said Roger Chandler, Intel vice president and general manager, Enthusiast PC and Workstation, Client Computing Group.
Intel 14th Gen processor family
The initial SKU list comprises six processors with two Core i5, two Core i7 and two Core i9 processors. The Core i9-14900K is accompanied by the Intel Core i9-14900KF which is also unlocked but comes without an integrated GPU. It has eight P-Cores and sixteen E-Cores, 36 MB of L3 Cache and 32 MB of L2 cache. The P-Cores go up to 5.6 GHz Turbo frequency whereas the E-Cores can hit up to 4.4 GHz Turbo frequency. The 14900K and 14900KF share the exact same specifications except for the presence of the integrated GPU.
Similarly, the Core i7 segment has two processors – the Intel Core i7-14700K and Core i7-14700KF. Both have eight P-Cores and twelve E-Cores and the P-Cores can hit a maximum of 5.5 GHz Turbo frequency whereas the E-Cores can hit a maximum of 4.3 GHz Turbo frequency.
For the Intel Core i5-14600K and Core i5-14600KF, we see six P-Cores and eight E-Cores. The Turbo frequencies for P-Cores and E-Cores go up to a maximum of 5.3 GHz and 4.0 GHz, respectively.
The iGPU or integrated GPU on the Intel 14th Gen Core processors are the same Intel UHD Graphics 770 as we’d seen on the Intel 13th Gen Core processors. Lastly, as we’ve started previously, the new 14th Gen Meteor lake processors will use the same LGA1700 socket as 12th Gen and 13th Gen.
Meteor Lake Performance
If we’re talking Intel 14th Gen vs 13th Gen, then Intel claims to have achieved significant performance gains across 14th Gen compared to 13th Gen and 12th Gen. In the graph shared by Intel below, they show the Intel Core i7-14700K having a 63 per cent bump in performance in Adobe After Effects compared to the 12th Gen Core i7-12700K processor. In the same test, the 13th Gen Core i7-13700K is shown to have scored 41 per cent above the 12th Gen Core i7-12700K. If we are to normalise and take the 13th Gen Core i7-13700K as the reference then the Core i7-14700K would have a 15.6 per cent performance bump over the 13th Gen Core i7-13700K.
Intel Application Performance Optimization
One of the contributors to Intel Meteor Lake’s performance bump is a new policy addition to Intel Dynamic Tuning Technology framework called Intel Application Performance Optimization (APO). It is only supported on select Intel 14th Gen desktop processors and also has a lot of optimisations focused on gaming applications. Intel APO does not replace Intel Thread Director but works alongside it to give gamers a bump in performance in certain video games.
Intel stated double-digit performance improvements in games such as Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Siege and Metro Exodus.
Intel 14th Gen Price
Official prices for India are not yet out. If we are to convert the official US prices then the Intel Core i9-14900K might be priced at approximately INR 57,869 with GST factored in. The Intel 13th Gen Core i9-13900K also featured the same price tag so the rumours around higher pricing stands refuted.
Overclocking support
There are several updates on the overclocking side of things as well. An AI model trained by Intel can be leveraged to improve the overclocking capabilities of your processor. Also, Foundation Toolkit, a third-party software based on Intel Extreme Tuning Utiility SDK with significant improvements was also showcased by Intel to help PC builders get more from the processors.
Intel 14th Gen Release Date
The new Intel 14th Gen Meteor Lake processors will be available for sale starting tomorrow i.e. 17th October 2023. We’ve already started seeing listings for pre-built systems from major OEMs featuring the new 14th Gen processors online.
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Mithun Mohandas
Mithun Mohandas is an Indian technology journalist with 10 years of experience covering consumer technology. He is currently employed at Digit in the capacity of a Managing Editor. Mithun has a background in Computer Engineering and was an active member of the IEEE during his college days. He has a penchant for digging deep into unravelling what makes a device tick. If there's a transistor in it, Mithun's probably going to rip it apart till he finds it. At Digit, he covers processors, graphics cards, storage media, displays and networking devices aside from anything developer related. As an avid PC gamer, he prefers RTS and FPS titles, and can be quite competitive in a race to the finish line. He only gets consoles for the exclusives. He can be seen playing Valorant, World of Tanks, HITMAN and the occasional Age of Empires or being the voice behind hundreds of Digit videos. View Full Profile
