Intel’s 14th Gen processors are (mostly) identical to their 13th Gen counterparts, offering nominal clock boosts to avoid reprinting the same specs sheet. Meanwhile, the Ryzen 7000X3D family features the 2nd Gen 3D V-Cache technology to stack a 7nm cache die atop the 5nm Zen 4 CCDs. While overclocking is still missing, the operating clocks have gotten lofty upgrades across the board. In this comparison, we’ll test the 14th Gen Core i7-14700K against AMD’s Ryzen 7 7800X3D to try and decide the better gaming CPU.
The Ryzen 7 7800X3D features eight Zen 4 cores, capable of a 5GHz boost clock. It is backed by 96MB of L3 cache (32MB + 64MB) and has a TDP of 120W. The Core i7-14700K consists of 8 P-cores and 12 E-cores, with a boost clock of 5.6GHz and 4.3GHz, respectively. It packs 33MB of shared L3 cache and a base TDP of 125W. When reporting, the 7800X3D was priced at $369, while the 14700K sat just under $400.
CPU Name
P-Core Count
E-Core Count
Threads
1T P-Core Boost
1T E-Core Boost
L3 Cache
TDP
Price
Intel Core i9-13900K
8
16
32
5.8 GHz
4.7 GHz
36 MB
125W
$518
AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D
8
16
5GHz
96 MB
120W
$369
Intel Core i7-14700K
8
12
28
5.6GHz
4.3GHz
33 MB
125W
$399
Intel Core i7-13700K
8
8
24
5.4 GHz
4.3 GHz
30 MB
125W
$335
Test Bench
Motherboard: ASUS ROG Z790 Maximus Hero/X670E Maximus Hero.
Cooler: Lian Li Galahad 360
Memory: 16GB x2 6000MT/s CL30.
GPU: NVIDIA RTX 4090 Founders Edition.
Power Supply: Corsair RM1000E.
Test Methodology
We tested the two CPUs across ten titles at 720p (ultra-quality preset) to minimize GPU bottlenecks. The CPU workload generally remains unchanged with resolution, unlike its GPU counterpart. The average frame rate and the 1% lows identify the average and weak points in the CPU performance.
Intel Core i7-14700K vs Ryzen 7 7800X3D: Gaming Performance
The AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D comfortably beats the Core i7-14700K in 7 out of 10 games. On average, the 7800X3D is 17% faster than the 14700K, drawing less than a third of the power as its rival. The AMD chip delivers markedly better performance per watt and performance per dollar.
CPU
Intel Core i7-14700K
AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D (+17% faster)
Average Framerate
229.7 FPS
269.1 FPS
Average Power
175W
52W
Performance Per Watt
1.31 FPS/W
5.18 FPS/W
Performance Per $
0.58 FPS/$
0.73 FPS/$
A Plague Tale: Requiem
CPU
14700K
7800X3D
Average
203.4 FPS
185.8 FPS
1% Lows
158.7 FPS
131.1 FPS
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
CPU
14700K
7800X3D
Average
223.9 FPS
238.6 FPS
1% Lows
160.4 FPS
162.3 FPS
Cyberpunk 2077
CPU
14700K
7800X3D
Average
197.8 FPS
174.2 FPS
1% Lows
132.9 FPS
94.6 FPS
Dying Light 2
CPU
14700K
7800X3D
Average
286.1 FPS
297.3 FPS
1% Lows
184.2 FPS
239.6 FPS
F1 2022
CPU
14700K
7800X3D
Average
290.1 FPS
343.1 FPS
1% Lows
217.1 FPS
257.2 FPS
Most games are under 10% faster on the Ryzen 7 7800X3D, with AMD favored titles like F1 and Shadow of the Tomb Raider running 20-25% better than on the Core i7-14700K. However, Hogwarts Legacy and Hitman 3 average over 70% higher on the 7800X3D, shifting the balance.
Ghostwire Tokyo
CPU
14700K
7800X3D
Average
217.6 FPS
231.1 FPS
1% Lows
99.8 FPS
88.9 FPS
Hitman 3
CPU
14700K
7800X3D
Average
224.3 FPS
395.9 FPS
1% Lows
108.6 FPS
139.1 FPS
Hogwarts Legacy
CPU
14700K
7800X3D
Average
141.3 FPS
247.3 FPS
1% Lows
93.7 FPS
186.7 FPS
Shadow of the Tomb Raider
CPU
14700K
7800X3D
Average
294.2 FPS
370.8 FPS
1% Lows
185.7 FPS
195.1 FPS
The Callisto Protocol
CPU
14700K
7800X3D
Average
218.1 FPS
207.2 FPS
1% Lows
118.4 FPS
117.5 FPS
The Ryzen 7 7800X3D easily wins this segment, beating the Core i7-14700K in seven out of ten titles. Cyberpunk 2077 and “The Callisto Protocol” are the latter’s only two wins with double-digit advantages.
Processors, PC gaming, and the past. I have written about computer hardware for over seven years with over 5000 published articles. I started during engineering college and haven't stopped since. On the side, I play RPGs like Baldur's Gate, Dragon Age, Mass Effect, Divinity, and Fallout. Contact: areejs12@hardwaretimes.com.
