Ryzen 7 7800X3D Vs i5-13600KF [Benchmarks & Difference]

In this comparison, we will be pinning the Ryzen 7 7800X3D vs Core i5-13600KF to see how much better AMD’s top tier is than Intel’s midrange, if better at all.

The Ryzen 7 5800X3D held its ground as the best CPU for gaming since its launch, but now, with the introduction of the Ryzen 7 7800X3D, its reign has ended. On the other hand, for gamers on a budget, Intel gave an exceptional performance with its Core i5-13600KF. 

Key Takeaways

• The Ryzen 7 7800X3D had about 8.9% better gaming performance than the Intel i5 13600KF.
• AMD also had a massive advantage over Intel, with a little over 40% better power draw.
• The temperatures on both these CPUs were almost identical.
• The Ryzen 7 7800X3D costs about $449, whereas the i5-13600KF is much cheaper at about $320.

Ryzen 7 7800X3D Vs i5-13600KF Specs

Comparison Table

Architecture

The Ryzen 7 7800X3D utilizes the “Zen4” CPU architecture, while the Core i5-13600KF uses the “Raptor Lake” architecture. Both these architectures are the latest and greatest from their respective companies.

The Zen 4 architecture brings massive performance uplifts from the architectures of years past. Compared to Zen 3, Zen 4 has about 8%-10% more Instruction Per Core capacity, translating to an overall 35% performance uplift, accounting for other improvements as well. This allows for exceptional efficiency and performance.

Also Read: Ryzen 7 7800X3D Vs i9-13900K

The market-leading feature used in this architecture is AMD’s 3D V-cache, which allows AMD to stack cache in the Z axis on the processor. This leads to significant performance improvements without making the CPU dye larger. The technicalities of doing this also led AMD to use a Chiplet Design incorporating 7nm processing nodes for the 3D V-cache processors. In contrast, the rest of the chip uses TMSC’s 5nm manufacturing node.

On the other hand, the Raptor Lake architecture, used in the i5-13600KF, utilizes Intel’s take on the Hybrid Core Architecture, currently in its second generation. This CPU design is called significant.LITTLE technology allows Intel to cram Efficiency and Performance cores in the same processor. This processor is based on the Intel 10 manufacturing process.

CPU Sockets

The i5-13600KF employs the FCLGA1700 CPU, utilized previously in the last generation of Intel CPUs, meaning that you can use this processor with the motherboard you might have been using with your 12th gen CPU. The 1700 pins on this socket allowed Intel to put in many new features last year, like DDR5 and PCIe 5.0 support.

AMD uses the AM5 socket for its 7000 series CPUs, which adds DDR5 support and PCIe 5.0 support. Adding support for DDR5 is bittersweet, as AMD removed DDR4 support in this generation of products.

This socket also marks AMD’s shift from a PGA to an LGA interface, meaning the physical pins connecting the motherboard to the CPU and on the former. Additionally, it has 1718 connection pins that facilitate data transfer between the CPU and other computer components. Motherboards with the AM5 socket only support the Ryzen 7000 series of chips, making it incompatible with any older motherboard you might have around.

If you’re wondering what the differences between AM4 and AM5 are, read our comparison guide.

Memory

Both the Ryzen 7 7800X3D and i5-13600KF have the support of up to 128 GB of storage and support for DDR5 memory. It is worth noting that the Ryzen 7 7800X3D only supports DDR5 memory, unlike the i5-13600KF, which also supports DDR4 memory.

The Ryzen 7 7800X3D maximum memory speed is 5200 mega transfers per second, while the Intel chip has a slightly higher speed at 5600 mega transfers per second, both for DDR5 RAM. The Intel chip has a maximum bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s, whereas the Ryzen has a memory bandwidth of about 83.2 GB/s.

If you want to see how the latest RAM technology compares against DDR4, read our article on DDR4 vs DDR5.

Cache

The cache on a processor is high-speed storage housed inside your processor and is instrumental in achieving better performance.

The main differentiating feature between the Ryzen 7xxx series and the Ryzen 7xxxX3D series is its huge cache, which hugely benefits gaming tasks. They achieve this by stacking the memory modules on top of each other on the processor.

The Ryzen 7 7800X3D has an L2 cache size of 8 MB, whereas the i5-13600KF comes in with an L2 cache size of 20 MB, but AMD completely butchers Intel with its 96 MB of L3 cache on the 7800X3D opposed to Intel’s 24 MB on the 13600KF.

Core Count And Clock Speeds

Having talked about AMDs advantage in this comparison, it is time to mention where Intel leads the pack; core counts.

