The Intel Core i7-14700 is the objective winner of this comparison, securing victories in ten out of sixteen evaluated specifications. Its most significant technical advantage over the Intel Core i9-12900K is its L2 cache, which provides a 100% improvement in capacity. While the older processor maintains a lead in one specific area, the newer model demonstrates superior overall hardware specifications across the majority of the categories analyzed in this assessment.

Users prioritizing modern architecture and the substantial L2 cache advantage should select the Intel Core i7-14700 for their build. Conversely, the Intel Core i9-12900K remains the appropriate choice for those who specifically require the 52% higher base clock speed provided by that unit. Choosing between these two components depends entirely on whether your specific workload benefits more from the increased cache capacity of the newer model or the higher base frequency of the older one.