Core Ultra 5 245K vs Core i5-14600K: Which Is Better for Gaming?

Short answer: In Tom’s Hardware’s 17-game test with an RTX 5090 at 1080p, the Core i5-14600K is about 8% faster (67.1% vs 72.8% of the fastest gaming CPU). With a mid-range RTX 5070 at 1440p the gap almost disappears, because the graphics card becomes the limit. For multi-threaded work such as rendering and video encoding, they are about equal.

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Core Ultra 5 245K vs Core i5-14600K: at a glance

Core Ultra 5 245KCore i5-14600K
1080p gaming score, Tom’s Hardware (RTX 5090)67.1%72.8%
Multi-thread score, Tom’s Hardware53.6%51.9%
Single-thread score, Tom’s Hardware92.5%85.8%
Avg FPS, RTX 5090 at 1080p (our model)155168
Avg FPS, RTX 5070 at 1440p (our model)107108
Launch price$309$319
Tom’s Hardware scores are percentages of the fastest chip in each chart (1080p gaming: Ryzen 7 9850X3D = 100%, 17-game geomean, RTX 5090, updated 5 October 2026). “Not in chart” means Tom’s current chart does not include that chip. Our model averages nine demanding games on High.

Core Ultra 5 245K vs Core i5-14600K: what independent benchmarks show

  • Tom’s Hardware tested both chips with an RTX 5090 at 1080p across 17 games: the Core Ultra 5 245K scores 67.1% and the Core i5-14600K scores 72.8% of the fastest gaming CPU, a gap of about 8%. The per-game FPS below is scaled to match this measured gap.
  • In Tom’s application tests, the Core Ultra 5 245K scores 53.6% multi-threaded and 92.5% single-threaded, against 51.9% and 85.8% for the Core i5-14600K.
GameCore Ultra 5 245K
RTX 5090, 1080p		Core i5-14600K
RTX 5090, 1080p		Core Ultra 5 245K
RTX 5070, 1440p		Core i5-14600K
RTX 5070, 1440p
Counter-Strike 2425 (280 low)461 (304 low)354354
Valorant519 (343 low)563 (372 low)482482
Fortnite246 (162 low)266 (176 low)150150
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7198 (131 low)215 (142 low)105105
Battlefield 6151 (100 low)164 (108 low)118118
ARC Raiders170 (112 low)184 (122 low)129129
Marvel Rivals161 (106 low)174 (115 low)9191
Cyberpunk 2077142 (93 low)154 (101 low)102102
Black Myth: Wukong123 (81 low)133 (88 low)7070
Hogwarts Legacy104 (69 low)113 (74 low)9696
Baldur's Gate 3104 (69 low)113 (74 low)104113
Elden Ring60 (40 low)60 (40 low)6060
Average FPS and 1% lows on High from our FPS model, which is calibrated against published reviews; expect real results within about ±12%. Elden Ring is capped at 60 FPS.

The RTX 5090 columns show the most each processor can do, because the graphics card is fast enough never to be the limit. The RTX 5070 columns show a typical mid-range build, where the two chips land much closer together.

Core Ultra 5 245K vs Core i5-14600K: does the difference matter at 1440p and 4K?

SetupCore Ultra 5 245KCore i5-14600KDifference
RTX 5090, 1080p1551688%
RTX 5090, 4K1321341%
RTX 5070, 1080p1391443%
RTX 5070, 1440p1071081%
Nine-game average FPS on High from our model.

The faster CPU only pays off when the graphics card is not the limit: at 1080p with a high-end card, with a high refresh rate monitor, or in CPU-heavy games such as Counter-Strike 2, strategy and simulation titles. At 4K with any card, and at 1440p with a mid-range card, the two chips perform close to the same.

Core Ultra 5 245K vs Core i5-14600K: specifications

SpecCore Ultra 5 245KCore i5-14600K
Cores / threads14 / 1414 / 20
ArchitectureArrow LakeRaptor Lake Refresh
L3 cache24 MB24 MB
Max boost clock5.2 GHz5.3 GHz
SocketLGA1851LGA1700
MemoryDDR5DDR4 / DDR5
Rated / max power125 W / ~159 W125 W / ~181 W
Released20242023
Launch price$309$319
Manufacturer specifications. Maximum power is AMD’s package power limit (PPT) or Intel’s maximum turbo power. Launch price is the manufacturer’s suggested price at release; street prices are usually lower.

