Core i7-13790F vs Core i9-14900HX

The Core i7-13790F packs 16 cores / 24 threads, while the Core i9-14900HX offers 24 cores / 32 threads — the Core i9-14900HX has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.2 GHz on the Core i7-13790F versus 5.7 GHz on the Core i9-14900HX — a 9.2% clock advantage for the Core i9-14900HX (base: 2.1 GHz vs 2.2 GHz). The Core i7-13790F uses the Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024) architecture (10 nm), while the Core i9-14900HX uses Raptor Lake-HX Refresh (2024) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-13790F scores 43,549 against the Core i9-14900HX's 44,685 — a 2.6% lead for the Core i9-14900HX. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 26,247 vs 35,000 (28.6% advantage for the Core i9-14900HX). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,815 vs 3,000, a 6.4% lead for the Core i9-14900HX that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 13,673 vs 17,500 (24.6% advantage for the Core i9-14900HX). L3 cache: 33 MB (total) on the Core i7-13790F vs 36 MB (total) on the Core i9-14900HX.

The Core i7-13790F uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Core i9-14900HX uses FCBGA1964 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-5600 memory speed. Both support up to 192 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i7-13790F) vs 20 (Core i9-14900HX) — the Core i9-14900HX offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Z790,B760 (Core i7-13790F) and HM770,WM790 (Core i9-14900HX).

Only the Core i9-14900HX has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Core i7-13790F supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-13790F) vs VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i9-14900HX). The Core i9-14900HX includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 770), while the Core i7-13790F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i9-14900HX targets Flagship Gaming Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i9-14900HX rivals Ryzen 9 7945HX.

The Core i7-13790F launched at $392 MSRP, while the Core i9-14900HX debuted at $668. At current prices ($350 vs $149), the Core i9-14900HX is $201 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-13790F delivers 124.4 pts/$ vs 299.9 pts/$ for the Core i9-14900HX — making the Core i9-14900HX the 82.7% better value option.