The Intel Core Extremely 7 265K will be thought-about the successor to the Core i7-14700K. Will probably be fascinating to see how these two evaluate and, in fact, how the 265K stacks up towards AMD’s choices.
The Core Extremely 7 265K options 8 P-Cores with 8 threads, as Hyper-Threading is now not applied. These P-Cores function at a base frequency of three.9 GHz and might increase as much as 5.5 GHz, representing solely a 2% frequency discount in comparison with the 14700K.
As well as, there are 12 E-Cores with 12 threads, as SMT assist shouldn’t be included. The E-Cores have a base frequency of three.3 GHz and might attain as much as 4.6 GHz, which really offers a 7% enhance over the E-Core frequency on the 14700K.
The processor contains 30 MB of L3 cache and 36 MB of L2 cache. Every P-Core is allotted 3 MB of L2 cache, whereas the E-Cores obtain 4 MB per cluster, with every cluster comprising 4 E-Cores. The bottom TDP is about at 125W, with a most turbo energy of 250W, and Intel costs this at $395 per 1,000 items.
| Processor | Launch value | P-core (efficiency) | E-core (effectivity) | L3 cache | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cores (threads) | Freq. | Turbo | L2 cache | Cores (threads) | Freq. | Turbo | L2 cache | |||
| Core Extremely 9 285K | $600 | 8 (8) | 3.7 GHz | 5.6 GHz | 24 MB | 16 (16) | 3.2 GHz | 4.6 GHz | 16 MB | 36 MB |
| Core Extremely 7 265K | $395 | 8 (8) | 3.9 GHz | 5.5 GHz | 12 (12) | 3.3 GHz | 12 MB | 30 MB | ||
| Core Extremely 5 245K | $310 | 6 (6) | 4.2 GHz | 5.2 GHz | 18 MB | 8 (8) | 3.6 GHz | 8 MB | 24 MB | |
| Core i9-14900K | $600 | 8 (16) | 3.2 GHz | 6.0 GHz | 16 MB | 16 (16) | 2.4 GHz | 4.4 GHz | 16 MB | 36 MB |
| Core i7-14700K | $420 | 8 (16) | 3.4 GHz | 5.6 GHz | 12 (12) | 2.5 GHz | 4.3 GHz | 12 MB | 33 MB | |
| Core i5-14600K | $330 | 6 (12) | 3.5 GHz | 5.3 GHz | 12 MB | 8 (8) | 2.6 GHz | 4.0 GHz | 8 MB | 24 MB |
With Arrow Lake, Intel has moved away from the LGA1700 socket, switching to LGA1851. We coated extra details about Intel’s new platform, socket, and testing info in our Core Extremely 9 285K assessment, so for extra particulars about that take a look at that assessment.
Regardless of the elevated pin rely, the brand new socket maintains the identical dimensions and cooler mounting gap spacing as LGA1700, guaranteeing continued compatibility with current CPU coolers.
It is also value noting that every one Okay-SKU fashions, that are the one fashions introduced to this point, assist dual-channel DDR5-5600 UDIMM reminiscence or DDR5-6400 CUDIMM reminiscence. CUDIMM reminiscence features a small clock driver circuit immediately on the module, permitting for extra exact timings obligatory for larger reminiscence speeds.
All fashions present 20 PCIe 5.0 lanes and 4 PCIe 4.0 lanes, together with a Direct Media Interface 4.0 with an 8-lane bus to the chipset. As anticipated, the Okay-suffix processors function an unlocked multiplier and due to this fact will be overclocked.
