PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Core i5-14500

2024

Why buy it

✅+14.5% higher Geekbench multi-core.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 16 MB).
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Included), unlike Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Launch MSRP is still $239 MSRP, while Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌44.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 45W.

Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +13.7% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 45W instead of 65W, a 20W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (13,098 vs 15,000).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 24 MB).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-14500.

Core i5-14500

2024

Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS

2024

Why buy it

✅+14.5% higher Geekbench multi-core.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 16 MB).
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Included), unlike Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +13.7% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 45W instead of 65W, a 20W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Launch MSRP is still $239 MSRP, while Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌44.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 45W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (13,098 vs 15,000).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 24 MB).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-14500.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS better than Core i5-14500?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS is ahead with a 13.7% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-14500 pulls ahead with 14.5% better Geekbench multi-core. Core i5-14500 also has the bigger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 16 MB).

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-14500 is the better fit. You are getting 14.5% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 14 cores and 20 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 16 MB).

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-14500 makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $239 MSRP, and it gives you a 13.7% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Core i5-14500 is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 14.5% better Geekbench multi-core. Core i5-14500 is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (130.6 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS is the safer long-term CPU choice because it gives you more overall headroom and a better platform outlook.

Games Benchmarks

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Core i5-14500 Benchmark Check

Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-14500	Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS
1080p
low	262 FPS	265 FPS
medium	253 FPS	240 FPS
high	209 FPS	202 FPS
ultra	178 FPS	174 FPS
1440p
low	226 FPS	234 FPS
medium	194 FPS	192 FPS
high	156 FPS	156 FPS
ultra	137 FPS	138 FPS
4K
low	157 FPS	162 FPS
medium	134 FPS	135 FPS
high	104 FPS	104 FPS
ultra	91 FPS	91 FPS

Open Core i5-14500 Open Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-14500	Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS
1080p
low	612 FPS	488 FPS
medium	520 FPS	401 FPS
high	441 FPS	343 FPS
ultra	400 FPS	305 FPS
1440p
low	525 FPS	427 FPS
medium	465 FPS	369 FPS
high	396 FPS	316 FPS
ultra	340 FPS	269 FPS
4K
low	306 FPS	281 FPS
medium	275 FPS	255 FPS
high	261 FPS	239 FPS
ultra	229 FPS	205 FPS

Open Core i5-14500 Open Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-14500	Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS
1080p
low	769 FPS	767 FPS
medium	610 FPS	767 FPS
high	540 FPS	729 FPS
ultra	458 FPS	623 FPS
1440p
low	685 FPS	767 FPS
medium	549 FPS	644 FPS
high	480 FPS	544 FPS
ultra	412 FPS	467 FPS
4K
low	494 FPS	540 FPS
medium	413 FPS	474 FPS
high	370 FPS	421 FPS
ultra	312 FPS	357 FPS

Open Core i5-14500 Open Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-14500	Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS
1080p
low	780 FPS	767 FPS
medium	778 FPS	767 FPS
high	671 FPS	767 FPS
ultra	598 FPS	756 FPS
1440p
low	739 FPS	767 FPS
medium	655 FPS	761 FPS
high	565 FPS	657 FPS
ultra	494 FPS	572 FPS
4K
low	519 FPS	574 FPS
medium	471 FPS	511 FPS
high	418 FPS	455 FPS
ultra	364 FPS	393 FPS

Open Core i5-14500 Open Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-14500 and Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS

Core i5-14500

The Core i5-14500 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 8 January 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-R (2023−2025) architecture. It features 14 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 24 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 31,205 points. Launch price was $232.

Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS

The Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 16 April 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Hawk Point-HS (Zen 4) (2023−2024) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 4 GHz, with boost up to 5.2 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: FP7. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 30,689 points. Launch price was $499.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-14500 packs 14 cores / 20 threads, while the Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Core i5-14500 has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5 GHz on the Core i5-14500 versus 5.2 GHz on the Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS — a 3.9% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS (base: 2.6 GHz vs 4 GHz). The Core i5-14500 uses the Raptor Lake-R (2023−2025) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS uses Hawk Point-HS (Zen 4) (2023−2024) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-14500 scores 31,205 against the Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS's 30,689 — a 1.7% lead for the Core i5-14500. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,700 vs 2,617, a 3.1% lead for the Core i5-14500 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 15,000 vs 13,098 (13.5% advantage for the Core i5-14500). L3 cache: 24 MB (total) on the Core i5-14500 vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS.

Feature	Core i5-14500	Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS
Cores / Threads	14 / 20+75%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	5 GHz	5.2 GHz+4%
Base Clock	2.6 GHz	4 GHz+54%
L3 Cache	24 MB (total)+50%	16 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+25%	1 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	4 nm-43%
Architecture	Raptor Lake-R (2023−2025)	Hawk Point-HS (Zen 4) (2023−2024)
PassMark	31,205+2%	30,689
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	16,529
Geekbench 6 Single	2,700+3%	2,617
Geekbench 6 Multi	15,000+15%	13,098

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-14500 uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS uses FP7 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-4800 memory speed. The Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS supports up to 256 GB of RAM compared to 192 GB — 28.6% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 20 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: B760,Z790 (Core i5-14500) and FP7,FP7r2,FP8 (Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS).

Feature	Core i5-14500	Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS
Socket	LGA1700	FP7
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800	DDR5-5600
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB	256 GB+33%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-14500) vs AMD-V, SVM (Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS). Both include integrated graphics — Intel UHD Graphics 770 (Core i5-14500) and Radeon 780M (Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-14500 targets Mainstream Desktop, Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS targets Professional AI Business Laptop. Direct competitor: Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS rivals Core Ultra 9 185H.

Feature	Core i5-14500	Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	Intel UHD Graphics 770	Radeon 780M
Unlocked	No	Yes
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	AMD-V, SVM
Target Use	Mainstream Desktop	Professional AI Business Laptop