Core i5-14600

A Solid Gaming Chip, But Your Wallet Might Prefer the Older Model

The Intel Core i5-14600 is a nice, practical processor for gaming and everyday computing. Reviewers consistently found it handles gaming really well, beating AMD competition in most tests and delivering smooth performance for the price. If you're building your first PC or upgrading from something really old, this chip will make you happy.

Here's what makes it practical: it comes with a cooler included, so you're not buying extra stuff. Installation is straightforward. It's got 10 cores and 16 threads, which is plenty for gaming, streaming, and multitasking. The 65W TDP means it's reasonably efficient, which keeps your power bills down.

But here's the real talk. Reviewers discovered that the performance gain over the older i5-13600K is only about 4% in multi-core work and 2.1% in gaming. That's honestly tiny. And here's the kicker: you can often find the i5-13600K for around $285, while this one sits at $300. You're paying more for barely any improvement.

Thermals are a concern too. Some reviewers found it hits 101°C under load and even throttles, though others had better experiences depending on their cooler and setup. If you're going budget-friendly on cooling, you might have heat issues.

The real question is whether that extra $15-30 over the 13600K is worth it. Honestly, if you can find the older model on sale, grab that instead. You'll save money and get nearly identical performance. But if the 14600 is cheaper where you're shopping, or if you're building a new system and want something current, it's a totally solid choice for gaming and everyday work. Just make sure you pair it with decent cooling.

For most families and gamers on a budget, this processor will handle everything you throw at it without breaking the bank. It's not the newest, fanciest thing, but it works really well.

The Refresh That Wasn't

Intel's 14th-gen refresh strategy is starting to look like a liability. The Core i5-14600 is technically faster than its 13th-gen predecessor, but by margins so small they barely justify a generational label. We're talking 4% in multi-threaded workloads and 2.1% in gaming. That's not a refresh. That's a minor bin sort.

The business case falls apart immediately when you look at pricing. The 14600 launches at $319, but real-world pricing puts it at $300. The i5-13600K? $285 with nearly identical performance. Intel's own architecture hasn't improved enough to warrant the premium, and reviewers are rightfully calling this out as a poor value proposition.

But the real problem is thermals. Testing reveals peak temperatures of 101 degrees Celsius, which causes throttling even with quality cooling solutions. A 65W TDP chip shouldn't be hitting those numbers under sustained load. This isn't a minor issue. Thermal throttling directly impacts the already-marginal performance gains you're supposedly paying for. You're buying a processor that actively degrades under the workloads where you need it most.

The non-K variant's appeal is supposed to be simplicity and low power draw. Instead, you get a chip that runs hot, offers minimal performance uplift, and costs more than the alternative. The included cooler is nice, but it doesn't solve the fundamental thermal management problem.

Comparison to the i7-14700K makes this worse. For just $90 more, you get significantly better performance and better thermal behavior. The value proposition collapses at the extremes. Either save $15 and buy the 13600, or spend $90 more and get a genuinely better chip.

The locked multiplier deserves mention too. In 2024, removing overclocking capability from a mainstream processor while maintaining flagship pricing feels like a missed opportunity. Enthusiasts who want any control over their hardware are forced elsewhere.

Bottom line: the 14600 is a competent processor that does the job. But it's not a good job at the asking price, and the thermal issues are a genuine concern that other reviewers haven't emphasized enough. If you're building a budget system today, hunt for the 13600K at $285 and pocket the difference. If you have another $90, jump to the 14700K. The 14600 occupies an uncomfortable middle ground where it's neither the best value nor the best performer.