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: +33.2% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+21.2% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 25 MB).
✅Costs $1,590 less on MSRP ($409 MSRP vs $1,999 MSRP).
✅Delivers 655.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 111.9 vs 14.8 PassMark/$ ($409 MSRP vs $1,999 MSRP).
✅Draws 125W instead of 165W, a 40W reduction.

Trade-offs

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

Core i9-7980XE

2017

Why buy it

✅120% more PCIe lanes (44 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 (29,634 vs 45,784).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (25 MB vs 30 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 14.8 vs 111.9 PassMark/$ ($1,999 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).
❌32% higher power demand at 165W vs 125W.

Core i7-13700K

2022

Core i9-7980XE

2017

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +33.2% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+21.2% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 25 MB).
✅Costs $1,590 less on MSRP ($409 MSRP vs $1,999 MSRP).
✅Delivers 655.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 111.9 vs 14.8 PassMark/$ ($409 MSRP vs $1,999 MSRP).
✅Draws 125W instead of 165W, a 40W reduction.

Why buy it

✅120% more PCIe lanes (44 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

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

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-13700K across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (29,634 vs 45,784).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (25 MB vs 30 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 14.8 vs 111.9 PassMark/$ ($1,999 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).
❌32% higher power demand at 165W vs 125W.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-13700K better than Core i9-7980XE?

Yes. Core i7-13700K is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 33.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 54.5% 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 33.2% 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 54.5% better PassMark, backed by 16 cores and 24 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 21.2% 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 $1,590 cheaper on MSRP at $409 MSRP versus $1,999 MSRP, and it gives you a 33.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 655.1% better value on MSRP (111.9 vs 14.8 PassMark/$), 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 2017), a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of LGA2066, 21.2% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 25 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 16 cores / 24 threads instead of 18/36. 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.

Core i7-13700K Benchmark Check

Core i9-7980XE Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-13700K	Core i9-7980XE
1080p
low	284 FPS	167 FPS
medium	268 FPS	147 FPS
high	223 FPS	116 FPS
ultra	190 FPS	97 FPS
1440p
low	238 FPS	140 FPS
medium	200 FPS	120 FPS
high	159 FPS	95 FPS
ultra	139 FPS	80 FPS
4K
low	159 FPS	78 FPS
medium	134 FPS	71 FPS
high	103 FPS	56 FPS
ultra	90 FPS	44 FPS

Open Core i7-13700K Open Core i9-7980XE

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-13700K	Core i9-7980XE
1080p
low	689 FPS	470 FPS
medium	580 FPS	405 FPS
high	484 FPS	355 FPS
ultra	439 FPS	321 FPS
1440p
low	595 FPS	411 FPS
medium	525 FPS	361 FPS
high	441 FPS	319 FPS
ultra	378 FPS	277 FPS
4K
low	348 FPS	265 FPS
medium	314 FPS	232 FPS
high	295 FPS	220 FPS
ultra	261 FPS	190 FPS

Open Core i7-13700K Open Core i9-7980XE

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-13700K	Core i9-7980XE
1080p
low	648 FPS	636 FPS
medium	530 FPS	530 FPS
high	467 FPS	480 FPS
ultra	405 FPS	417 FPS
1440p
low	591 FPS	567 FPS
medium	491 FPS	479 FPS
high	427 FPS	432 FPS
ultra	371 FPS	377 FPS
4K
low	434 FPS	431 FPS
medium	374 FPS	354 FPS
high	339 FPS	319 FPS
ultra	290 FPS	262 FPS

Open Core i7-13700K Open Core i9-7980XE

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-13700K	Core i9-7980XE
1080p
low	970 FPS	741 FPS
medium	883 FPS	741 FPS
high	766 FPS	697 FPS
ultra	689 FPS	614 FPS
1440p
low	829 FPS	741 FPS
medium	740 FPS	680 FPS
high	642 FPS	578 FPS
ultra	566 FPS	501 FPS
4K
low	567 FPS	532 FPS
medium	515 FPS	479 FPS
high	463 FPS	422 FPS
ultra	404 FPS	365 FPS

Open Core i7-13700K Open Core i9-7980XE

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-13700K and Core i9-7980XE

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.

Core i9-7980XE

The Core i9-7980XE is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture. It features 18 cores and 36 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 24.75 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2066. Thermal design power (TDP): 165 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 29,634 points. Launch price was $1,999.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-13700K packs 16 cores / 24 threads, while the Core i9-7980XE offers 18 cores / 36 threads — the Core i9-7980XE has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.4 GHz on the Core i7-13700K versus 4.4 GHz on the Core i9-7980XE — a 20.4% 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 Core i9-7980XE uses Skylake (server) (2017−2018) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-13700K scores 45,784 against the Core i9-7980XE's 29,634 — a 42.8% lead for the Core i7-13700K. L3 cache: 30 MB (total) on the Core i7-13700K vs 24.75 MB (total) on the Core i9-7980XE.

Feature	Core i7-13700K	Core i9-7980XE
Cores / Threads	16 / 24	18 / 36+13%
Boost Clock	5.4 GHz+23%	4.4 GHz
Base Clock	3.4 GHz+31%	2.6 GHz
L3 Cache	30 MB (total)+21%	24.75 MB (total)
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)+100%	1 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm-50%	14 nm
Architecture	Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022)	Skylake (server) (2017−2018)
PassMark	45,784+54%	29,634
Cinebench R23 Multi	31,000	—
Geekbench 6 Single	2,846	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	18,980	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-13700K uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Core i9-7980XE uses LGA2066 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-5600 on the Core i7-13700K versus DDR4-2666 on the Core i9-7980XE — the Core i7-13700K supports 22.2% 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 GB — 40% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i7-13700K) vs 4 (Core i9-7980XE). PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i7-13700K) vs 44 (Core i9-7980XE) — the Core i9-7980XE offers 24 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	Core i7-13700K	Core i9-7980XE
Socket	LGA1700	LGA2066
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+67%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-5600+25%	DDR4-2666
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB+50%	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	4+100%
ECC Support	Yes	No
PCIe Lanes	20	44+120%

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Only the Core i9-7980XE supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: true (Core i7-13700K) vs VT-x, VT-d (Core i9-7980XE). The Core i7-13700K includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics 770), while the Core i9-7980XE requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i9-7980XE targets Workstation. Direct competitor: Core i7-13700K rivals Ryzen 9 7900X.

Feature	Core i7-13700K	Core i9-7980XE
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	Intel UHD Graphics 770	—
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	true	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	—	Workstation

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-13700K launched at $409 MSRP, while the Core i9-7980XE debuted at $1999. On MSRP ($409 vs $1999), the Core i7-13700K is $1590 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-13700K delivers 111.9 pts/$ vs 14.8 pts/$ for the Core i9-7980XE — making the Core i7-13700K the 153.2% better value option.