The Core i5-13500 dominates the Ryzen 7 7800X3D in multithreaded tasks because of its number of cores. The i5-13400 has 6 performance cores and 8 efficiency cores totaling 20 threads. Meanwhile, the 7800X3D has only 8 cores and 16 threads.

On the i5-13600KF, the performance cores have a base clock speed of 3.50 GHz, with a boost of up to 5.10 GHz. On the other hand, the efficiency cores have a base clock of 2.60 GHz and a maximum clock speed of 3.90 GHz.

The 7800X3D has its cores limited to a clock speed of 4.2 GHz at the base and about 5.1 GHz at boost speeds. It is also essential to note that the 3D V-Cache on these chips is more sensitive to higher voltages, yielding slower out-of-the-box clock speeds and making the chip more unstable while overclocking.

Because the i5 in this comparison is a chip of the K series, it has overclocking capabilities, eliminating AMD’s usual advantage of being overclockable.

To see the maximum performance you can get out of your CPU, read our guide on overclocking.

TDP 

TDP refers to the recommended power your CPU will utilize in specific workloads. PL1 (Power Level 1) refers to your base TPD and PL2 (Power Level 2) is the TDP of your processor when it is being fully utilized.

The PL1 rating on the Ryzen 7 7800X3D is about 120 W, whereas the i5-13600KF is a bit more power-hungry with a PL1 rating of about 125 W.

The same story repeats with the PL2 ratings, with the Ryzen 7 7800X3D having a rating of 162 W, while the i5 has a higher rating of about 181 W.

Also Read: How To Lower CPU Temperature?

Integrated Graphics

Like all the other 7000 series chips from AMD, the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D comes with AMD Radeon Graphics, decent at 1080p low to medium settings gaming. The Radeon Graphics comprise 2 Execution units and 128 shaders. The iGPU frequency is clocked at a base of 0.40 GHz with a boost up to 2.20 GHz.

Also Read: Ryzen 7 7800X3D Vs Ryzen 9 7950X3D

The maximum memory allocation to the iGPU is 8 GB. Overall, these graphics are decent if they are considered an extra feature, and they sure beat the lack of graphics on the 13600KF. These graphics are also handy for plugging in displays while troubleshooting or saving up for a discrete GPU.

 i5-13600KF Vs Ryzen 7800X3D: Gaming Tests

In this comparison section, we will pin the Ryzen 7800X3D vs i5-13600KF in gaming workloads to see which CPU is top in overall gaming prowess. All these tests have been performed on a testbench, the specifications of which are as follows:

• OS – Windows 11 
• Motherboards – Gigabyte X670E AORUS MASTER, ASUS ROG Strix Z790-E Gaming
• CPU Cooler – be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4
• Graphics Card – GeForce RTX 4090 24GB
• Memory – G.SKILL Trident Z5 RGB 32GB DDR5 6000MHz CL32
• SSD – 2xSAMSUNG 970 EVO M.2 2280 1TB
• Power Supply – CORSAIR RM850i 850W

All of our tests were done at 1080p with high settings.

Forza Horizon 5

• In the first game of our tests, the Ryzen 7800X3D outperformed the 13600KF by outputting 210 FPS vs the i5’s 192 FPS.
• The 1% lows were similar, with the Ryzen having 145 FPS as its 1% lows and the i5 having 133 FPS.
• In regards to power, Intel drew a much more significant amount. The Ryzen 7800X3D made do with 53 W, whereas the i5 13600KF utilized about 75 W.
• Peak temperatures were equivalent on both processors; 56°C.

Cyberpunk 2077

• This game had AMD outperforming Intel again, with the Ryzen 7 7800X3D having 129 FPS on average, whereas the i5-13600KF had about 122 FPS.
• The Ryzen 7 7800X3D had about 100 FPS in this game, whereas the i5 13600KF was not too far back with 94 FPS.
• Once again, the i5-13600KF drew much more power than the Ryzen 7 7800X3D. It drew about 82 W compared to the Ryzen’s 64 W.
• Surprisingly, the i5-13600KF was cooler than the Ryzen 7800X3D in this test, with a peak of 64°C compared to 66°C.

Hitman 3

• In Hitman 3, the Ryzen 7 7800X3D had an average of about 245 FPS, whereas the i5-13600KF had an average of 231 FPS.
• The 1% lows were again higher on the 7800X3D, 185 vs 168 on the i5 13600KF.
• Power draw was much starker in this test than the other parameters. The i5-13600KF had a power draw of about 90 W, whereas the Ryzen 7 7800X3D had a power draw of 56 W.
• The temperatures were significantly higher on the i5 in this test, with a peak of 64°C, while the Ryzen 7 7800X3D stayed cool at about 56°C.