Take a look at System Specs
Earlier than we get into the benchmark information, listed here are the check specs and methods used. One factor to notice is that we benchmarked the 285K with each DDR5-7200 and DDR5-8200 reminiscence.
| CPU | Motherboard | Reminiscence |
| AMD Ryzen 7000 Sequence | Gigabyte X670E Aorus Grasp [BIOS F33d] | G.Ability Trident Z5 RGB 32GB DDR5-6000 CL30-38-38-96 Home windows 11 24H2 |
| AMD Ryzen 5000 Sequence | MSI MPG X570S Carbon MAX WiFi [BIOS 7D52v19] | G.Ability Ripjaws V Sequence 32GB DDR4-3600 CL14-15-15-35 Home windows 11 24H2 |
| Intel Core Extremely 200S | Asus ROG Maximus Z890 Hero [BIOS 0805] | G.Ability Trident Z5 CK 32GB DDR5-8200 CL40-52-52-131 G.Ability Trident Z5 RGB 32GB DDR5-7200 CL34-45-45-115 Home windows 11 23H2 [24H2 = Slower] |
| Intel twelfth, thirteenth & 14th | MSI MPG Z790 Carbon WiFi [BIOS 7D89v1E] | G.Ability Trident Z5 RGB 32GB DDR5-7200 CL34-45-45-115 Home windows 11 23H2 [24H2 = Slower] |
| Graphics Card | Energy Provide | Storage |
| Asus ROG Strix RTX 4090 OC Version | Kolink Regulator Gold ATX 3.0 1200W | TeamGroup T-Power Cardea A440 M.2 PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD 4TB |
| GeForce Sport Prepared Driver 565.90 WHQL | ||
Productiveness Benchmarks
Cinebench Clock Habits
First, let’s study how the 265K performs beneath load. For cooling, we’re utilizing the brand new MSI MAG Coreliquid I360, supplied in our assessment package and particularly optimized for these new Arrow Lake CPUs. MSI designed a novel bracket that shifts the chilly plate northward, permitting for a 3-degree discount in temperature by higher focusing on the new spot on these CPUs.
With the Coreliquid I360 put in, we loaded the 265K with Cinebench and noticed a mean clock frequency of 4.6 GHz on the E-Cores and 5.2 GHz on the P-Cores, all whereas remaining inside the inventory 250W energy restrict. The CPU peaked at a core temperature of 84°C, comfortably under the 105°C TjMAX.
Cinebench 2024, Multi-Core
Now, turning to Cinebench multi-core efficiency, we see the 265K reaching simply shy of two,200 factors, making it 8% quicker than the 14700K and 18% quicker than the 9900X. This locations its efficiency on par with the 7950X and 14900K on this check.
Cinebench 2024, Single-Core
Single-core efficiency can also be sturdy, with the P-Cores attaining 145 factors – 4% larger than the 9900X and 14% quicker than the 14700K.
Cinebench 2024 Energy Consumption
Concerning energy consumption, the 265K attracts 218W, which is akin to the facility utilization of the 12900K, 14600K, 7950X, and 9950X. As we simply noticed, its efficiency aligns carefully with the 7950X, indicating the same stage of energy effectivity on this workload.
The 265K can also be 8% quicker than the 14700K whereas attaining almost 100W in energy financial savings – a powerful 29% discount. Nonetheless, extra environment friendly Ryzen processors, just like the 7950X3D, ship comparable efficiency to the 265K whereas consuming 33% much less energy.
7-Zip File Supervisor Compression
Transferring on to file compression efficiency, we discover the 265K barely slower than the 14700K, trailing by 6% when utilizing equivalent DDR5-7200 reminiscence. Efficiency was additionally akin to that of the 9900X.
7-Zip File Supervisor Decompression
The 265K falls additional behind the 14700K in decompression efficiency, partly as a result of its lack of SMT assist. Utilizing the identical 7200 reminiscence, it’s 15% slower than the 14700K and 18% slower than the 9900X, which is a reasonably disappointing consequence.
Blender Open Knowledge
The Blender Open Knowledge check yields extra favorable outcomes, with the 265K performing 7% quicker than the 14700K and eight% quicker than the 9900X, delivering efficiency ranges akin to the 14900K. Given the facility financial savings, this can be a optimistic end result.
Corona 10 Benchmark
Within the Corona 10 Benchmark, the 265K delivers efficiency akin to the 14900K and 9900X, making it 10% quicker than the 14700K.
