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 i9-13900

2023

Why buy it

✅Costs $250 less on MSRP ($549 MSRP vs $799 MSRP).
✅Delivers 45.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 82.4 vs 56.8 PassMark/$ ($549 MSRP vs $799 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics 770, while Ryzen 9 5950X needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (45,252 vs 45,353).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (36 MB vs 64 MB).
❌19% higher power demand at 125W vs 105W.

Ryzen 9 5950X

2020

Why buy it

✅+0.2% higher PassMark.
✅+77.8% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 36 MB).
✅Draws 105W instead of 125W, a 20W reduction.
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 56.8 vs 82.4 PassMark/$ ($799 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Core i9-13900 moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i9-13900 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i9-13900

2023

Ryzen 9 5950X

2020

Why buy it

✅Costs $250 less on MSRP ($549 MSRP vs $799 MSRP).
✅Delivers 45.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 82.4 vs 56.8 PassMark/$ ($549 MSRP vs $799 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics 770, while Ryzen 9 5950X needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅+0.2% higher PassMark.
✅+77.8% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 36 MB).
✅Draws 105W instead of 125W, a 20W reduction.
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (45,252 vs 45,353).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (36 MB vs 64 MB).
❌19% higher power demand at 125W vs 105W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 56.8 vs 82.4 PassMark/$ ($799 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Core i9-13900 moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i9-13900 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i9-13900 better than Ryzen 9 5950X?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core i9-13900 is ahead with a 1.4% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 9 5950X pulls ahead with 0.2% better PassMark. Ryzen 9 5950X also has the bigger cache pool with 77.8% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 36 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 9 5950X is the better fit. You are getting 0.2% better PassMark, backed by 16 cores and 32 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 77.8% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 36 MB).

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

Core i9-13900 is the smarter buy today. Core i9-13900 is $250 cheaper on MSRP at $549 MSRP versus $799 MSRP, and it gives you a 1.4% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Ryzen 9 5950X is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 0.2% better PassMark. It is also 45.2% better value on MSRP (82.4 vs 56.8 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible AM4 + DDR4 setup, Ryzen 9 5950X can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap, but on MSRP alone you would want to find it meaningfully cheaper in real-world listings before that path becomes easy to justify.

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

Core i9-13900 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2020) 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 i9-13900 Benchmark Check

Ryzen 9 5950X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i9-13900	Ryzen 9 5950X
1080p
low	321 FPS	317 FPS
medium	311 FPS	288 FPS
high	247 FPS	228 FPS
ultra	209 FPS	192 FPS
1440p
low	278 FPS	285 FPS
medium	240 FPS	236 FPS
high	178 FPS	178 FPS
ultra	158 FPS	156 FPS
4K
low	192 FPS	195 FPS
medium	164 FPS	162 FPS
high	123 FPS	123 FPS
ultra	112 FPS	110 FPS

Open Core i9-13900 Open Ryzen 9 5950X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i9-13900	Ryzen 9 5950X
1080p
low	496 FPS	684 FPS
medium	434 FPS	591 FPS
high	354 FPS	477 FPS
ultra	313 FPS	425 FPS
1440p
low	421 FPS	546 FPS
medium	380 FPS	484 FPS
high	316 FPS	411 FPS
ultra	257 FPS	341 FPS
4K
low	236 FPS	320 FPS
medium	216 FPS	286 FPS
high	205 FPS	266 FPS
ultra	179 FPS	236 FPS

Open Core i9-13900 Open Ryzen 9 5950X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i9-13900	Ryzen 9 5950X
1080p
low	762 FPS	746 FPS
medium	626 FPS	595 FPS
high	543 FPS	516 FPS
ultra	467 FPS	409 FPS
1440p
low	680 FPS	658 FPS
medium	567 FPS	532 FPS
high	485 FPS	459 FPS
ultra	423 FPS	374 FPS
4K
low	497 FPS	461 FPS
medium	430 FPS	388 FPS
high	383 FPS	344 FPS
ultra	329 FPS	279 FPS

Open Core i9-13900 Open Ryzen 9 5950X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i9-13900	Ryzen 9 5950X
1080p
low	1010 FPS	997 FPS
medium	905 FPS	885 FPS
high	792 FPS	775 FPS
ultra	704 FPS	690 FPS
1440p
low	838 FPS	828 FPS
medium	739 FPS	726 FPS
high	646 FPS	636 FPS
ultra	568 FPS	554 FPS
4K
low	619 FPS	609 FPS
medium	555 FPS	545 FPS
high	491 FPS	483 FPS
ultra	430 FPS	419 FPS

Open Core i9-13900 Open Ryzen 9 5950X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i9-13900 and Ryzen 9 5950X

Core i9-13900

The Core i9-13900 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 24 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 5.5 GHz. L3 cache: 36 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: DDR5-5600, DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 45,252 points. Launch price was $549.

Ryzen 9 5950X

The Ryzen 9 5950X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 5 November 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) architecture. It features 16 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 4.9 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. Passmark benchmark score: 45,353 points. Launch price was $799.

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Processing Power

The Core i9-13900 packs 24 cores / 32 threads, while the Ryzen 9 5950X offers 16 cores / 32 threads — the Core i9-13900 has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.5 GHz on the Core i9-13900 versus 4.9 GHz on the Ryzen 9 5950X — a 11.5% clock advantage for the Core i9-13900 (base: 2 GHz vs 3.4 GHz). The Core i9-13900 uses the Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen 9 5950X uses Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-13900 scores 45,252 against the Ryzen 9 5950X's 45,353 — a 0.2% lead for the Ryzen 9 5950X. L3 cache: 36 MB (total) on the Core i9-13900 vs 64 MB on the Ryzen 9 5950X.

Feature	Core i9-13900	Ryzen 9 5950X
Cores / Threads	24 / 32+50%	16 / 32
Boost Clock	5.5 GHz+12%	4.9 GHz
Base Clock	2 GHz	3.4 GHz+70%
L3 Cache	36 MB (total)	64 MB+78%
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)+300%	512K (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	7 nm, 12 nm
Architecture	Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024)	Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022)
PassMark	45,252	45,353

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Memory & Platform

The Core i9-13900 uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 9 5950X uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 5600 on the Core i9-13900 versus 3200 on the Ryzen 9 5950X — the Core i9-13900 supports 54.5% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 128 of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i9-13900) vs 24 (Ryzen 9 5950X) — the Ryzen 9 5950X offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Z790,B760 (Core i9-13900) and AM4 (Ryzen 9 5950X).

Feature	Core i9-13900	Ryzen 9 5950X
Socket	LGA1700	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	5600+75%	3200
Max RAM Capacity	128	128
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	24+20%

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i9-13900) vs VT-x, VT-d, AMD-V (Ryzen 9 5950X). The Core i9-13900 includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics 770), while the Ryzen 9 5950X requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Core i9-13900 rivals Ryzen 9 7900X; Ryzen 9 5950X rivals Core i9-10900K.

Feature	Core i9-13900	Ryzen 9 5950X
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	Intel UHD Graphics 770	None
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d, AMD-V

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i9-13900 launched at $549 MSRP, while the Ryzen 9 5950X debuted at $799. On MSRP ($549 vs $799), the Core i9-13900 is $250 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i9-13900 delivers 82.4 pts/$ vs 56.8 pts/$ for the Ryzen 9 5950X — making the Core i9-13900 the 36.9% better value option.