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 i9-13900KS

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +13.7% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 150W instead of 170W, a 20W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (36 MB vs 64 MB).

Ryzen 9 7950X

2022

Why buy it

✅+77.8% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 36 MB).
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-13900KS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (37,452 vs 40,998).

Core i9-13900KS

2023

Ryzen 9 7950X

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +13.7% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 150W instead of 170W, a 20W reduction.

Why buy it

✅+77.8% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 36 MB).
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (36 MB vs 64 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-13900KS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (37,452 vs 40,998).

Quick Answers

So, is Core i9-13900KS better than Ryzen 9 7950X?

Yes. Core i9-13900KS is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 13.7% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 9.5% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i9-13900KS is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 13.7% 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, Core i9-13900KS is the better fit. You are getting 9.5% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 24 cores and 32 threads.

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

Core i9-13900KS is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 9 7950X makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i9-13900KS is in basically the same MSRP band at $699 MSRP versus $699 MSRP, and it gives you a 13.7% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 9 7950X is also 3.0% better value on MSRP (89.2 vs 86.6 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible AM5 + DDR5 setup, Ryzen 9 7950X 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 i9-13900KS is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2022) and more multi-core headroom with 24 cores / 32 threads instead of 16/32. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

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 i9-13900KS Benchmark Check

Ryzen 9 7950X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i9-13900KS	Ryzen 9 7950X
1080p
low	325 FPS	302 FPS
medium	314 FPS	272 FPS
high	246 FPS	217 FPS
ultra	207 FPS	183 FPS
1440p
low	281 FPS	281 FPS
medium	241 FPS	230 FPS
high	177 FPS	174 FPS
ultra	156 FPS	153 FPS
4K
low	194 FPS	194 FPS
medium	165 FPS	161 FPS
high	122 FPS	123 FPS
ultra	110 FPS	109 FPS

Open Core i9-13900KS Open Ryzen 9 7950X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i9-13900KS	Ryzen 9 7950X
1080p
low	790 FPS	801 FPS
medium	688 FPS	658 FPS
high	550 FPS	517 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	447 FPS
1440p
low	662 FPS	661 FPS
medium	597 FPS	563 FPS
high	490 FPS	454 FPS
ultra	400 FPS	362 FPS
4K
low	368 FPS	370 FPS
medium	336 FPS	319 FPS
high	312 FPS	292 FPS
ultra	275 FPS	252 FPS

Open Core i9-13900KS Open Ryzen 9 7950X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i9-13900KS	Ryzen 9 7950X
1080p
low	794 FPS	732 FPS
medium	660 FPS	590 FPS
high	572 FPS	510 FPS
ultra	493 FPS	398 FPS
1440p
low	711 FPS	614 FPS
medium	599 FPS	500 FPS
high	512 FPS	425 FPS
ultra	450 FPS	338 FPS
4K
low	522 FPS	435 FPS
medium	463 FPS	372 FPS
high	412 FPS	332 FPS
ultra	352 FPS	261 FPS

Open Core i9-13900KS Open Ryzen 9 7950X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i9-13900KS	Ryzen 9 7950X
1080p
low	1089 FPS	1001 FPS
medium	975 FPS	882 FPS
high	853 FPS	764 FPS
ultra	760 FPS	685 FPS
1440p
low	899 FPS	813 FPS
medium	791 FPS	700 FPS
high	690 FPS	604 FPS
ultra	607 FPS	517 FPS
4K
low	661 FPS	592 FPS
medium	592 FPS	519 FPS
high	523 FPS	452 FPS
ultra	437 FPS	387 FPS

Open Core i9-13900KS Open Ryzen 9 7950X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i9-13900KS and Ryzen 9 7950X

Core i9-13900KS

The Core i9-13900KS is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 12 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 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 5.8 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): 150 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-5600, DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 60,543 points. Launch price was $699.

Ryzen 9 7950X

The Ryzen 9 7950X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2022-09-27. It is based on the Raphael (Zen 4) (2022) architecture. It features 16 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 4.5 GHz, with boost up to 5.7 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: AM5. Thermal design power (TDP): 170 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-5200. Passmark benchmark score: 62,343 points. Launch price was $699.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i9-13900KS packs 24 cores / 32 threads, while the Ryzen 9 7950X offers 16 cores / 32 threads — the Core i9-13900KS has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.8 GHz on the Core i9-13900KS versus 5.7 GHz on the Ryzen 9 7950X — a 1.7% clock advantage for the Core i9-13900KS (base: 3.2 GHz vs 4.5 GHz). The Core i9-13900KS uses the Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen 9 7950X uses Raphael (Zen 4) (2022) (5 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-13900KS scores 60,543 against the Ryzen 9 7950X's 62,343 — a 2.9% lead for the Ryzen 9 7950X. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 40,998 vs 37,452 (9% advantage for the Core i9-13900KS). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 3,123 vs 2,976, a 4.8% lead for the Core i9-13900KS that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 21,421 vs 19,297 (10.4% advantage for the Core i9-13900KS). L3 cache: 36 MB (total) on the Core i9-13900KS vs 64 MB (total) on the Ryzen 9 7950X.

Feature	Core i9-13900KS	Ryzen 9 7950X
Cores / Threads	24 / 32+50%	16 / 32
Boost Clock	5.8 GHz+2%	5.7 GHz
Base Clock	3.2 GHz	4.5 GHz+41%
L3 Cache	36 MB (total)	64 MB (total)+78%
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)+100%	1 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	5 nm-29%
Architecture	Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024)	Raphael (Zen 4) (2022)
PassMark	60,543	62,343+3%
Cinebench R23 Multi	40,998+9%	37,452
Geekbench 6 Single	3,123+5%	2,976
Geekbench 6 Multi	21,421+11%	19,297

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i9-13900KS uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 9 7950X uses AM5 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-5600 memory speed. The Core i9-13900KS 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 i9-13900KS) vs 24 (Ryzen 9 7950X) — the Ryzen 9 7950X offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Z790,B760 (Core i9-13900KS) and X670E,X670,B650E,B650 (Ryzen 9 7950X).

Feature	Core i9-13900KS	Ryzen 9 7950X
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	24+20%

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Only the Ryzen 9 7950X supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Both support true virtualization. Both include integrated graphics — Intel UHD Graphics 770 (Core i9-13900KS) and Radeon Graphics (2 Cores) (Ryzen 9 7950X) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Core i9-13900KS rivals Ryzen 9 7950X; Ryzen 9 7950X rivals Core i9-13900K.

Feature	Core i9-13900KS	Ryzen 9 7950X
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	Intel UHD Graphics 770	Radeon Graphics (2 Cores)
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	true	true

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i9-13900KS launched at $699 MSRP, while the Ryzen 9 7950X debuted at $699. On MSRP ($699 vs $699), the Ryzen 9 7950X is $0 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i9-13900KS delivers 86.6 pts/$ vs 89.2 pts/$ for the Ryzen 9 7950X — making the Ryzen 9 7950X the 2.9% better value option.