Microsoft Flight Simulator

• Being a more GPU-bounded title, Microsoft Flight Simulator acts like somewhat of an equalizer for the CPUs, with the i5-13600KF still getting slightly less FPS, 105, compared to the Ryzen’s 109.
• The Ryzen 7 7800X3D again had slightly better 1% lows, 92 FPS compared to the i5’s 85 FPS.
• Microsoft Flight Simulator raised the CPU temperature on the Ryzen 7 7800X3D to about 55°C, whereas the i5-13600KF was marginally cooler at about 54°C.
• While running this game, the i5 used 55 W of power, whereas the Ryzen 7 consumed around 43 W.

Also Check: Intel i5-13600K Vs i5-13600KF

Horizon Zero Dawn

• The Ryzen averaged about 265 FPS, whereas the i5-13600KF reached 223 FPS.
• Looking at the 1% lows, we saw that the i5 had 145 FPS, whereas the Ryzen 7 had a 1% low of about 170 FPS.
• While running Horizon Zero Dawn, the Ryzen 7 7800X2D experienced a CPU temperature of around 66°C, whereas the i5 13600KF had a temperature of approximately 60°C.
• While playing Horizon Zero Dawn, the i5 utilized 91 W of power, while the Ryzen 7 drew approximately 64 W.

Ryzen 7800X3D Vs i5-13600KF: Overall Gaming Performance

Overall Framerate

Regarding average framerate, the Ryzen 7 7800X3D outperformed the i5-13600KF in all 5 games tested. On average, the Ryzen 7 7800X3D had an 8.9% higher framerate than the i5-13600KF. This lead translates into noticeable performance differences in the real world, especially considering this processor is a long-term investment.

Right now, you might think of these benefits as a minor in some games, but this gap will become more prominent with the release of every new graphics card, making your CPU bottleneck in gaming performance.

Also Read: Ryzen 9 7900X Vs Core i9-12900K

1% lows dictate the overall playability of the game. If a game performs well in average framerates, but the 1% lows aren’t stable, then the game becomes an unplayable stuttery mess. These inconsistencies in framerate can also translate to rough frame times, leading to unsavory delays in games.

These can negatively affect your performance in a game, whether the inability to react quickly to an enemy that pops up on the screen or to deploy a quick evade in a MOBA. Regarding 1% lows, the Ryzen 7 7800X3D outperformed the i5-13600KF in all 5 games tested. On average, the Ryzen 7 7800X3D had a 7.7% higher framerate than the i5-13600KF in terms of 1% lows across all games.

Power Consumption

The i5-13600KF consistently drew more power than the Ryzen 7 7800X3D in all 5 games tested. On average, the i5-13600KF drew about 40.4% more wattage than the Ryzen 7 7800X3D across all games.

This exceptionally well power consumption translates to power savings across the lifespan of the CPU.  

Thermals

The peak temperatures for both processors were similar across all games tested, with the i5-13600KF having slightly higher temperatures in some games and the Ryzen 7 7800X3D having higher temperatures in others.

On average, the peak temperatures for both processors were nearly identical across all games, with the i5-13600KF having an average peak temperature of 59.6°C and the Ryzen 7 7800X3D having an average peak temperature of 59.8°C.

If you are especially worried about your cooling performance on a budget, look at our article on best budget CPU coolers.

Pricing And Availability

The MSRP of the Ryzen 7 7800X3D is listed at about $449, whereas the i5 13600KF comes at about $320.

Both CPUs will be available at the online/offline PC parts seller of your choice, as these chips are bound to be extremely popular in the long run.

Ryzen 7800X3D Vs i5-13600KF: Which One Should You Go For?

• If productivity and performance per dollar are your top priorities, we suggest opting for the i5-13600KF.
• i5-13600KF offers precisely what you require without any additional features, and it supports less expensive motherboard and RAM standards, resulting in a lower overall cost.
• On the other hand, if you desire the maximum gaming performance for your system, the Ryzen 7 7800XX3D is unbeatable.
• This CPU is the top performer in all benchmarks, surpassing its higher-end counterparts; the Ryzen 9 7900X3D and the 7950X3D.
• Although this CPU may not be compatible with your existing motherboard or support cheaper DDR4 RAM, it is the ideal choice for the ultimate gaming experience.

In any case, we hope that our Ryzen 7800X3D vs Core i5-13600KF is going to help you make the right decision. 

Also Check: Ryzen 5 3600 Vs Ryzen 5 5600x

Pros And Cons