PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Core i7-12700K

2021

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (34,347 vs 45,784).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (25 MB vs 30 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 84.0 vs 111.9 PassMark/$ ($409 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).

Core i7-13700K

2022

Why buy it

✅+20% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 25 MB).
✅Delivers 33.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 111.9 vs 84.0 PassMark/$ ($409 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Core i7-12700K

2021

Core i7-13700K

2022

Why buy it

✅+20% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 25 MB).
✅Delivers 33.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 111.9 vs 84.0 PassMark/$ ($409 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (34,347 vs 45,784).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (25 MB vs 30 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 84.0 vs 111.9 PassMark/$ ($409 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-13700K better than Core i7-12700K?

Yes. Core i7-13700K is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 0.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 33.3% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i7-13700K is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 0.9% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-13700K is the better fit. You are getting 33.3% better PassMark, backed by 16 cores and 24 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 20% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 25 MB).

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Core i7-13700K is the smarter buy today. Core i7-13700K is in basically the same MSRP band at $409 MSRP versus $409 MSRP, and it gives you a 0.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 33.3% better value on MSRP (111.9 vs 84.0 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Core i7-13700K is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2021), 20% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 25 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 16 cores / 24 threads instead of 12/20. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Games Benchmarks

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Core i7-12700K Benchmark Check

Core i7-13700K Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Core i7-13700K
1080p
low	314 FPS	284 FPS
medium	295 FPS	268 FPS
high	246 FPS	223 FPS
ultra	193 FPS	190 FPS
1440p
low	269 FPS	238 FPS
medium	225 FPS	200 FPS
high	182 FPS	159 FPS
ultra	145 FPS	139 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	159 FPS
medium	142 FPS	134 FPS
high	109 FPS	103 FPS
ultra	96 FPS	90 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Core i7-13700K

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Core i7-13700K
1080p
low	630 FPS	689 FPS
medium	533 FPS	580 FPS
high	450 FPS	484 FPS
ultra	410 FPS	439 FPS
1440p
low	536 FPS	595 FPS
medium	475 FPS	525 FPS
high	403 FPS	441 FPS
ultra	349 FPS	378 FPS
4K
low	312 FPS	348 FPS
medium	280 FPS	314 FPS
high	266 FPS	295 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	261 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Core i7-13700K

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Core i7-13700K
1080p
low	797 FPS	648 FPS
medium	633 FPS	530 FPS
high	556 FPS	467 FPS
ultra	472 FPS	405 FPS
1440p
low	704 FPS	591 FPS
medium	565 FPS	491 FPS
high	490 FPS	427 FPS
ultra	422 FPS	371 FPS
4K
low	510 FPS	434 FPS
medium	425 FPS	374 FPS
high	381 FPS	339 FPS
ultra	321 FPS	290 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Core i7-13700K

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Core i7-13700K
1080p
low	859 FPS	970 FPS
medium	802 FPS	883 FPS
high	699 FPS	766 FPS
ultra	628 FPS	689 FPS
1440p
low	760 FPS	829 FPS
medium	678 FPS	740 FPS
high	590 FPS	642 FPS
ultra	519 FPS	566 FPS
4K
low	535 FPS	567 FPS
medium	488 FPS	515 FPS
high	437 FPS	463 FPS
ultra	384 FPS	404 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Core i7-13700K

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-12700K and Core i7-13700K

Core i7-12700K

The Core i7-12700K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 November 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake, Golden Cove, Gracemont (2021) architecture. It features 12 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 25 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 34,347 points. Launch price was $409.

Core i7-13700K

The Core i7-13700K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 27 September 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022) architecture. It features 16 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 5.4 GHz. L3 cache: 30 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 45,784 points. Launch price was $409.

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Processing Power

The Core i7-12700K packs 12 cores / 20 threads, while the Core i7-13700K offers 16 cores / 24 threads — the Core i7-13700K has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5 GHz on the Core i7-12700K versus 5.4 GHz on the Core i7-13700K — a 7.7% clock advantage for the Core i7-13700K (base: 3.6 GHz vs 3.4 GHz). The Core i7-12700K uses the Alder Lake, Golden Cove, Gracemont (2021) architecture (10 nm), while the Core i7-13700K uses Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-12700K scores 34,347 against the Core i7-13700K's 45,784 — a 28.5% lead for the Core i7-13700K. L3 cache: 25 MB (total) on the Core i7-12700K vs 30 MB (total) on the Core i7-13700K.

Feature	Core i7-12700K	Core i7-13700K
Cores / Threads	12 / 20	16 / 24+33%
Boost Clock	5 GHz	5.4 GHz+8%
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+6%	3.4 GHz
L3 Cache	25 MB (total)	30 MB (total)+20%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	2 MB (per core)+60%
Process	10 nm	Intel 7 nm-30%
Architecture	Alder Lake, Golden Cove, Gracemont (2021)	Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022)
PassMark	34,347	45,784+33%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	31,000
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,846
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	18,980

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the LGA1700 socket with PCIe 5.0. Maximum memory speed reaches 4800 on the Core i7-12700K versus DDR5-5600 on the Core i7-13700K — the Core i7-12700K supports 199.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i7-13700K supports up to 192 GB of RAM compared to 128 — 40% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 20 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: Z690,B660 (Core i7-12700K) and Intel Z790,Intel H770,Intel B760,Intel Z690,Intel H670,Intel B660,Intel H610 (Core i7-13700K).

Feature	Core i7-12700K	Core i7-13700K
Socket	LGA1700	LGA1700
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	4800+95900%	DDR5-5600
Max RAM Capacity	128	192 GB+157286300%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-12700K) vs true (Core i7-13700K). Both include integrated graphics — Intel UHD Graphics 770 (Core i7-12700K) and Intel UHD Graphics 770 (Core i7-13700K) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Core i7-12700K rivals Ryzen 7 5800X; Core i7-13700K rivals Ryzen 9 7900X.

Feature	Core i7-12700K	Core i7-13700K
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	Intel UHD Graphics 770	Intel UHD Graphics 770
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	true

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-12700K launched at $409 MSRP, while the Core i7-13700K debuted at $409. On MSRP ($409 vs $409), the Core i7-13700K is $0 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-12700K delivers 84.0 pts/$ vs 111.9 pts/$ for the Core i7-13700K — making the Core i7-13700K the 28.5% better value option.