
Core i7-13700K
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EPYC 9454
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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
2022Why buy it
- ✅Better for gaming: +10.5% higher average FPS across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
- ✅Costs $4,816 less on MSRP ($409 MSRP vs $5,225 MSRP).
- ✅Delivers 564.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 111.9 vs 16.8 PassMark/$ ($409 MSRP vs $5,225 MSRP).
- ✅Draws 125W instead of 290W, a 165W reduction.
- ✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics 770, while EPYC 9454 needs a discrete GPU.
Trade-offs
- ❌Lower PassMark (45,784 vs 87,961).
- ❌Smaller total L3 cache (30 MB vs 256 MB).
- ❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 9454, which brings 48 cores / 96 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.
EPYC 9454
2022Why buy it
- ✅+92.1% higher PassMark.
- ✅+753.3% larger total L3 cache (256 MB vs 30 MB).
- ✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 48 cores / 96 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 20.
- ✅540% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
Trade-offs
- ❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-13700K across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
- ❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 16.8 vs 111.9 PassMark/$ ($5,225 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).
- ❌132% higher power demand at 290W vs 125W.
- ❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-13700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.
Core i7-13700K
2022EPYC 9454
2022Why buy it
- ✅Better for gaming: +10.5% higher average FPS across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
- ✅Costs $4,816 less on MSRP ($409 MSRP vs $5,225 MSRP).
- ✅Delivers 564.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 111.9 vs 16.8 PassMark/$ ($409 MSRP vs $5,225 MSRP).
- ✅Draws 125W instead of 290W, a 165W reduction.
- ✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics 770, while EPYC 9454 needs a discrete GPU.
Why buy it
- ✅+92.1% higher PassMark.
- ✅+753.3% larger total L3 cache (256 MB vs 30 MB).
- ✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 48 cores / 96 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 20.
- ✅540% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
Trade-offs
- ❌Lower PassMark (45,784 vs 87,961).
- ❌Smaller total L3 cache (30 MB vs 256 MB).
- ❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 9454, which brings 48 cores / 96 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.
Trade-offs
- ❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-13700K across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
- ❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 16.8 vs 111.9 PassMark/$ ($5,225 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).
- ❌132% higher power demand at 290W vs 125W.
- ❌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 9454?
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Games Benchmarks
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
| Preset | Core i7-13700K | EPYC 9454 |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 284 FPS | 171 FPS |
| medium | 268 FPS | 142 FPS |
| high | 223 FPS | 122 FPS |
| ultra | 190 FPS | 96 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 238 FPS | 149 FPS |
| medium | 200 FPS | 120 FPS |
| high | 159 FPS | 97 FPS |
| ultra | 139 FPS | 77 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 159 FPS | 70 FPS |
| medium | 134 FPS | 60 FPS |
| high | 103 FPS | 47 FPS |
| ultra | 90 FPS | 39 FPS |

Counter-Strike 2
| Preset | Core i7-13700K | EPYC 9454 |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 689 FPS | 533 FPS |
| medium | 580 FPS | 465 FPS |
| high | 484 FPS | 373 FPS |
| ultra | 439 FPS | 303 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 595 FPS | 438 FPS |
| medium | 525 FPS | 392 FPS |
| high | 441 FPS | 323 FPS |
| ultra | 378 FPS | 255 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 348 FPS | 270 FPS |
| medium | 314 FPS | 246 FPS |
| high | 295 FPS | 216 FPS |
| ultra | 261 FPS | 179 FPS |

League of Legends
| Preset | Core i7-13700K | EPYC 9454 |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 648 FPS | 672 FPS |
| medium | 530 FPS | 561 FPS |
| high | 467 FPS | 522 FPS |
| ultra | 405 FPS | 455 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 591 FPS | 511 FPS |
| medium | 491 FPS | 426 FPS |
| high | 427 FPS | 390 FPS |
| ultra | 371 FPS | 337 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 434 FPS | 377 FPS |
| medium | 374 FPS | 294 FPS |
| high | 339 FPS | 263 FPS |
| ultra | 290 FPS | 211 FPS |

Valorant
| Preset | Core i7-13700K | EPYC 9454 |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 970 FPS | 902 FPS |
| medium | 883 FPS | 822 FPS |
| high | 766 FPS | 708 FPS |
| ultra | 689 FPS | 625 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 829 FPS | 724 FPS |
| medium | 740 FPS | 631 FPS |
| high | 642 FPS | 540 FPS |
| ultra | 566 FPS | 462 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 567 FPS | 519 FPS |
| medium | 515 FPS | 464 FPS |
| high | 463 FPS | 407 FPS |
| ultra | 404 FPS | 350 FPS |
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-13700K and EPYC 9454

Core i7-13700K
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 9454
EPYC 9454
The EPYC 9454 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 10 November 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Genoa (2022−2023) architecture. It features 48 cores and 96 threads. Base frequency is 2.75 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 256 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 5 nm, 6 nm process technology. Socket: SP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 290 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800. Passmark benchmark score: 87,961 points. Launch price was $5,225.
Processing Power
The Core i7-13700K packs 16 cores / 24 threads, while the EPYC 9454 offers 48 cores / 96 threads — the EPYC 9454 has 32 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.4 GHz on the Core i7-13700K versus 3.8 GHz on the EPYC 9454 — a 34.8% clock advantage for the Core i7-13700K (base: 3.4 GHz vs 2.75 GHz). The Core i7-13700K uses the Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the EPYC 9454 uses Genoa (2022−2023) (5 nm, 6 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-13700K scores 45,784 against the EPYC 9454's 87,961 — a 63.1% lead for the EPYC 9454. L3 cache: 30 MB (total) on the Core i7-13700K vs 256 MB (total) on the EPYC 9454.
| Feature | Core i7-13700K | EPYC 9454 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 16 / 24 | 48 / 96+200% |
| Boost Clock | 5.4 GHz+42% | 3.8 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.4 GHz+24% | 2.75 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 30 MB (total) | 256 MB (total)+753% |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB (per core)+100% | 1 MB (per core) |
| Process | Intel 7 nm | 5 nm, 6 nm-29% |
| Architecture | Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022) | Genoa (2022−2023) |
| PassMark | 45,784 | 87,961+92% |
| 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 EPYC 9454 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 9454). PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i7-13700K) vs 128 (EPYC 9454) — the EPYC 9454 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 9454).
| Feature | Core i7-13700K | EPYC 9454 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1700 | SP5 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 5.0 | PCIe 5.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR5-5600 | DDR5-4800 |
| 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 9454). The Core i7-13700K includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics 770), while the EPYC 9454 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: EPYC 9454 targets Data Center. Direct competitor: Core i7-13700K rivals Ryzen 9 7900X; EPYC 9454 rivals Xeon Platinum 8468.
| Feature | Core i7-13700K | EPYC 9454 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Value Analysis
The Core i7-13700K launched at $409 MSRP, while the EPYC 9454 debuted at $5225. On MSRP ($409 vs $5225), the Core i7-13700K is $4816 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-13700K delivers 111.9 pts/$ vs 16.8 pts/$ for the EPYC 9454 — making the Core i7-13700K the 147.7% better value option.
| Feature | Core i7-13700K | EPYC 9454 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $409-92% | $5225 |
| Performance per Dollar | 111.9+566% | 16.8 |
| Release Date | 2022 | 2022 |
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