i9-13900KF Vs Ryzen 9 7900X3D [Gaming Benchmarks]

If you’re looking for the best of the best CPU for gaming and/or productivity purposes, then Intel’s Core i9-13900KF and AMD’s Ryzen 9 7900X3D are likely on your radar. But which CPU is better? You’ll find out today in our comparison of Core i9-13900KF vs Ryzen 9 7900X3D. 

Key Takeaways

• The Core i9-13900KF employs a monolithic design using only a 10nm node, while AMD’s Ryzen 9 7900X3D has a chiplet design using different nodes for the multiple dies.
• The Ryzen 9 7900X3D features a massive 128MB of L3 cache thanks to the additional die. On the other hand, the i9-13900KF has only 36MB of L3 cache. 
• AMD’s Ryzen 9 7900X3D is a measly 2.2% faster than the i9-13900KF in 1080P gaming. 
• The Ryzen 9 7900X3D is 10.8% more power efficient and 4.8% more thermally efficient than the i9-13900KF. 

Specs Difference

Comparison Table

Core Design 

The Ryzen 7900X3D, and the rest of the Ryzen 7000 CPUs, employ AMD’s chiplet design that they have used since 2015. In the chiplet design, the main die is divided into smaller chips called, well, chiplets. Each CPU contains more than one chiplet. The 7900X3D, in particular, contains 2 chiplets having 6 cores each. Atop one of these chiplets lies the Infinity Cache die. 

The Intel Core i9-13900KF uses the usual monolithic design and instead splits the cores into two groups: P cores and E cores. (Read more about Intel’s 13th Generation Raptor Lake CPUs)

Processing Node

The Core i9-13900KF uses the Intel 7 manufacturing process that Alder Lake used, with some improvements. Intel 7, of course, is the codename for the 10nm ESF node. So, the Intel i9-13900KF uses a 10nm node for both the P and E cores. 

On the other hand, the Ryzen 9 7900X3D uses 3 different nodes for the three dies it contains. The Core Complex Die, which includes the cores and L2 cache, uses a 5nm node. The I/O die uses a 6nm node. Finally, the additional Infinity Cache die uses a 7nm node. 

AMD has a clear upper hand here regarding the processing node and transistor density. 

Also Read: Ryzen 9 7900X3D Vs i9-13900K 

Base And Boost Clocks

As with every Hybrid Architecture CPU, Intel’s Core i9-13900KF has quite a modest base and boost clock ratings. The P cores have a base clock of 3.0 GHz, while Intel Turbo Boost pushes them up to 5.4 GHz.

The E cores have a base clock of 2.20 GHz which can be bumped up to 4.3 GHz. It should be noted that the Core i9-13900KF can be pushed up to 5.8 GHz on one or two cores through Thermal Velocity Boost. 

The Ryzen 9 7900X3D has an impressive 4.4 GHz base clock, while the boost mode takes it to 5.6 GHz. So the 7900X3D has better base speeds but lags slightly in terms of boost speeds – although the headroom required to achieve 5.8 GHz on the Core i9-13900KF is difficult to achieve. 

Ryzen 9 7900X3D Vs Core i9-13900KF: Gaming Performance

Let’s analyze the gaming performance of the two chips. We’ll be comparing their performance across 7 games at 1080P resolution. All the games are tested at ultra or equivalent preset. As always, it’s important to note that these figures may vary slightly due to inconsistencies in monitoring software. 

So without any further due, let’s dive into the gaming benchmarks of our Core i9-13900KF vs Ryzen 9 7900X3D comparison. 

