Core i7-13700K vs EPYC 9655P

Intel

Core i7-13700K

16 Cores24 Thrd125 WWMax: 5.4 GHz2022

Popular choices:

VS
AMD

EPYC 9655P

96 Cores192 Thrd400 WWMax: 4.5 GHz2024

Popular choices:

i7-13700K

Performance Spectrum - CPU

About PassMark

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 i7-13700K

2022

Why buy it

  • Better for gaming: +3.9% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • Costs $10,402 less on MSRP ($409 MSRP vs $10,811 MSRP).
  • Delivers 654.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 111.9 vs 14.8 PassMark/$ ($409 MSRP vs $10,811 MSRP).
  • Draws 125W instead of 400W, a 275W reduction.
  • Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics 770, while EPYC 9655P needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

  • Lower Geekbench multi-core (18,980 vs 24,287).
  • Smaller total L3 cache (30 MB vs 384 MB).
  • Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 9655P, which brings 96 cores / 192 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.

EPYC 9655P

2024

Why buy it

  • +28% higher Geekbench multi-core.
  • +1180% larger total L3 cache (384 MB vs 30 MB).
  • Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 96 cores / 192 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 20.
  • 540% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

  • Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-13700K across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • Lower PassMark per dollar, at 14.8 vs 111.9 PassMark/$ ($10,811 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).
  • 220% higher power demand at 400W vs 125W.
  • No integrated graphics, while Core i7-13700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 9655P better than Core i7-13700K?
Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. EPYC 9655P makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Core i7-13700K is the better mainstream desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and day-to-day practicality.
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 9655P is the better fit. You are getting 28% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 96 cores and 192 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 1180% larger total L3 cache (384 MB vs 30 MB).
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
EPYC 9655P is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i7-13700K makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. EPYC 9655P is 2543.3% more expensive on MSRP at $10,811 MSRP versus $409 MSRP, and it gives you 28% better Geekbench multi-core. The trade-off is that Core i7-13700K is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 3.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i7-13700K is also 654.1% better value on MSRP (111.9 vs 14.8 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
EPYC 9655P is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2022), 1180% larger total L3 cache (384 MB vs 30 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 96 cores / 192 threads instead of 16/24. That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

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.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

PresetCore i7-13700KEPYC 9655P
1080p
low284 FPS170 FPS
medium268 FPS143 FPS
high223 FPS122 FPS
ultra190 FPS99 FPS
1440p
low238 FPS149 FPS
medium200 FPS121 FPS
high159 FPS99 FPS
ultra139 FPS83 FPS
4K
low159 FPS83 FPS
medium134 FPS73 FPS
high103 FPS57 FPS
ultra90 FPS47 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetCore i7-13700KEPYC 9655P
1080p
low689 FPS696 FPS
medium580 FPS602 FPS
high484 FPS475 FPS
ultra439 FPS411 FPS
1440p
low595 FPS566 FPS
medium525 FPS501 FPS
high441 FPS414 FPS
ultra378 FPS336 FPS
4K
low348 FPS331 FPS
medium314 FPS295 FPS
high295 FPS267 FPS
ultra261 FPS235 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetCore i7-13700KEPYC 9655P
1080p
low648 FPS746 FPS
medium530 FPS633 FPS
high467 FPS589 FPS
ultra405 FPS519 FPS
1440p
low591 FPS561 FPS
medium491 FPS474 FPS
high427 FPS434 FPS
ultra371 FPS376 FPS
4K
low434 FPS411 FPS
medium374 FPS331 FPS
high339 FPS299 FPS
ultra290 FPS238 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetCore i7-13700KEPYC 9655P
1080p
low970 FPS1047 FPS
medium883 FPS939 FPS
high766 FPS821 FPS
ultra689 FPS744 FPS
1440p
low829 FPS839 FPS
medium740 FPS733 FPS
high642 FPS641 FPS
ultra566 FPS562 FPS
4K
low567 FPS605 FPS
medium515 FPS539 FPS
high463 FPS477 FPS
ultra404 FPS416 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-13700K and EPYC 9655P

Intel

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.

AMD

EPYC 9655P

The EPYC 9655P is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 10 October 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Turin (2024) architecture. It features 96 cores and 192 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 GHz. L3 cache: 384 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: SP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 400 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 160,490 points. Launch price was $10,811.

Processing Power

The Core i7-13700K packs 16 cores / 24 threads, while the EPYC 9655P offers 96 cores / 192 threads — the EPYC 9655P has 80 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.4 GHz on the Core i7-13700K versus 4.5 GHz on the EPYC 9655P — a 18.2% clock advantage for the Core i7-13700K (base: 3.4 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). The Core i7-13700K uses the Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the EPYC 9655P uses Turin (2024) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-13700K scores 45,784 against the EPYC 9655P's 160,490 — a 111.2% lead for the EPYC 9655P. Multi-core Geekbench: 18,980 vs 24,287 (24.5% advantage for the EPYC 9655P). L3 cache: 30 MB (total) on the Core i7-13700K vs 384 MB (total) on the EPYC 9655P.

FeatureCore i7-13700KEPYC 9655P
Cores / Threads
16 / 24
96 / 192+500%
Boost Clock
5.4 GHz+20%
4.5 GHz
Base Clock
3.4 GHz+31%
2.6 GHz
L3 Cache
30 MB (total)
384 MB (total)+1180%
L2 Cache
2 MB (per core)+100%
1 MB (per core)
Process
Intel 7 nm
4 nm-43%
Architecture
Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022)
Turin (2024)
PassMark
45,784
160,490+251%
Cinebench R23 Multi
31,000
Geekbench 6 Single
2,846
Geekbench 6 Multi
18,980
24,287+28%
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-13700K uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the EPYC 9655P uses SP5 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-5600 memory speed. The Core i7-13700K supports up to 192 GB of RAM compared to 6 TB 187.9% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i7-13700K) vs 12 (EPYC 9655P). PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i7-13700K) vs 128 (EPYC 9655P) — the EPYC 9655P offers 108 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel Z790,Intel H770,Intel B760,Intel Z690,Intel H670,Intel B660,Intel H610 (Core i7-13700K) and SP5 (EPYC 9655P).

FeatureCore i7-13700KEPYC 9655P
Socket
LGA1700
SP5
PCIe Generation
PCIe 5.0
PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR5-5600
DDR5-6000
Max RAM Capacity
192 GB
6 TB+3100%
RAM Channels
2
12+500%
ECC Support
Yes
Yes
PCIe Lanes
20
128+540%
🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: true (Core i7-13700K) vs AMD-V, SEV-SNP (EPYC 9655P). The Core i7-13700K includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics 770), while the EPYC 9655P requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: EPYC 9655P targets Data Center / Single Socket. Direct competitor: Core i7-13700K rivals Ryzen 9 7900X; EPYC 9655P rivals Xeon 6979P.

FeatureCore i7-13700KEPYC 9655P
Integrated GPU
Yes
No
IGPU Model
Intel UHD Graphics 770
Unlocked
Yes
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
true
AMD-V, SEV-SNP
Target Use
Data Center / Single Socket
💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-13700K launched at $409 MSRP, while the EPYC 9655P debuted at $10811. On MSRP ($409 vs $10811), the Core i7-13700K is $10402 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-13700K delivers 111.9 pts/$ vs 14.8 pts/$ for the EPYC 9655P — making the Core i7-13700K the 153.2% better value option.

FeatureCore i7-13700KEPYC 9655P
MSRP
$409-96%
$10811
Performance per Dollar
111.9+656%
14.8
Release Date
2022
2024