GuidesComparisonsCore i9-12900KS Vs Core i9-13900K: We Benchmarked Both

Core i9-12900KS Vs Core i9-13900K: We Benchmarked Both

In this comparison we will put the Core i9-12900KS Vs Core i9-13900K to the test to see which one holds the true value in terms of performance, power, temps and price!

Expert Verified By

Intel Core i9-12900KS

Rated: 7.7/10

Intel Core i9-13900K

Rated: 8.2/10


Pros & Cons

CPUProsCons
Core i9-12900KS✅ Great value for money.
✅ Better thermal & power efficiency.
❌ Less support for chipsets.
Core i9-13900K✅ Higher cores & threads.
✅ Higher gaming performance.
❌ Relatively expensive.

Key Takeaways
  • The Core i9-13900K outperforms the Core i9-12900KS in gaming benchmarks with a 10.6% higher average FPS (187.3 FPS vs 168.4 FPS).
  • We observe that the Core i9-12900KS consumed around 7.3% less power than the Core i9-13900K in our gaming tests, making it more power-efficient.
  • The Core i9-12900KS outperformed the Core i9-13900K in thermal efficiency during benchmark tests, with an 11.4% higher efficiency.
  • We recommend the Core i9-13900K for its higher performance in games while we also recommend the Core i9-12900KS because it’s a better value for money.
Why Trust Tech4Gamers
  • Wajih is our comparison expert who has been comparing graphics cards, and processors.
  • 500+ components tested and compared by our team of comparison experts (Tech4Gamers Team).
  • 1000+ hours spent testing different components for our comparisons.
  • Objective testing criteria (See how we compare PC hardware).

At Tech4Gamers, ensuring you get reliable information is our priority. That’s why every comparison undergoes a meticulous review process by our team of experts and editors. Each comparison is carefully examined against our strict editorial guidelines, guaranteeing you trustworthy insights you can depend on.

Comparison Table

SpecificationsCore i9-12900KSCore i9-13900K
CodenameAlder Lake-SRaptor Lake-S
CPU SocketIntel Socket 1700Intel Socket 1700
Integrated GraphicsUHD Graphics 770UHD Graphics 770
Max Temperatures115°C100°C
PCIe Express VersionGen 5 - 20 Lanes (CPU only)Gen 5 - 16 Lanes (CPU only)
Memory Type & SpeedDDR4, Up to 3200 MHz
DDR5, Up to 4800 Mhz
DDR4, Up to 3200 MHz
DDR5, Up to 5600 Mhz
ECC Memory SupportYesYes
Release DateApr 5th, 2022Sep 27th, 2022
Motherboard ChipsetsZ690H610, B660, H670, Q670, Z690, W680, B760, H770, Z790
Best RAM-Best RAM For Core i9-13900K
Best Motherboards-Best Motherboards For Core i9-13900K

Architectural Differences

  1. Process Node: Both CPUs use the 10nm process nodes that Intel has been using for a while now.
  2. Cores Threads: Both processors have 8 performance cores, the 13900K has 16 efficiency cores, while the 12900KS only has 8 efficiency cores. This totals 24 threads for the 12900KS, while the total for the 13900K is 32 threads.
  3. Frequency: The 12900KS clocks anywhere from 3.4GHz to 5.2GHz, while the 13900K improves on the boost frequency with a range of 3.0GHz to 5.4GHz.
  4. L3 Cache: The shared cache on the 13900K is also larger at 36MB, while the 12900KS uses a little less cache at around 30 MB.
  5. TDP: The Core i9 13900K, despite its higher cores and clock speed, has a lower 125-watt PL1 TDP, while the 12900KS has a PL1 TDP of 150 watts.

In our last test, the Ryzen 5 5600X outperformed the Ryzen 9 3900X by 6.3%. Now, we’ll be doing a Core i9-12900KS vs Core i9-13900K comparison to see which processor reigns supreme.


Core i9-12900KS Vs Core i9-13900K: Gaming Benchmarks At 1080p

Now that we have scrutinized the specs of the Core i9-12900KS and the Core i9-13900K, it’s time to investigate which of these processors is better for gaming. We conducted extensive testing on several popular games to compare their gaming capabilities and find out which one can deliver top-notch performance with consistent results.

