The AMD Ryzen 5 9600 is the objective winner of this comparison, securing a lead in nine out of fourteen evaluated specifications. Its most impactful advantage is the L3 cache, which is 167% larger than that of the Intel Core i3-14100. This significant architectural superiority provides the Ryzen 5 9600 with a substantial technical edge across the majority of the measured categories, establishing it as the more capable component in this head-to-head evaluation.

Users prioritizing high-end technical specifications and the benefits of a larger L3 cache should select the AMD Ryzen 5 9600 for their build. Conversely, the Intel Core i3-14100 is the appropriate choice for budget-conscious buyers, as it holds a 41% advantage in MSRP. Choosing between these two processors depends entirely on whether your primary objective is to maximize cache capacity or to minimize the initial cost of your hardware investment.