Adobe Photoshop 2025
Subsequent, we’ve got Photoshop 2025, the place the brand new Arrow Lake CPUs carry out under expectations. We’re nonetheless analyzing this information, as these CPUs ought to usually excel on this workload. Nonetheless, with our present configuration, the 265K solely matches the Core i5-12600K, which is disappointing.
Adobe Premiere Professional 2024
Efficiency in Premiere Professional is an enchancment, however finally nonetheless underwhelming. The 265K lags behind each the 14700K and the 9900X.
Gaming Benchmarks
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
Beginning with the gaming benchmarks, let’s check out Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, the place the 265K performs poorly, trailing behind all competing components. Utilizing the identical DDR5-7200 reminiscence, it’s 10% slower than the 14700K, 9% slower than the 9700X, and even 6% slower than the 9900X, which is not usually considered a high gaming CPU.
For elite gaming efficiency, the 7800X3D stays a greater possibility, outperforming the 265K by almost 30%.
The Final of Us Half 1
Subsequent, we study The Final of Us Half 1, the place the 265K performs nicely, barely edging out each the 14900K and 14700K. Whereas this is probably not spectacular for a next-generation product, it is a marked enchancment over its efficiency in Jedi Survivor. Moreover, the 265K is 12% quicker than the 9900X on this check.
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
Our Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty outcomes had been poor within the 285K assessment, and we suspected a scheduling situation, so we disabled the E-cores inside the BIOS, however that did not yield enhancements. Nonetheless, enabling the ‘Prioritize P-Cores’ setting within the Hybrid CPU Utilization improved efficiency by round 15%.
With the 265K optimized for this check, it achieved a mean of 148 fps utilizing DDR5-7200. But, even with this tuning, it was nonetheless 10% slower than the 14700K. Whereas higher than earlier outcomes, it is nonetheless notably disappointing.
Hogwarts Legacy
In Hogwarts Legacy, the 265K’s efficiency is mid-tier, putting it nearer to the 9600X and 14600K than to the 9700X, with the 7800X3D remaining nicely out of attain.
Assetto Corsa Competizione
The 265K additionally underperforms in Assetto Corsa Competizione, lagging behind the 12900K and solely barely outperforming the older 12700K. Consequently, it was 8% slower than the 14700K, 15% slower than the 9900X, 22% slower than the 9700X, and 39% slower than the 7800X3D.
Remnant II
In Remnant II, the 265K offers comparable efficiency to the 14700K, barely outpacing the 9900X however falling 7% behind the 9700X and 15% behind the 7800X3D.
Homeworld 3
In Homeworld 3, updating the facility plan from ‘balanced’ to ‘excessive efficiency’ helps considerably. Though we usually do not regulate these settings for testing, we made an exception right here, assured that Intel and Microsoft will tackle this situation rapidly.
Nonetheless, even with the manually adjusted energy profile, the Arrow Lake CPUs underperform, with the 265K being 3% slower than the 14700K and eight% slower than the 9900X.
A Plague Story: Requiem
We have been unable to resolve the poor Arrow Lake efficiency in A Plague Story: Requiem. The 265K mirrors the poor displaying of the 285K, trailing the 14700K by an 18% margin.
Counter-Strike 2
The 265K additionally reveals weak efficiency in Counter-Strike 2, lagging behind even the 14600K and ending up 13% slower than the 14700K when utilizing the identical DDR5-7200 reminiscence.
Starfield
Starfield offers a extra optimistic displaying for the 285K, and we discover comparable outcomes for the 265K. Though it could not surpass the outgoing 14700K, Intel’s efficiency right here is powerful when in comparison with the Zen 5 processors.
Warhammer 40,000: Area Marine 2
In Warhammer 40,000: Area Marine 2, the 265K disappoints, lagging 5% behind the 14700K and falling behind all competing AMD processors.
Hitman 3
In Hitman 3, the 265K performs nicely relative to the 9700X and 9900X, but it stays 5% slower than the 14700K, yielding an total disappointing consequence.
Watch Canine: Legion
Efficiency in Watch Canine: Legion is weak, with the 265K matching the 9900X however trailing each the 9700X and the 14700K by 14%.