Core Ultra 5 245K vs Core i5-14600K: value: price per frame

At launch prices, the Core Ultra 5 245K gives 50.3 FPS per $100 and the Core i5-14600K gives 52.8 FPS per $100 (RTX 5090, 1080p average). The Core i5-14600K is the better value at those prices. Street prices change week to week, so redo the math with today’s prices: divide the price by the FPS, and remember to include the motherboard and memory if the sockets differ.

Core Ultra 5 245K vs Core i5-14600K: platform, cooling and power

  • Core Ultra 5 245K (LGA1851): LGA1851 is Intel’s current desktop socket for Core Ultra 200 chips. It is DDR5-only, and its long-term upgrade path depends on Intel’s future plans.
  • Core i5-14600K (LGA1700): LGA1700 is end-of-line: 14th Gen Core was its last generation. Boards are affordable and support DDR4 or DDR5, but there is no upgrade path beyond the Core i9-14900K.
  • Cooling: Use a good dual-fan tower air cooler or a 240 mm liquid cooler. This applies to both chips.
  • Power supply: with an RTX 5070, about 650 W for the Core Ultra 5 245K and 700 W for the Core i5-14600K. See the PSU calculator.
Graphics cardCore Ultra 5 245K (1080p / 1440p)Core i5-14600K (1080p / 1440p)
RTX 506012% CPU / 9% GPU8% CPU / 12% GPU
RX 9060 XT 16GB14% CPU / 6% GPU11% CPU / 10% GPU
RTX 507025% CPU / 9% CPU22% CPU / 5% CPU
RTX 5070 Ti28% CPU / 14% CPU26% CPU / 10% CPU
RX 9070 XT29% CPU / 15% CPU26% CPU / 11% CPU
RTX 508031% CPU / 18% CPU29% CPU / 15% CPU
RTX 509033% CPU / 21% CPU31% CPU / 18% CPU
From our bottleneck calculator, default settings, with CPU speed scaled to the measured gaming results above. Up to 10% is balanced; a GPU limit is normal.

Full lists: best GPU for the Core Ultra 5 245K and best GPU for the Core i5-14600K.

Core Ultra 5 245K vs Core i5-14600K: which one should you buy?

  • Buy the Core Ultra 5 245K if you want faster single-thread performance in everyday apps or you want lower power draw and easier cooling.
  • Buy the Core i5-14600K if you want the highest frame rates with a fast graphics card.

Core Ultra 5 245K vs Core i5-14600K: frequently asked questions

Is the Core Ultra 5 245K better than the Core i5-14600K for gaming?

In Tom’s Hardware’s 17-game test at 1080p with an RTX 5090, the Core i5-14600K is ahead (67.1% vs 72.8%). At 1440p with a mid-range card the difference is almost none.

How much faster is the Core i5-14600K?

About 8% at 1080p with a top graphics card, 1% at 1440p with an RTX 5070, and 1% at 4K.

Which one is better for streaming and video editing?

The one with the higher multi-thread score: the Core Ultra 5 245K (53.6% vs 51.9% in Tom’s Hardware’s tests).

Can I use the Core Ultra 5 245K and Core i5-14600K on the same motherboard?

No. The Core Ultra 5 245K uses LGA1851 and the Core i5-14600K uses LGA1700, so they need different motherboards.

Which one uses less power?

The Core Ultra 5 245K (about 159 W maximum vs 181 W). In games, both draw well below their maximum.

What cooler do I need?

For both: use a good dual-fan tower air cooler or a 240 mm liquid cooler.

Is there a difference at 4K?

Very little. At 4K the graphics card is the limit, so the two land within 1% of each other even with an RTX 5090 in our model.

Which graphics card should I pair with them?

See our best GPU for the Core Ultra 5 245K and best GPU for the Core i5-14600K guides, or check any pair in the bottleneck calculator.

Core Ultra 5 245K vs Core i5-14600K: how we compared

  • Measured results: gaming, multi-thread and single-thread scores are from Tom’s Hardware’s CPU hierarchy (RTX 5090, 1080p, 17 games; DDR5-6000 on AM5, DDR5-7200 on Intel), plus TechSpot reviews where noted.
  • Per-game FPS: from our FPS model, calibrated against published reviews; when both chips are in Tom’s Hardware’s chart, the per-game numbers are scaled to match its measured gap. Use it for the size of the gap between the chips, not as an exact frame rate.
  • Specs and prices: AMD and Intel specifications; launch prices at release.

More comparisons

Sources: Tom’s Hardware – CPU Benchmarks Hierarchy (updated 5 October 2026); AMD and Intel product specifications.