The Intel Core Ultra 5 245K is the objective winner of this comparison, securing victory in eight out of fourteen evaluated specifications. Its most significant technical advantage is an L2 cache that is 420% larger than that of the alternative. While the Intel Core i3-14100 holds its own in three categories, it ultimately falls behind in the majority of measured metrics, trailing the superior cache capacity and overall feature set offered by the higher-tier model.

Choose the Intel Core Ultra 5 245K if your primary requirement is maximizing cache capacity for demanding computational tasks. Conversely, the Intel Core i3-14100 is the logical selection for budget-conscious users, as it provides a 57% advantage in MSRP. Select the former for performance-oriented builds that benefit from increased cache, or opt for the latter if minimizing the initial purchase cost is your most important priority.