Intel Core i9 14900KS Review
Introduction and Technical Specifications
Introduction
Sometimes in this job you have a review that should be easy. We’ve already covered the Intel 14th Gen processors at length. Our full 14th Gen review, and our recent Intel undervolting guide.
Intel have followed their trend in recent generations and given the 14th Generation a final hurrah in the form of the Core i9-14900KS. It’s a super-charged Core i9-14900K. Whereas that, and we can’t believe we’re about to write these words, topped out at a mere 6 GHz out of the box, this KS hits 6.2 GHz. Everything else is identical though. You’re paying a hill of cash for a few extra megahertz. But we know that nobody ever has enough performance. It’s impossible. Major tech giants have warehouses full of compute horsepower and are constantly expanding.
Which brings us back to our first point. This is a slightly faster version of a processor we’ve tested a lot. It doesn’t require a new chipset to learn. Just drop it into a Z790 rig and off you go. A short introduction – hey it’s a faster version of an already fast CPU, LFG – and job’s a goodun. You’ll be pleased to know that this processor has taken up the last week of our life. Why?
Fire and Brimstone
Well the original Core i9-12900KS was a toasty processor. The flagship 13th Gen didn’t really tame those temps, and we know the Core i9-14900K is also one of the hottest processors around. Not just performance hot, but temperature hot. That’s a real issue. Our benchmarks are stern, because we want to put something to the ultimate test. However, for hardware such as this it must be stern as you wouldn’t buy a Core i9-14900KS for playing Freecell. It’s a beast of a processor. 6200 MHz. When we started OC3D we had a joke placeholder title for processor reviews proclaiming 6 GHz. Not only is that a speed that exists, but Intel engineers thought they could do better.
But if the 6 GHz model was a tough one to tame the temps of, an even faster one? We better get out our thinking caps. After all, sub-zero would make it possible to test, but it’s hardly practical. We have always prided ourselves on testing things in the way you would. We’re only you but turned professional with a site after all. We want this to be a test that you could replicate. That’s where our problems began. Read on, dear friends.
Technical Specifications
Strictly speaking the Core i9-14900KS isn’t on this table, but as it’s identical to the regular Core i9-14900K, except it boosts up to 6.2 GHz when conditions are right, this ticks an awful lot of your knowledge boxes.
