Core i9-13900K Vs Core i7-13700K [We Tested 8 Games]

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Abde Manaf

At Tech4Gamers, I began as a comparison writer, analyzing GPU and CPU performance. Now, I focus on writing reviews and contributing to the best-ofs section, sharing personal insights after hands-on testing.

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Pros & Cons

Comparison Table

Architectural Differences

1. Core/ThreadCounts: The Intel i9-13900K consists of 24 cores (8 P-cores & 16 E-cores) and 32 threads. Whereas, the Core i7-13700K has 16 cores (8 P-cores & 8 E-cores) and 24 threads.
2. Clock Speeds: The i9-13900K has base frequencies of 3 GHz that can be boosted up to 5.8 GHz, with an E-core frequency of 2.2 GHz (up to 4.3 GHz) and a P-core boost of 5.4 GHz. In contrast, the i7-13700K has a base clock of 3.4 GHz that can boosted up to 5.4 GHz, with an E-core clock of 2.5 GHz (up to 4.2 GHz) and a P-core turbo of 5.3 GHz.
3. Cache: The Core i9-13900K has 36MB of L3 Cache compared to the i7-13700K’s 30MB. It also has more L1 and L2 cache on account of its higher core count.
   
4. TDP: Despite many differences, both the CPUs have a TDP rating of 125W.
5. Similarities: Both of these hybrid cores-based CPUs are based on Intel’s 10nm process node. They also share the same PCIe Gen 5 version and are both unlocked for overclocking. The CPU socket they both support is the LGA1700 and both drive extra power from the same Integrated graphics of Intel UHD 770.

Intel’s Raptor Lake lineup became the second to utilize its Hybrid Core design. The Core i7-13700K sits in the middle, surrounded by the ultimate Core i9-13900K and the budget Core i5-13600K. The Core i9-13900K is undoubtedly the king, but how does it compare to its younger brother? Find out as I compare Core i9-13900K vs Core i7-13700K.

Gaming Benchmarks – 1080p

And now on to the most important part, the performance. Here, we’ll compare the two CPUs in eight titles tested at 1080P resolution. Note that all games were tested at Ultra or equivalent preset.

Note: The recorded figures may vary slightly from actual figures due to occasional shortcomings of monitoring software. 

Testing Rig

• Motherboard: ASUS TUF Gaming Z690-Plus 
• RAM:  G.Skill Ripjaws S5 6000MHz DDR5
• SSD – XPG GAMMIX S70 BLADE 2TB NVMe
• PSU – ENERMAX REVOLUTION D.F. X 1050W
• GPU: MSI RTX 4090 Suprim X
• CPU Cooler: Arctic Liquid Freezer II 360 – AIO Water Cooler

Forza Horizon 5

• Right off the bat, the Core i9-13900K took the lead by achieving an impressive 263 FPS, while the i7-13700K followed closely with an average of 254 FPS.
• The i9-13900K hits a 1% low of 187 FPS, and the i7-13700K drops to 179 FPS, giving the flagship processor a 4.4% lead.

Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord

• Moving on to the next title, the Core i9-13900K outperformed the i7-13700K by a slight margin of 4.8%, running at an impressive 300 FPS over 286 FPS respectively. 
• I observed that the 1% lows showed minimal contrast, with the i9-13900K at 167 FPS and the i7-13700K at 160 FPS.

Microsoft Flight Simulator

• In Microsoft Flight Simulator, the i9-13900K maintained its lead, with an 8.9% performance edge, running the game at 85 FPS, while the i7-13700K achieved 78 FPS on average. 
• The 1% lows differed by just 2 FPS according to my analysis, with the i9-13900K at 40 FPS and the i7-13700K at 38 FPS.

Far Cry 6

• Next up on my list is Far Cry 6. Here, the i9-13900K achieved an average of 137 FPS, over the i7-13700K’s close 135 FPS, showing a 1.4% performance difference.
• The 1% lows also showed minimal variation, where the i9-13900K achieved 113 FPS while the i7-13700K obtained 111 FPS.

Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered

• The CPU-intensive title Spider-Man: Remastered is up next. The i9-13900K led by 10.4%, averaging 135 FPS, while the i7-13700K achieved 124 FPS.
• Here again, I noticed an extremely close 1% low result, with the i9-13900K at 110 FPS and the i7-13700K at 101 FPS.

Cyberpunk 2077 

• In Cyberpunk 2077, the i9-13900K maintains its lead with a 6.6% advantage, averaging 145 FPS, while the i7-13700K runs at 136 FPS. 
• This makes it a difference of 8.1% in the 1% lows, with the i9-13900K gaining 119 FPS over the i7-13700K’s 110 FPS.

Call of Duty: Warzone

• The last title is Call of Duty: Warzone. In this game, the i7-13700K performed relatively well, trailing by just 7.2% with 221 FPS over the i9-13900K’s 237 FPS.
• After I examined the 1% lows, I observed an 8.3% difference, with the i7-13700K dropping to 156 FPS whereas the i9-13900K flourished with 169 FPS.

Overall Gaming Performance

Across the seven games, the Core i9-13900K averaged 186 FPS over 177.5 FPS obtained by the Core i9-13700K. From these numbers, I concluded that the Core i9-13900K is about 4.7% faster in 1080p gaming. Examining the 1% low FPS scores, I observed that the i9-13900K managed to gain 129.2 FPS compared to 123.2 FPS of the i7-13700K – showing a 4.8% difference.

Winner: Intel's Core i9-13900K

Power Consumption

Across the seven games compared, the i9-13900K’s average power consumption was 157.8 watts, which is much higher than the i7-13700K’s figure of 127.4 watts. Thus, the Core i9-13900K consumes about 23.8% more power in 1080P gaming than the Core i7-13700K.

Thermal Performance

According to my calculations, the i9-13900K ran at 66.2°C on average, while the i7-13700K remained quite cool, at 59°C. Thus, the Core i7-13700K is about 12.2% more thermally efficient in 1080P gaming compared to the Core i9-13900K.

Price & Value

Both CPUs are readily available at all major stores as of October 2023. Talking about prices, both CPUs are available at slightly discounted prices compared to MSRP (as of October 2023). The i9-13900K can be yours for $541, whereas the i7-13700K is going as cheap as $389-$427. Accounting for these prices, the Core i7-13700K is far cheaper than the Core i9-13900K, by around 32.6%.

Core i7-13700K Vs Core i9 13900K: Which One Do I Recommend?

From my analysis, I concluded that there’s only a minor difference of 4.7% in 1080P gaming performance between the two CPUs. However, when it comes to the prices, the i7-13700K has 32.6% better performance per dollar. In addition, it consumes less power and is thermally efficient than its elder sibling. This is why I fully recommend Core i7-13700K as it is the winner out of the two CPUs.

Editor`s Note

Despite the close performance margin of both the CPUs, the Core i9-13900K is a very powerful processor for productivity tasks because of its higher cores and threads. This makes video editing and rendering of 3D objects much more smoother and easier on this CPU.

– Abde Manaf

More From Core i9-13900K:

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More From Core i7-13700K:

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Abde Manaf

[Comparisons Expert]

Abdemanaf is a skilled creative writer who has been honing his craft since 2011. While initially working in different fields, he found a passion for technology and has been exploring the tech world since early 2015. Over the years, he has developed an in-depth knowledge of the latest tech trends and product offerings by various companies.

Abdemanaf’s writing reflects his analytical mindset and ability to think critically. He has a knack for breaking down complex technical information into easily digestible pieces, making his articles engaging and accessible to readers from all backgrounds. In February 2022, he joined Tech4Gamers as a blog and product comparison writer, where he has been able to hone his skills further.

As a writer, Abdemanaf is dedicated to staying up-to-date with the latest technological advancements and trends, enabling him to provide readers with the most relevant and accurate information. He is always eager to learn more and is constantly seeking new challenges to improve his skills.

Get In Touch: manaf@tech4gamers.com