Testing Rig

Cyberpunk 2077

CYBERPUNK 2077
Cyberpunk 2077 Benchmarks @1080p (Image By Tech4Gamers)
  • In the first game, we saw around 8.6% smoother on the newer processor at around 144 FPS, while the 12900K had an average of only 132 FPS.
  • The difference in performance was bumped down to around 4.47% in 1% lows, with the 13900K going down to around 137 FPS, while the 12900KS had a minimum performance of around 131 FPS.

The Witcher 3

The Witcher 3
The Witcher 3 Benchmarks @1080p (Image By Tech4Gamers)
  • We witnessed an average framerate of 81 FPS on the 13900K while testing The Witcher 3, whereas the 12900KS had an average of only 71 FPS. This translates to a massive 13.1% difference in performance.
  • The 1% lows were around 7% higher on the 13900K, around 59 FPS compared to the 55 FPS of the 12900KS.

Forza Horizon 5

Forza Horizon 5
Forza Horizon 5 Benchmarks @1080p (Image By Tech4Gamers)
  • Testing Forza Horizon 5 showed us an 11.3% increase in the average framerate for the 13900K. It had a framerate of 325 FPS, while the 12900KS was much further behind with an average of 290 FPS.
  • The lows were around 233 FPS on the 13900K, while the i9 12900KS had a minimum of around 220 FPS, which computes a difference of around 5.7%.

Microsoft Flight Simulator

Microsoft Flight Simulator
Microsoft Flight Simulator Benchmarks @1080p (Image By Tech4Gamers)
  • The average framerate of the 13900K in MS Flight Sim 2020 was around 64 FPS, while the 12900KS had an average framerate of around 59 FPS, according to our tests. The difference here came out to be around 8.1%.
  • There was a massive 29.7% difference in the 1% lows of these games, with the 13900K dipping to around 54 FPS, while the 12900KS dropped down to 40 FPS.

Hogwarts Legacy

Hogwarts Legacy
Hogwarts Legacy Benchmarks @1080p (Image By Tech4Gamers)
  • The average framerate of the 13900K was around 71 FPS in the test of Hogwarts Legacy, while the i9 12900KS had a framerate of around 67 FPS on average. This comes to an advantage of around 5.7% for the newer chip.
  • The gap between 1% lows in this test was larger, around 7.6%. The 13900K had a minimum framerate of around 54 FPS, while the 12900KS dropped to 50 FPS.

Players Unknown Battle Ground

Players Unknown Battleground
Players Unknown Battleground Benchmarks @1080p (Image By Tech4Gamers)
  • PUBG showed a difference of around 12.4% between the two chips, with the 12900KS getting an average framerate of 286 FPS, while the 13900K averages around 324 FPS.
  • The 13900K sustained lows of around 195 FPS in our testing, while the 12900KS dipped down to around 183 FPS. The difference here was around 6.3%.

Spider-Man Miles Morales

Spider-Man Miles Morales
Spider-Man Miles Morales Benchmarks @1080p (Image By Tech4Gamers)
  • In this game, we saw a 7% difference between the performance of these processors, with the 13900K averaging a performance of around 133 FPS, while the 12900KS gets around 124 FPS.
  • Furthermore, the Core i9-13900K boasts a better 1% low performance than the Core i9-12900KS, producing 102 FPS, which is 6% higher than the latter’s 96 FPS.

Hitman 3

Hitman 3
Hitman 3 Benchmarks @1080p (Image By Tech4Gamers)
  • The 13900K was around 15.8% faster, with an average framerate of 273 FPS, which is significantly greater than the 233 FPS that the 12900KS could muster.
  • The 1% lows were also smoother on the newer processor, hanging around 235 FPS14.1% higher than the 204 FPS minimums of the 12900KS.

God Of War

God of War
God of War Benchmarks @1080p (Image By Tech4Gamers)
  • Finally, our last game showed us a 6.4% advantage for the 13900K, with a framerate of 271 FPS on average compared to the 254 FPS of the 12900KS.
  • 1% lows were also higher on the 13900K in this game by around 2.2%, hanging out around 185 FPS instead of the 181 FPS minimums of the 12900KS.