Star Wars Outlaws
Lastly, in Star Wars Outlaws, the 265K trails the 14700K by 6% however outperforms each the 9700X and 9900X.
Gaming Energy Consumption
By way of energy consumption whereas gaming, the 265K is akin to the 9900X, as noticed within the Cyberpunk benchmark. Nonetheless, as a result of efficiency was subpar within the benchmarked part, The Final of Us Half 1 offers a greater measure of energy effectivity.
In The Final of Us, the 265K consumes 5% much less energy than the 9900X whereas delivering 12% extra efficiency, a wonderful consequence. Nonetheless, it consumes 45% extra energy than the 7950X3D whereas offering barely decrease fps, which highlights a much less optimum effectivity.
14 Sport Common
Here is the 14-game common information, and as anticipated, the Core Extremely 7 265K doesn’t carry out nicely, touchdown 8% slower than the 14700K and 4% slower than the 9900X. As talked about, the Ryzen 9 processor is not identified for being a high gaming CPU.
It is also wild to contemplate that just some months in the past, the 7800X3D was accessible for $340, so let’s now assessment the cost-per-frame information primarily based on present retail pricing.
Regardless of efforts to enhance efficiency in Homeworld 3 and Cyberpunk 2077, Arrow Lake continues to underperform in gaming.
Value Per Body
By way of worth, the Core Extremely 7 265K fares higher than the 285K, primarily as a result of it prices virtually 40% much less whereas being solely 5% slower throughout the 14 video games examined. This positions it equally to the 9900X, providing barely higher worth total. Nonetheless, as famous a number of instances, the 9900X is not the best alternative for gaming, and there are higher choices accessible.
The 7800X3D, regardless of its present value of $480, nonetheless presents 4% higher worth than the 265K and customarily delivers considerably higher gaming efficiency. The actual setback for the 265K, nonetheless, is the Ryzen 7 7700X, at present priced at simply $275, making it 35% higher worth.
The 265K additionally fails to supply higher worth than current 14th-gen fashions, such because the 14700K, which has almost 20% higher worth, and the 14600K, which isn’t solely quicker total but additionally 35% higher worth. Briefly, the 265K underwhelms.
What We Discovered
Following our Core Extremely 9 285K assessment, the outlook for the 265K stays largely the identical. Positive, these Homeworld 3 numbers look so much higher now, however that does basically nothing to enhance gaming efficiency as a complete. Total the gaming efficiency for the sequence is underwhelming.
For those who cherry-pick the video games, or check sure titles like Cyberpunk and A Plague Story: Requiem beneath mild CPU masses, it is attainable to supply outcomes that permit Arrow Lake to match Raptor Lake, offering the parity that Intel promised. However as we present in our 285K assessment, when you place these Arrow Lake CPUs beneath heavy gaming masses, Arrow Lake CPUs are likely to falter.
Whether or not Intel can tackle this stays unsure, however we definitely hope so; in any other case, Arrow Lake could change into an epic fail for PC players and fanatic builders.
Up to now, the best enchancment in Arrow Lake is its energy effectivity, which was anticipated, although we might hoped for stronger gaming efficiency. The 265K is extra environment friendly than the 285K and is akin to the 12- and 16-core Ryzen fashions, excluding these with 3D V-Cache just like the 7950X3D.
For what will probably be round $400 on retail, the Core Extremely 7 265K is actually useless on arrival, even when Intel fixes gaming efficiency and genuinely finds parity with the 14700K, at that time you are taking a look at 7700X-like gaming efficiency for a forty five% value premium. For a greater steadiness of gaming and productiveness, the 7950X3D stays a extra interesting alternative at $480. And with Zen 5-based X3D chips simply across the nook, the 265K and 285K will face even stiffer competitors.
As we stated when wrapping up our Core Extremely 285K assessment, we totally anticipate Intel to iron out the kinks over the approaching weeks, which ought to assist, however we will not think about it is going to be sufficient to avoid wasting Arrow Lake for players, and we actually hope we’re flawed about that.
