Core i7-13700K vs EPYC 72F3

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: +5.2% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 125W instead of 180W, a 55W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of SP3 and DDR4.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics 770, while EPYC 72F3 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (30 MB vs 256 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $409 MSRP, while EPYC 72F3 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

EPYC 72F3

2021

Why buy it

✅+753.3% larger total L3 cache (256 MB vs 30 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-13700K across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (27,252 vs 45,784).
❌44% higher power demand at 180W vs 125W.
❌Older platform position on SP3 with DDR4, while Core i7-13700K moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-13700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i7-13700K

2022

EPYC 72F3

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +5.2% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 125W instead of 180W, a 55W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of SP3 and DDR4.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics 770, while EPYC 72F3 needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅+753.3% larger total L3 cache (256 MB vs 30 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (30 MB vs 256 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $409 MSRP, while EPYC 72F3 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-13700K across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (27,252 vs 45,784).
❌44% higher power demand at 180W vs 125W.
❌Older platform position on SP3 with DDR4, while Core i7-13700K moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-13700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-13700K better than EPYC 72F3?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. EPYC 72F3 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 gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i7-13700K is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 5.2% 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 68% better PassMark, backed by 16 cores and 24 threads.

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

Core i7-13700K is the smarter buy today. Core i7-13700K is at an unclear MSRP at $409 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 5.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (111.9 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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), a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of SP3, and more multi-core headroom with 16 cores / 24 threads instead of 8/16. 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

EPYC 72F3 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-13700K	EPYC 72F3
1080p
low	284 FPS	231 FPS
medium	268 FPS	184 FPS
high	223 FPS	149 FPS
ultra	190 FPS	107 FPS
1440p
low	238 FPS	196 FPS
medium	200 FPS	151 FPS
high	159 FPS	117 FPS
ultra	139 FPS	86 FPS
4K
low	159 FPS	77 FPS
medium	134 FPS	63 FPS
high	103 FPS	49 FPS
ultra	90 FPS	40 FPS

Open Core i7-13700K Open EPYC 72F3

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-13700K	EPYC 72F3
1080p
low	689 FPS	583 FPS
medium	580 FPS	510 FPS
high	484 FPS	412 FPS
ultra	439 FPS	360 FPS
1440p
low	595 FPS	489 FPS
medium	525 FPS	436 FPS
high	441 FPS	362 FPS
ultra	378 FPS	300 FPS
4K
low	348 FPS	304 FPS
medium	314 FPS	274 FPS
high	295 FPS	245 FPS
ultra	261 FPS	220 FPS

Open Core i7-13700K Open EPYC 72F3

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-13700K	EPYC 72F3
1080p
low	648 FPS	681 FPS
medium	530 FPS	681 FPS
high	467 FPS	681 FPS
ultra	405 FPS	681 FPS
1440p
low	591 FPS	681 FPS
medium	491 FPS	597 FPS
high	427 FPS	534 FPS
ultra	371 FPS	466 FPS
4K
low	434 FPS	485 FPS
medium	374 FPS	387 FPS
high	339 FPS	343 FPS
ultra	290 FPS	277 FPS

Open Core i7-13700K Open EPYC 72F3

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-13700K	EPYC 72F3
1080p
low	970 FPS	681 FPS
medium	883 FPS	681 FPS
high	766 FPS	681 FPS
ultra	689 FPS	681 FPS
1440p
low	829 FPS	681 FPS
medium	740 FPS	681 FPS
high	642 FPS	655 FPS
ultra	566 FPS	565 FPS
4K
low	567 FPS	643 FPS
medium	515 FPS	574 FPS
high	463 FPS	499 FPS
ultra	404 FPS	427 FPS

Open Core i7-13700K Open EPYC 72F3

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-13700K and EPYC 72F3

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.

EPYC 72F3

The EPYC 72F3 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 15 March 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Milan (2021−2023) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.1 GHz. L3 cache: 256 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm+ process technology. Socket: SP3. Thermal design power (TDP): 180 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 27,252 points. Launch price was $2,468.

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Processing Power

The Core i7-13700K packs 16 cores / 24 threads, while the EPYC 72F3 offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Core i7-13700K has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.4 GHz on the Core i7-13700K versus 4.1 GHz on the EPYC 72F3 — a 27.4% clock advantage for the Core i7-13700K (base: 3.4 GHz vs 3.7 GHz). The Core i7-13700K uses the Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the EPYC 72F3 uses Milan (2021−2023) (7 nm+). In PassMark, the Core i7-13700K scores 45,784 against the EPYC 72F3's 27,252 — a 50.7% lead for the Core i7-13700K. L3 cache: 30 MB (total) on the Core i7-13700K vs 256 MB (total) on the EPYC 72F3.

Feature	Core i7-13700K	EPYC 72F3
Cores / Threads	16 / 24+100%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	5.4 GHz+32%	4.1 GHz
Base Clock	3.4 GHz	3.7 GHz+9%
L3 Cache	30 MB (total)	256 MB (total)+753%
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)+300%	512 kB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	7 nm+
Architecture	Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022)	Milan (2021−2023)
PassMark	45,784+68%	27,252
Cinebench R23 Multi	31,000	—
Geekbench 6 Single	2,846	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	18,980	—

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Memory & Platform

The Core i7-13700K uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the EPYC 72F3 uses SP3 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i7-13700K	EPYC 72F3
Socket	LGA1700	SP3
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-5600	—
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	Yes	—
PCIe Lanes	20	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: true (Core i7-13700K) / not specified (EPYC 72F3). The Core i7-13700K includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics 770), while the EPYC 72F3 requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Core i7-13700K rivals Ryzen 9 7900X.