Intel Core Ultra 9 185H vs Intel Core i9-14900HX
CPU Comparison Result
Short comparative overview: Intel Core Ultra 9 185H vs Intel Core i9-14900HX
Class & architecture.
Core Ultra 9 185H — a Meteor Lake (Intel 4) mobile chip with a hybrid 16-core layout: 6 P-cores + 8 E-cores + 2 LP-E, totaling 22 threads. Base power 45 W, peak up to ~115 W. It integrates Intel Arc graphics (up to 8 Xe-cores) and a hardware NPU (Intel AI Boost). Memory: LPDDR5/x up to ~7467 MT/s or DDR5-5600; up to ~28 PCIe lanes (including 1×8 Gen5 for a dGPU).
Core i9-14900HX — a flagship Raptor Lake Refresh (Intel 7) mobile CPU: 24 cores (8P + 16E), 32 threads, boost up to 5.8 GHz. Base power 55 W, peak up to ~157 W. Graphics: UHD (32 EUs). Memory: DDR5-5600 or DDR4-3200; up to 20 PCIe lanes (Gen5/Gen4). No dedicated NPU (CPU DL Boost only).
Key differences & takeaways
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CPU performance: i9-14900HX is noticeably stronger in multi-threaded workloads (24/32 vs 16/22 for 185H) and with higher power limits, but it demands more robust cooling.
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Efficiency & acoustics: 185H fits thin-and-light/all-purpose designs with better battery life and quieter operation.
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Graphics: 185H’s Arc iGPU is markedly more modern than the UHD iGPU in the 14900HX; the latter is typically paired with a discrete GPU.
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AI acceleration: 185H includes a dedicated NPU for local AI tasks and effects; 14900HX does not.
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Memory & PCIe lanes: 185H supports LPDDR5x/DDR5 and offers more lane flexibility (including Gen5×8 for a dGPU); 14900HX supports DDR5/DDR4 and up to 20 PCIe lanes.
Bottom line.
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If you need maximum compute for rendering, large builds, and gaming with a discrete GPU — Core i9-14900HX.
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If you want a thinner, quieter laptop with strong battery life, a modern iGPU, and an on-chip NPU — Core Ultra 9 185H.
Advantages
- Higher Technology: 7 nm (intel 4) (7 nm (intel 4) vs 10 nm (intel 7))
- More Total Cores: 24 (16 vs 24)
- Higher Performance-core Max Turbo Frequency: up to 5.8 GHz (5.1 GHz vs up to 5.8 GHz)
- Larger L3 Cache: 36 MB (shared) (24 MB vs 36 MB (shared))
- Newer Launch Date: January 2024 (December 2023 vs January 2024)