Test Bench

• Intel Core i9-13900KF with ASUS ROG Strix Z790-E Gaming Motherboard
• AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D with MSI MEG X670E Ace Motherboard
• CPU Cooler: Corsair iCue H150I Elite
• Graphics Card: Asus TUF Gaming RTX 4090 24GB
• Memory: Corsair Dominator Platinum RGB 32GB (2×16) DDR5 6000MHz
• SSD: Samsung 980 PRO 2TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2
• Hard Drive: WD Blue 4TB 7200RPM
• Operating System: Windows 10 PRO
• Power Supply: Corsair RM1000X 1000 Watts

Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla

• Starting with Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla, the two CPUs are neck and neck in average FPS. Specifically, the Core i9-13900KF scores 218 FPS, and the Ryzen 9 7900X3D scores 224 FPS. 
• In terms of %1 lows, the i9-13900KF trails its AMD competitor by 2.4%. 
• The i9-13900KF hovers around the 67°C mark during this test – and the Ryzen 9 7900X3D is at a slightly cooler 64°C. 
• Intel Core i9-13900KF draws 126.8 watts of power on average, and the Ryzen 7900X3D betters that with 111.4 watts. 

Also Read: Ryzen 7 5700X Vs Ryzen 7 5800X3D

Cyberpunk 2077

• The i9-13900KF takes a marginal victory with an average of 157 FPS, and the Ryzen 9 7900X3D scores 153 FPS. 
• Again, this a marginal win for the Core i9-13900KF, as it scores a fractional 1.5% more in %1 FPS. 
• The Ryzen 9 7900X3D runs at 64°C while the i9-13900KF is running slightly warmer at 67°C. 
• Intel i9-13900KF draws around 118.6 watts of power in this test. The Ryzen 9 7900X3D is more power efficient again, drawing only 110 watts. 

Far Cry 6

• The i9-13900KF trails AMD’s Ryzen 9 7900X3D by 5.3% in average FPS in Far Cry 6. 
• Again, the i9-13900KF falls slightly short of its AMD Ryzen rival. The Ryzen 9 7900X3D scores 176 FPS, and the Core i9-13900KF scores 167 FPS.
•  The Core i9-13900KF heats up to around 66°C while the Ryzen 9 7900X3D is much cooler at 60°C – a 10% difference. 
• Both CPUs use identical amounts of power in this test.

Forza Horizon 5

• The Core i9-13900KF scores 203 FPS on average, and the Ryzen 9 7900X3D counters that with 206 FPS. 
• The Ryzen 9 7900X3D takes another small lead, racking up 171 FPS in reply to 167 FPS of the i9-13900KF. 
• The Ryzen 9 7900X3D runs at 65°C; the Core i9-13900KF shows worse thermal performance at 69°C. 
• Intel Core i9-13900KF draws 121.3 watts on average, and the Ryzen 9 7900X3D is the better CPU again, with 107.8 watts of power consumption.

God Of War

• The Ryzen 9 7900X3D scores 210 FPS on average, while the Intel i9-13900KF scores 209 FPS. 
• Coming to the %1 lows, the Ryzen 9 7900X3D holds its lead with 180 FPS, and the Core i9-13900KF trails just behind with 178 FPS.
• Both the CPUs produce similar amounts of heat – only a 1°C difference in favor of the i9-13900KF.
• The Ryzen 9 7900X3D again shows better power efficiency, drawing 107.7 watts in reply to 122 watts drawn by the i9-13900KF. 

Hitman 3

• The Ryzen 9 7900X3D is 5.6% better in terms of average FPS in Hitman 3, with 223 FPS on average. 
• Things take a turn in the %1 low figure. The Core i9-13900KF betters the Ryzen 9 7900X3D by 2.1%. 
• The two CPUs show identical thermal performance again, with both CPUs running around the 62°C mark. 
• The i9-13900KF draws 125.6 watts of power which is 10.5% more than the Ryzen 9 7900X3D draws. 

Horizon Zero Dawn

• The i9-13900KF trails just behind the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D, with 224 FPS on average compared to 228 FPS. 
• The Ryzen 9 7900X3D scores 186 FPS and is 6.9% faster than the Core i9-13900KF in terms of %1 lows. 
• The Core i9-13900KF poses a concern in this test, running around the 73°C mark. The Ryzen 9 7900X3D runs cooler at 68°C on average. 
• The Core i9-13900KF draws 122.4 watts, and the Ryzen 9 7900X3D counters that with 104 watts – a 17.6% difference. 

