Ryzen 9 7900X vs Core i9 13900K: Which is the better sub-$600 CPU for gaming?

Intel has introduced its Core i9 13900K as the flagship 24-core offering in the 13th Gen Raptor Lake lineup. The chip will replace the 12900KS with a massive single-core and multi-core performance boost.

The 13900K will utilize the LGA 1700 platform like the last gen. The new 13th gen processors will be available for purchase starting Thursday, October 20, 2022.

The 13900K has been priced at $583. An iGPU-less Core i9 13900KF will cost users $563.

Alongside Intel Raptor Lake, AMD introduced its Ryzen 7000 CPUs a few weeks ago. The new Ryzen 7000 CPUs are based on a new "Raphael" Zen 4 architecture.

The company has followed its usual processor nomenclature with this new-gen offering and is currently selling two Ryzen 9 processors. The cheapest among the two is the 12-core Ryzen 9 7900X, which has been priced at $549.

While building a high-end gaming PC, users might face a dilemma while choosing between the Ryzen 9 7900X and the flagship 13900K. They are priced similarly, and the performance is apparently almost equivalent. However, there are a few other factors to consider before opting for either chip.

Note: This article is subjective and solely reflects the opinions of the writer

---

Why gamers should opt for the Core i9 13900K over the Ryzen 9 7950X

The Core i9 13900K comes with 24 cores and 32 threads. It is based on hybrid architecture like the last gen. Eight of these cores are high-performance P cores that have a base frequency of 3.0 GHz and can boost up to 5.80 GHz. The remaining 16 efficiency E cores have a base clock of 2.20 GHz and can boost up to 4.30 GHz.

The 13900K packs the UHD 770 integrated GPU. The processor comes with support for both DDR4 (up to 3200 MT/s) and DDR5 (up to 5600 MT/s) memory.

In contrast, the Ryzen 9 7900X comes with 12 cores and 24 threads. It has a base clock of 4.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz.

The processor comes with a 12 MB L2 cache and a 64 MB L3 cache. It is based on TSMC's 5nm FinFET process node and supports only DDR5 memory of up to 5200 MT/s.

On paper, the specs of the Ryzen 9 7900X and the Core i9 13900K look competitive. However, performance metrics vary by a solid margin.

In gaming, Intel's Core i9 13900K takes a solid lead in almost every title while drawing the same amount of power and maintaining similar thermals. This improvement is all thanks to the Raptor Lake chips' vastly improved single-core performance metrics.

On average, gamers can expect an uplift of five to 10 frames with the Core i9 13900K, depending on the video game they are playing. However, apart from the performance gain, there are a few other key benefits of the 13900K.

Since the 13th gen processors are based on the LGA 1700 platform, users can choose a last-gen B660 or Z690 motherboard and pair the latest chips without a hiccup. This vastly increases motherboard choice. Several budget and cost-effective boards based on the B660 and Z690 chipset are available in the market.

AMD's latest chips do not have this advantage, as they are based on a completely new platform that utilizes a new socket, AM5. Moreover, AMD processors are DDR5 only, while Intel allows users to opt for DDR4 RAM to save a few bucks.

Most games still cannot utilize the full potential of DDR5 and thus offer diminishing returns when paired with the latest RAM modules, which cost twice that of DDR4.

Thus, overall, gamers should opt for the Core i9 13900K or the 13900KF if they want to build a high-end gaming rig. This will allow them to save some money while building a superior system.