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 i7-13700F

2023

Why buy it

✅Costs $390 less on MSRP ($359 MSRP vs $749 MSRP).
✅Delivers 107.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 106.4 vs 51.4 PassMark/$ ($359 MSRP vs $749 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 105W, a 40W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes (Intel Laminar RM1)), unlike Ryzen 9 3950X.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 3950X across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (38,212 vs 38,519).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (30 MB vs 64 MB).

Ryzen 9 3950X

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +27.3% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+113.3% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 30 MB).
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 51.4 vs 106.4 PassMark/$ ($749 MSRP vs $359 MSRP).
❌61.5% higher power demand at 105W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Core i7-13700F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i7-13700F.

Core i7-13700F

2023

Ryzen 9 3950X

2019

Why buy it

✅Costs $390 less on MSRP ($359 MSRP vs $749 MSRP).
✅Delivers 107.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 106.4 vs 51.4 PassMark/$ ($359 MSRP vs $749 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 105W, a 40W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes (Intel Laminar RM1)), unlike Ryzen 9 3950X.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +27.3% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+113.3% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 30 MB).
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 3950X across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (38,212 vs 38,519).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (30 MB vs 64 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 51.4 vs 106.4 PassMark/$ ($749 MSRP vs $359 MSRP).
❌61.5% higher power demand at 105W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Core i7-13700F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i7-13700F.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 9 3950X better than Core i7-13700F?

Yes. Ryzen 9 3950X is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 27.3% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.8% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 9 3950X is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 27.3% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 9 3950X is the better fit. You are getting 0.8% better PassMark, backed by 16 cores and 32 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 113.3% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 30 MB).

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

Ryzen 9 3950X is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i7-13700F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen 9 3950X is 108.6% more expensive on MSRP at $749 MSRP versus $359 MSRP, and it gives you a 27.3% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i7-13700F is also 107.0% better value on MSRP (106.4 vs 51.4 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible LGA1700 + DDR5 setup, Core i7-13700F can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap.

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

Core i7-13700F is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2019) and a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of AM4. 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 i7-13700F Benchmark Check

Ryzen 9 3950X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-13700F	Ryzen 9 3950X
1080p
low	264 FPS	207 FPS
medium	254 FPS	182 FPS
high	210 FPS	147 FPS
ultra	181 FPS	119 FPS
1440p
low	225 FPS	167 FPS
medium	193 FPS	138 FPS
high	153 FPS	109 FPS
ultra	135 FPS	91 FPS
4K
low	154 FPS	89 FPS
medium	131 FPS	79 FPS
high	101 FPS	62 FPS
ultra	90 FPS	50 FPS

Open Core i7-13700F Open Ryzen 9 3950X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-13700F	Ryzen 9 3950X
1080p
low	343 FPS	701 FPS
medium	293 FPS	616 FPS
high	247 FPS	497 FPS
ultra	225 FPS	438 FPS
1440p
low	298 FPS	580 FPS
medium	264 FPS	519 FPS
high	224 FPS	439 FPS
ultra	192 FPS	360 FPS
4K
low	176 FPS	340 FPS
medium	160 FPS	306 FPS
high	152 FPS	283 FPS
ultra	133 FPS	252 FPS

Open Core i7-13700F Open Ryzen 9 3950X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-13700F	Ryzen 9 3950X
1080p
low	647 FPS	871 FPS
medium	530 FPS	701 FPS
high	467 FPS	623 FPS
ultra	405 FPS	520 FPS
1440p
low	590 FPS	710 FPS
medium	491 FPS	572 FPS
high	427 FPS	498 FPS
ultra	370 FPS	422 FPS
4K
low	433 FPS	494 FPS
medium	373 FPS	412 FPS
high	338 FPS	365 FPS
ultra	289 FPS	307 FPS

Open Core i7-13700F Open Ryzen 9 3950X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-13700F	Ryzen 9 3950X
1080p
low	936 FPS	963 FPS
medium	851 FPS	963 FPS
high	735 FPS	887 FPS
ultra	660 FPS	796 FPS
1440p
low	799 FPS	881 FPS
medium	712 FPS	772 FPS
high	615 FPS	678 FPS
ultra	542 FPS	597 FPS
4K
low	548 FPS	648 FPS
medium	497 FPS	577 FPS
high	444 FPS	513 FPS
ultra	388 FPS	437 FPS

Open Core i7-13700F Open Ryzen 9 3950X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-13700F and Ryzen 9 3950X

Core i7-13700F

The Core i7-13700F is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024) architecture. It features 16 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 5.2 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): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-5600, DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 38,212 points. Launch price was $359.

Ryzen 9 3950X

The Ryzen 9 3950X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 14 November 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020) architecture. It features 16 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.7 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 105 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 38,519 points. Launch price was $799.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-13700F packs 16 cores / 24 threads, matching the Ryzen 9 3950X's 16 cores. Boost clocks reach 5.2 GHz on the Core i7-13700F versus 4.7 GHz on the Ryzen 9 3950X — a 10.1% clock advantage for the Core i7-13700F (base: 2.1 GHz vs 3.5 GHz). The Core i7-13700F uses the Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen 9 3950X uses Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-13700F scores 38,212 against the Ryzen 9 3950X's 38,519 — a 0.8% lead for the Ryzen 9 3950X. L3 cache: 30 MB (total) on the Core i7-13700F vs 64 MB on the Ryzen 9 3950X.

Feature	Core i7-13700F	Ryzen 9 3950X
Cores / Threads	16 / 24	16 / 32
Boost Clock	5.2 GHz+11%	4.7 GHz
Base Clock	2.1 GHz	3.5 GHz+67%
L3 Cache	30 MB (total)	64 MB+113%
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)+300%	512K (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	7 nm, 12 nm
Architecture	Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024)	Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020)
PassMark	38,212	38,519
Cinebench R23 Multi	24,775	—
Geekbench 6 Single	2,676	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	14,254	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-13700F uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 9 3950X uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-5600, DDR4-3200 on the Core i7-13700F versus DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen 9 3950X — the Core i7-13700F supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i7-13700F supports up to 192 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 40% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i7-13700F) vs 24 (Ryzen 9 3950X) — the Ryzen 9 3950X offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i7-13700F) and X570,B550 (Ryzen 9 3950X).

Feature	Core i7-13700F	Ryzen 9 3950X
Socket	LGA1700	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-5600, DDR4-3200+25%	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB+50%	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	20	24+20%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 9 3950X has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i7-13700F) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 9 3950X). Primary use case: Core i7-13700F targets High-end Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i7-13700F rivals Ryzen 7 7700X.

Feature	Core i7-13700F	Ryzen 9 3950X
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	No	Yes
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	AMD-V
Target Use	High-end Gaming	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-13700F launched at $359 MSRP, while the Ryzen 9 3950X debuted at $749. On MSRP ($359 vs $749), the Core i7-13700F is $390 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-13700F delivers 106.4 pts/$ vs 51.4 pts/$ for the Ryzen 9 3950X — making the Core i7-13700F the 69.7% better value option.