Intel Raptor Lake-HX Refresh analysis – Core i9-14900HX with more single-core performance

Intel has given its HX mobile processors a small update for 2024—but big changes or improvements can’t be seen on the new Raptor-Lake-HX-Refresh models. In general, the lineup has been slimmed down a bit, as the manufacturer has now reduced the number of 13th-gen HX models from nine to five. The Core i9-14900HX is now the only top model, with 24 cores and 32 threads. Its maximum turbo boost has been increased to 5.8 GHz, leading to improved single-core performance. Intel managed to take back the performance crown from Apple in quite a few tests. However, its higher performance is quite simply the result of higher consumption, meaning its efficiency again isn’t the greatest.

When it comes to multi-core performance, it mostly depends on each individual laptop’s set power limits—in general, not much sets the new Core i9-14900HX apart from the old 13th gen Core-i9-HX models. When gaming, the new Raptor Lake-HX Refresh also benefits from the improved single-core performance in quite a few games but at the end of the day, you can barely notice a difference—especially at maximum quality settings and high resolutions. The processor and graphics cards’ power limits again play a big role in this. AMD’s Ryzen 9 7945HX3D with its 3D V-Cache remains quite a bit faster in some games and as a result, it continues to be the best mobile HX CPU when it comes to efficiency and gaming performance.

Intel has raised the new Core i9-14900HX’s maximum turbo clock, improving its single-core performance in particular. The Raptor Lake-HX Refresh cannot benefit from any other improvements, however, due to the catastrophical availability of HX CPUs from AMD, it doesn’t have to.  

At least, this is the theory, as there are practically no laptops currently on the market that are fitted with the Ryzen 9 7945HX3D. The Core i9-14900HX, on the other hand, will soon be available in every high-end gaming/multimedia laptop—making it an easy job to dominate the market in 2024. The processor is by no means bad but Intel doesn’t really have to make a huge effort in this field or offer any big advancements. Upgrading from a 13th-gen Core-i9-HX model makes absolutely no sense, whereas switching from an Alder-Lake chip such as the Core i9-12900HX might make more sense, as it still uses the old RTX-3000 gen from Nvidia.