Overall Gaming Performance

Let’s look at the overall gaming performance of our Core i9-13900KF vs Ryzen 9 7900X3D battle. We took a mean of the average FPS and %1 lows across the 7 tested games for both CPUs. 

• Both CPUs handle 1080P ultra gaming without breaking a sweat, but one CPU is still faster than the other. The Ryzen 9 7900X3D scores 202.8 FPS on average, and the Core i9-13900KF scores 198.4 FPS. 
• So, the Ryzen 9 7900X3D is around 2.2% better than the i9-13900KF in 1080P gaming.
• The Ryzen 9 7900X3D averaged 164.7 FPS in terms of %1 lows, and the Core i9-13900KF is slightly behind with 161.8 – only a 1.8% difference. 

Power Draw

Let’s look at the power consumption figures for both CPUs. Remember that the Core i9-13900KF is rated at 125 watts, and the Ryzen 9 7900X3D at 120 watts. 

• The Core i9-13900KF draws 120.3 watts of power on average across the 7 tests. In reply, the Ryzen 9 7900X3D utilized around 108.5 watts of power. 
• The Ryzen 9 7900X3D is 10.8% more power efficient than the i9-13900KF when it comes to 1080P gaming.  
• Both CPUs draw less than their base TDP rating in 1080P gaming. 

You may also want to know how to check for an insufficient power supply.

Thermal Performance

Next, let’s look at the thermal statistics. As the i9-13900KF is less power-efficient, we can expect that it will also display worse thermal performance. 

• The Core i9-13900KF hovered around the 67.1°C mark across the 7 tests. The Ryzen 9 7900X3D ran somewhat cooler at 64°C. 
• The Ryzen 9 7900X3D is 4.8% more thermally efficient than the Core i9-13900KF. 

You may be interested our guide about CPU temperatures while gaming.

Cost And Availability

To start off, both these recently launched CPUs can easily be found for their MSRP. There is a $30 difference (5.2%) in their prices, with the Core i9-13900KF being the cheaper CPU. However, this difference is rather negligible. 

The Ryzen 9 7900X3D only supports DDR5 memory. This would have been a major concern a few months ago, as DDR5 memory prices were much higher than DDR4. Still, even at present, you can save up a few bucks by going with DDR4 memory, which the Core i9-13900KF supports. For example, the cheapest 2×8 GB kit of DDR4 memory can be found for as cheap as $35. The same kit in DDR5 will cost you at least $52. 

Next up is the motherboard. The B650(E) and X670(E) chipset motherboards supporting the Ryzen 9 7900X3D are quite expensive. The cheapest motherboard, at present, will cost you at least $150, and that’s the Gigabyte B650M DS3H. Otherwise, most motherboards cost closer to $200 or more.

The Core i9-13900K is backward compatible with older, cheaper Intel 600 series chipset motherboards. You can get a supporting motherboard for as cheap as $89 and mid-range B(x)60 options for as low as $120. You can read our guide on things to consider before buying a motherboard if you need help deciding your choice.

The Core i9-13900K didn’t draw much more power than the Ryzen 9 7900X3D. However, with a boost TDP rating of 253 watts, you need to equip it with a high-end cooler.

Overall, the Core i9-13900KF is the cheaper CPU and can save you even more because it supports DDR4 memory, and supporting motherboards are much more affordable. You can potentially save $100 or more by opting for the Core i9-13900KF. 

Final Words

The two high-end CPUs from AMD and Intel went head-to-head in a tough battle. The Ryzen 9 7900X3D was the better performer in gaming, thermal statistics, and power efficiency. On the other hand, the Core i9-13900KF is a slightly cheaper CPU and can save you money on platform costs. 

Also Check: Ryzen 9 5900x vs Ryzen 5 5600x

Thus, it’s a neck-and-neck competition between the two CPUs. Depending on your needs, you can go with either CPU, and they will serve you extremely well for your gaming and productivity needs. In any case, we hope that our Core i9-13900KF vs Ryzen 9 7900X3D will help you select the right processor for your rig.