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

✅+8.8% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅+87.5% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 16 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $409 MSRP, while Ryzen 9 8945H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌1462.5% higher power demand at 125W vs 8W.

Ryzen 9 8945H

2023

Why buy it

✅Draws 8W instead of 125W, a 117W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (2,617 vs 2,846).
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (17,500 vs 31,000).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 30 MB).

Core i7-13700K

2022

Ryzen 9 8945H

2023

Why buy it

✅+8.8% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅+87.5% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 16 MB).

Why buy it

✅Draws 8W instead of 125W, a 117W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $409 MSRP, while Ryzen 9 8945H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌1462.5% higher power demand at 125W vs 8W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (2,617 vs 2,846).
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (17,500 vs 31,000).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 30 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-13700K better than Ryzen 9 8945H?

Yes. Core i7-13700K is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 0.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 77.1% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, and 51.4% higher PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i7-13700K is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 0.6% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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 77.1% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 16 cores and 24 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 87.5% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 16 MB).

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

Core i7-13700K is the smarter buy today. Core i7-13700K is at an unclear MSRP at $409 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 0.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (111.9 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

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

Ryzen 9 8945H is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2022). That makes it the safer long-term pick.

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 8945H Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-13700K	Ryzen 9 8945H
1080p
low	284 FPS	269 FPS
medium	268 FPS	243 FPS
high	223 FPS	204 FPS
ultra	190 FPS	176 FPS
1440p
low	238 FPS	236 FPS
medium	200 FPS	193 FPS
high	159 FPS	157 FPS
ultra	139 FPS	139 FPS
4K
low	159 FPS	164 FPS
medium	134 FPS	136 FPS
high	103 FPS	105 FPS
ultra	90 FPS	92 FPS

Open Core i7-13700K Open Ryzen 9 8945H

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-13700K	Ryzen 9 8945H
1080p
low	689 FPS	513 FPS
medium	580 FPS	421 FPS
high	484 FPS	363 FPS
ultra	439 FPS	323 FPS
1440p
low	595 FPS	448 FPS
medium	525 FPS	388 FPS
high	441 FPS	334 FPS
ultra	378 FPS	285 FPS
4K
low	348 FPS	295 FPS
medium	314 FPS	267 FPS
high	295 FPS	253 FPS
ultra	261 FPS	217 FPS

Open Core i7-13700K Open Ryzen 9 8945H

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-13700K	Ryzen 9 8945H
1080p
low	648 FPS	756 FPS
medium	530 FPS	756 FPS
high	467 FPS	647 FPS
ultra	405 FPS	546 FPS
1440p
low	591 FPS	756 FPS
medium	491 FPS	637 FPS
high	427 FPS	541 FPS
ultra	371 FPS	464 FPS
4K
low	434 FPS	541 FPS
medium	374 FPS	473 FPS
high	339 FPS	419 FPS
ultra	290 FPS	355 FPS

Open Core i7-13700K Open Ryzen 9 8945H

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-13700K	Ryzen 9 8945H
1080p
low	970 FPS	756 FPS
medium	883 FPS	756 FPS
high	766 FPS	756 FPS
ultra	689 FPS	754 FPS
1440p
low	829 FPS	756 FPS
medium	740 FPS	756 FPS
high	642 FPS	660 FPS
ultra	566 FPS	573 FPS
4K
low	567 FPS	572 FPS
medium	515 FPS	511 FPS
high	463 FPS	457 FPS
ultra	404 FPS	394 FPS

Open Core i7-13700K Open Ryzen 9 8945H

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-13700K and Ryzen 9 8945H

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 8945H

The Ryzen 9 8945H is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 December 2023 (1 year ago). It is based on the Hawk Point-HS (Zen 4) (2023−2024) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 4 GHz, with boost up to 5.2 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB. L2 cache: 8 MB. Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: FP7/FP7r2/FP8. Thermal design power (TDP): 8 MB + 16 MB. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 30,240 points. Launch price was $499.

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Processing Power

The Core i7-13700K packs 16 cores / 24 threads, while the Ryzen 9 8945H offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Core i7-13700K has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.4 GHz on the Core i7-13700K versus 5.2 GHz on the Ryzen 9 8945H — a 3.8% clock advantage for the Core i7-13700K (base: 3.4 GHz vs 4 GHz). The Core i7-13700K uses the Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen 9 8945H uses Hawk Point-HS (Zen 4) (2023−2024) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-13700K scores 45,784 against the Ryzen 9 8945H's 30,240 — a 40.9% lead for the Core i7-13700K. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 31,000 vs 17,500 (55.7% advantage for the Core i7-13700K). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,846 vs 2,617, a 8.4% lead for the Core i7-13700K that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 18,980 vs 12,662 (39.9% advantage for the Core i7-13700K). L3 cache: 30 MB (total) on the Core i7-13700K vs 16 MB on the Ryzen 9 8945H.

Feature	Core i7-13700K	Ryzen 9 8945H
Cores / Threads	16 / 24+100%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	5.4 GHz+4%	5.2 GHz
Base Clock	3.4 GHz	4 GHz+18%
L3 Cache	30 MB (total)+88%	16 MB
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)	8 MB+300%
Process	Intel 7 nm	4 nm-43%
Architecture	Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022)	Hawk Point-HS (Zen 4) (2023−2024)
PassMark	45,784+51%	30,240
Cinebench R23 Multi	31,000+77%	17,500
Geekbench 6 Single	2,846+9%	2,617
Geekbench 6 Multi	18,980+50%	12,662

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-13700K uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 9 8945H uses FP7/FP7r2/FP8 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-5600 memory speed. The Ryzen 9 8945H supports up to 256 GB of RAM compared to 192 GB — 28.6% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 20 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: Intel Z790,Intel H770,Intel B760,Intel Z690,Intel H670,Intel B660,Intel H610 (Core i7-13700K) and FP7,FP7r2,FP8 (Ryzen 9 8945H).

Feature	Core i7-13700K	Ryzen 9 8945H
Socket	LGA1700	FP7/FP7r2/FP8
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-5600	DDR5-5600
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB	256 GB+33%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	No
PCIe Lanes	20	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Core i7-13700K has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Ryzen 9 8945H supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: true (Core i7-13700K) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 9 8945H). Both include integrated graphics — Intel UHD Graphics 770 (Core i7-13700K) and Radeon 780M (Ryzen 9 8945H) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 9 8945H targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i7-13700K rivals Ryzen 9 7900X; Ryzen 9 8945H rivals Core i9-13900H.