Core i9-12900KS Vs Core i9-13900K: Overall Gaming Performance

Average FPS Across Mentioned Games
Overall Gaming Performance (Image By Tech4Gamers)

According to our calculations, the 13900K consistently beat the 12900KS in our testing by a significant margin. The average framerate of the newer chip was around 187.3 FPS in our testing, which was around 11% greater than the 168.4 FPS average that the 12900KS had across the games we tested.

Power Consumption

Average Power Consumption Across Mentioned Games
Average Power Consumption Statistics (Image By Tech4Gamers)

In all the nine tested games, we saw that the 12900KS used around 104.8 watts of power on average, while the 13900K used around 112.8 watts on average. This comes to a difference of around 7.3%, which scales almost linearly to the increase in performance between the two processors.

Thermal Statistics

Average Thermal Consumption (°C) During Load Test
Average Thermal Statistics – Image Credits (Tech4Gamers)

Among the nine games, we found that the Core i9-12900KS exhibited better thermal performance than the Core i9-13900K with an average temperature of 61.5°C instead of 69°C. This accumulates to a difference of around 11%, which funnily exactly matches the performance difference of these two CPUs.


Pricing And Value

CPUMSRPCurrent Price
Core i9-12900KS💲739💲479
Core i9-13900K💲589💲549
Price Difference22.5%13.6%

With time, the price of both processors has decreased. The Core i9-12900KS’s price has been reduced by a staggering 42.6%. In contrast, the i9-13900K’s price has been decreased by only 7%. Compared to the MSRP, the Core i9-12900KS has now become 13.6% cheaper than the Core i9-13900K.


Final Verdict – Which One Would We Recommend?

Core i9-13900K: The Core i9-13900K has an edge in performance, providing a 10.6% increase in average FPS relative to the Core i9-12900KS. The 13900K is also more budget-friendly, costing 22.5% less than its rival. This makes it the winner of our comparison, giving more power for less money.

Core i9-12900KS: Regarding the temperatures, the i9-12900KS outperforms the 13900K, being 11.4% more thermally efficient. Moreover, the processor also utilizes 7.3% less power than the Core i9-13900K, but the average gamer would not care about the advantages the 12900KS has over the 13900K.

Finally, your choice will depend on whether you want superior FPS performance or saving electric bills. The Core i9-13900K is a more affordable and better-performing option, while the Core i9-12900KS is the better option for those seeking power efficiency and thermal performance.


FAQs

Does Intel i9 12900KS have integrated graphics?

Yes, the Core i9-12900KS comes with integrated Intel UHD 770 Graphics capabilities.

How many cores does the 12900KS have?

The Core i9-12900KS comes equipped with 16 cores and 24 threads

Is i9-13900K good for gaming?

Yes, the Core i9-13900K comes from the latest generation from Intel and is one of the best processors for gaming performance.


More From Core i9-12900KS

More From Core i9-13900K

Was our article helpful? 👨‍💻

Thank you! Please share your positive feedback. 🔋

How could we improve this post? Please Help us. 😔

Related articles

Noctua NH-U12S SE-AM4 CPU Cooler Review

The Noctua NH-U12S SE-AM4 impresses with efficient cooling for AMD AM4 sockets, balancing performance and low noise. Ideal for enthusiasts prioritizing reliability over flashy aesthetics

RTX 4070 Vs RX 7900 XTX: Which Is Better [Tested]

In this comparison guide, we will benchmark the RTX 4070 Vs RX 7900 XTX, and see how they perform against each other.

ORICO 5-Port Multi-Function Power Station DUK-5P Review

The ORICO 5-port Multi-Function Power Station DUK-5P is a stylish and efficient device for charging multiple devices at once. It has five or ten USB ports (depending on the model) and provides 5V/2.4A on each port with a total output of 5V/8A.

Aerocool Quartz Revo RGB Chassis Review

In this Aerocool Quartz Revo RGB review, we will walk you through the PC case's unboxing experience, building design, and testing.

GAMEMAX M909 VEGA Black Perspex Case Review

This GAMEMAX M909 VEGA Black Perspex ATX Gaming Chassis Review covers the case's unboxing experience, closer look, and testing.

Similar Guides