Out of the three Raptor Lake refresh processors we've now had our hands-on, I have to say this one feels the best. Slightly better temperatures, close to 13900K performance and a price of just over 400 USD. It's a lot of performance for your money.  Performance can and will vary widely across different media outlets. That discrepancy stems from the motherboard manufacturers and model PL1 assignments versus determining the CPU's configuration. Anyway, utilizing motherboard defaults with optimizations turned on will also show a rise in the CPU's temperature. In any case, adequate cooling is imperative to handle these heat surges, a scenario somewhat analogous to the Ryzen 7000 high-tier variants. For gamers, the Raptor Lake L2/L3 caches contribute significantly to heightened performance, here's also where I am sidetracking and state that the 14600(K) may be perceived as a more interesting option (in relation to value). We have a review on that product as well though. The configuration of the 14700K with a Z790 motherboard could be positioned as Intel's latest High-End Desktop (HEDT) solution for the mainstream audience. However, this performance comes with challenges such as increased heat and energy consumption, and the new prolonged TDP is hefty (PL1 and PL2 states are the same at close to 250W). Transitioning to the Z790 platform with DDR5 memory is recommended, especially with today's DDR5 prices. If adequately cooled (with a Tjmax of 100°C), Intel lists the 14700K with a potential boost up to 5.6 GHz. Our tests confirm that claim. During all P-core tests, frequencies were predominantly around 5500~5600 MHz when you load up multiple cores.

The 13th generation Core processors were priced in proximity to the Ryzen 7000 series, and the 14th Gen product took over the old pricing levels. The 14700K aligns with the performance of the Ryzen 7900X. Notably, the Ryzen 7000 utilizes all performance cores, while Intel opts for 8 cores to achieve its higher single-threaded performance due to easier cooling considerations. Although there's a difference in architecture, the performance gap between the two isn't substantial. The 14700K is priced at 409 USD. If you already possess a graphics card (and that is very likely), an alternative is the KF edition (without IGP, but otherwise identical) at 384 USD. In contrast, we're in the realm of the Ryzen 9 7950X which is priced at 699 USD. Intel users with a Z690 motherboard can simply update the firmware to accommodate the new processor. Additionally, the Z690 supports DDR4, avoiding the need for an entirely new platform investment. This compatibility advantage provides a rationale for considering the Core Series 14000.

The Intel 14700K presents strong performance, showcasing Intel's mastery in designing a powerful processor. Intel's Raptor Lake series CPUs (13000/14000) also have increased cache sizes that potentially enhance gaming performance when not limited by the GPU. At 409 USD for its K edition, it is close to last year's 13900K, it is an appealing choice when compared to the Ryzen 9 7800/7900/7950 (X3D). The cost-benefit doesn't arise solely from its performance metrics but also from the overall platform expense, Z790 motherboards certainly are expensive. One tip, this processor is compatible with the Z690 platform and even DDR4 memory, which could make your upgrade more cost-effective at the cost of only very little performance.

Power consumption is a different thing though, the 14700K really likes energy and sucked up almost as much energy as the 14900k did, which means that under full 28-thread CPU load we neared 400 Watts. Compared to an AMD X3D processor and the choice will likely fall to the latter one. Regardlessly, the  14700K demonstrates impressive threaded and single-threaded performance and really, is not far away from that 14900K. From a gaming perspective, and when considering energy efficiency and temperature metrics, the Ryzen 7 7800X3D and even 5800X3D is a more cost-effective and energy-efficient solution and cooler running alternative. However, it does lose considerable multi-threaded application performance to the 14700K. Motherboards from both companies come equipped with contemporary features such as USB 3.2 2x2, 2.5 G LAN, and the latest ones even WIFI7. Please do read our Core i5 14600K review as it can be an even more compelling gaming-centric processor at a price range of 294 USD (KF) to 319 USD for the K model. Realistically though, for users primarily focused on gaming with an 11th Gen Intel processor or even a later AM4 processor, such as the Ryzen 7 5700X, it might be tactful to delay upgrades. The current performance of these processors remains satisfactory for gaming, and subsequent generations are anticipated to offer more substantial enhancements. Conversely, from a broader perspective that encompasses overall processor performance, an immediate upgrade can be technically rationalized by the potential uptick in efficiency across various tasks.

In conclusion, the 14700K is impressive, it however is a slightly faster clocked 13700K with four more E cores. Another hurdle remains managing the processor's thermal outputs, hitting 253W under load in both PL1 and PL2 states is a normal thing these days. While these values might be fine for the processor itself, they will necessitate powerful cooling solutions, potentially a 280mm liquid cooler from a recognized brand is advised. If the end goal is a top-tier hyper-threaded gaming CPU compatible with premium graphics cards, the 14700K is certainly praiseworthy, tweaking will get you towards the 6 Ghz all-P-core range also.  Yet, the additional cores of the i7-14700K can be advantageous for multitasking, Photoshop operations, and media rendering tasks. For those equipped with processors superior to the 12th Gen Intel Core i5, a wait-and-see approach is suggested, pending the release of Intel's upcoming chips.  If budget constraints arise, the Core i5 14600 or 13600 remains a truly excellent alternative, especially for a premium gaming rig. In the end, the 14th-generation processor remains to be more of the same, just slightly faster due to a reconfiguration and matured motherboard BIOSes and chipset. But that all by itself doesn't make these processors less impressive.