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

✅+26% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅Costs $20 less on MSRP ($409 MSRP vs $429 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 7900 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (30 MB vs 64 MB).
❌92.3% higher power demand at 125W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 9 7900.

Ryzen 9 7900

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +11.0% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+113.3% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 30 MB).
✅Draws 65W instead of 125W, a 60W reduction.
✅40% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i7-13700K.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (24,600 vs 31,000).
❌
4.9% HIGHER MSRP
$429 MSRPvs$409 MSRP

Core i7-13700K

2022

Ryzen 9 7900

2023

Why buy it

✅+26% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅Costs $20 less on MSRP ($409 MSRP vs $429 MSRP).

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +11.0% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+113.3% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 30 MB).
✅Draws 65W instead of 125W, a 60W reduction.
✅40% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i7-13700K.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 7900 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (30 MB vs 64 MB).
❌92.3% higher power demand at 125W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 9 7900.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (24,600 vs 31,000).
❌
4.9% HIGHER MSRP
$429 MSRPvs$409 MSRP

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 9 7900 better than Core i7-13700K?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen 9 7900 is ahead with a 11.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-13700K pulls ahead with 26% better Cinebench R23 multi-core. Ryzen 9 7900 also has the bigger cache pool with 113.3% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 30 MB).

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 26% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 16 cores and 24 threads.

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

Ryzen 9 7900 is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 9 7900 is 4.9% more expensive on MSRP at $429 MSRP versus $409 MSRP, and it gives you a 11.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Core i7-13700K is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 26% better Cinebench R23 multi-core. It is also 0.3% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 111.9 PassMark/$), 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 LGA1700 + DDR5 setup, Core i7-13700K 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?

Ryzen 9 7900 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2022) and 113.3% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 30 MB). 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

Ryzen 9 7900 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-13700K	Ryzen 9 7900
1080p
low	284 FPS	288 FPS
medium	268 FPS	259 FPS
high	223 FPS	218 FPS
ultra	190 FPS	190 FPS
1440p
low	238 FPS	270 FPS
medium	200 FPS	218 FPS
high	159 FPS	170 FPS
ultra	139 FPS	152 FPS
4K
low	159 FPS	187 FPS
medium	134 FPS	151 FPS
high	103 FPS	113 FPS
ultra	90 FPS	101 FPS

Open Core i7-13700K Open Ryzen 9 7900

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-13700K	Ryzen 9 7900
1080p
low	689 FPS	706 FPS
medium	580 FPS	599 FPS
high	484 FPS	450 FPS
ultra	439 FPS	389 FPS
1440p
low	595 FPS	593 FPS
medium	525 FPS	522 FPS
high	441 FPS	406 FPS
ultra	378 FPS	322 FPS
4K
low	348 FPS	335 FPS
medium	314 FPS	298 FPS
high	295 FPS	264 FPS
ultra	261 FPS	226 FPS

Open Core i7-13700K Open Ryzen 9 7900

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-13700K	Ryzen 9 7900
1080p
low	648 FPS	876 FPS
medium	530 FPS	699 FPS
high	467 FPS	608 FPS
ultra	405 FPS	518 FPS
1440p
low	591 FPS	702 FPS
medium	491 FPS	562 FPS
high	427 FPS	481 FPS
ultra	371 FPS	408 FPS
4K
low	434 FPS	499 FPS
medium	374 FPS	414 FPS
high	339 FPS	372 FPS
ultra	290 FPS	312 FPS

Open Core i7-13700K Open Ryzen 9 7900

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-13700K	Ryzen 9 7900
1080p
low	970 FPS	1125 FPS
medium	883 FPS	987 FPS
high	766 FPS	860 FPS
ultra	689 FPS	765 FPS
1440p
low	829 FPS	892 FPS
medium	740 FPS	774 FPS
high	642 FPS	677 FPS
ultra	566 FPS	580 FPS
4K
low	567 FPS	644 FPS
medium	515 FPS	570 FPS
high	463 FPS	503 FPS
ultra	404 FPS	434 FPS

Open Core i7-13700K Open Ryzen 9 7900

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-13700K and Ryzen 9 7900

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.

Ryzen 9 7900

The Ryzen 9 7900 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 14 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023) architecture. It features 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 5.4 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: AM5. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-5200. Passmark benchmark score: 48,168 points. Launch price was $429.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-13700K packs 16 cores / 24 threads, while the Ryzen 9 7900 offers 12 cores / 24 threads — the Core i7-13700K has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.4 GHz on the Core i7-13700K versus 5.4 GHz on the Ryzen 9 7900 — identical boost frequencies (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 Ryzen 9 7900 uses Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023) (5 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-13700K scores 45,784 against the Ryzen 9 7900's 48,168 — a 5.1% lead for the Ryzen 9 7900. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 31,000 vs 24,600 (23% advantage for the Core i7-13700K). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,846 vs 2,800, a 1.6% lead for the Core i7-13700K that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 18,980 vs 18,000 (5.3% advantage for the Core i7-13700K). L3 cache: 30 MB (total) on the Core i7-13700K vs 64 MB (total) on the Ryzen 9 7900.

Feature	Core i7-13700K	Ryzen 9 7900
Cores / Threads	16 / 24+33%	12 / 24
Boost Clock	5.4 GHz	5.4 GHz
Base Clock	3.4 GHz	3.7 GHz+9%
L3 Cache	30 MB (total)	64 MB (total)+113%
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)+100%	1 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	5 nm-29%
Architecture	Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022)	Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023)
PassMark	45,784	48,168+5%
Cinebench R23 Multi	31,000+26%	24,600
Geekbench 6 Single	2,846+2%	2,800
Geekbench 6 Multi	18,980+5%	18,000

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-13700K uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 9 7900 uses AM5 (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 128 GB — 40% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i7-13700K) vs 28 (Ryzen 9 7900) — the Ryzen 9 7900 offers 8 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 AMD X670E,AMD X670,AMD B650E,AMD B650,AMD A620 (Ryzen 9 7900).

Feature	Core i7-13700K	Ryzen 9 7900
Socket	LGA1700	AM5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-5600	DDR5-5200
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB+50%	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	28+40%

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Only the Ryzen 9 7900 supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Both support true virtualization. Both include integrated graphics — Intel UHD Graphics 770 (Core i7-13700K) and Radeon Graphics (Raphael) (Ryzen 9 7900) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Core i7-13700K rivals Ryzen 9 7900X; Ryzen 9 7900 rivals Core i9-13900.

Feature	Core i7-13700K	Ryzen 9 7900
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	Intel UHD Graphics 770	Radeon Graphics (Raphael)
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	true	true

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-13700K launched at $409 MSRP, while the Ryzen 9 7900 debuted at $429. On MSRP ($409 vs $429), the Core i7-13700K is $20 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-13700K delivers 111.9 pts/$ vs 112.3 pts/$ for the Ryzen 9 7900 — making the Ryzen 9 7900 the 0.3% better value option.