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 i7-12700K

2021

Why buy it

✅Costs $145 less on MSRP ($409 MSRP vs $554 MSRP).
✅Delivers 14.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 84.0 vs 73.1 PassMark/$ ($409 MSRP vs $554 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-13900E across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (34,347 vs 40,476).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (25 MB vs 36 MB).
❌92.3% higher power demand at 125W vs 65W.

Core i9-13900E

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +20.4% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+44% larger total L3 cache (36 MB vs 25 MB).
✅Draws 65W instead of 125W, a 60W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 73.1 vs 84.0 PassMark/$ ($554 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).

Core i7-12700K

2021

Core i9-13900E

2023

Why buy it

✅Costs $145 less on MSRP ($409 MSRP vs $554 MSRP).
✅Delivers 14.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 84.0 vs 73.1 PassMark/$ ($409 MSRP vs $554 MSRP).

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +20.4% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+44% larger total L3 cache (36 MB vs 25 MB).
✅Draws 65W instead of 125W, a 60W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-13900E across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (34,347 vs 40,476).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (25 MB vs 36 MB).
❌92.3% higher power demand at 125W vs 65W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 73.1 vs 84.0 PassMark/$ ($554 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is Core i9-13900E better than Core i7-12700K?

Yes. Core i9-13900E is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 20.4% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data, 17.8% better PassMark, 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 i9-13900E is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 20.4% more average FPS across 3 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-13900E is the better fit. You are getting 17.8% better PassMark, backed by 24 cores and 32 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 44% larger total L3 cache (36 MB vs 25 MB).

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

Core i9-13900E is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i7-12700K makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i9-13900E is 35.5% more expensive on MSRP at $554 MSRP versus $409 MSRP, and it gives you a 20.4% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i7-12700K is also 14.9% better value on MSRP (84.0 vs 73.1 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

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

Core i9-13900E is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2021), 44% larger total L3 cache (36 MB vs 25 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 24 cores / 32 threads instead of 12/20. 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 i7-12700K Benchmark Check

Core i9-13900E Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Core i9-13900E
1080p
low	314 FPS	305 FPS
medium	295 FPS	288 FPS
high	246 FPS	234 FPS
ultra	193 FPS	199 FPS
1440p
low	269 FPS	268 FPS
medium	225 FPS	229 FPS
high	182 FPS	174 FPS
ultra	145 FPS	154 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	184 FPS
medium	142 FPS	157 FPS
high	109 FPS	118 FPS
ultra	96 FPS	106 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Core i9-13900E

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Core i9-13900E
1080p
low	630 FPS	412 FPS
medium	533 FPS	360 FPS
high	450 FPS	293 FPS
ultra	410 FPS	257 FPS
1440p
low	536 FPS	350 FPS
medium	475 FPS	314 FPS
high	403 FPS	261 FPS
ultra	349 FPS	210 FPS
4K
low	312 FPS	197 FPS
medium	280 FPS	179 FPS
high	266 FPS	170 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	146 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Core i9-13900E

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Core i9-13900E
1080p
low	797 FPS	1012 FPS
medium	633 FPS	1012 FPS
high	556 FPS	977 FPS
ultra	472 FPS	838 FPS
1440p
low	704 FPS	991 FPS
medium	565 FPS	881 FPS
high	490 FPS	793 FPS
ultra	422 FPS	656 FPS
4K
low	510 FPS	599 FPS
medium	425 FPS	519 FPS
high	381 FPS	463 FPS
ultra	321 FPS	396 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Core i9-13900E

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Core i9-13900E
1080p
low	859 FPS	1012 FPS
medium	802 FPS	1012 FPS
high	699 FPS	935 FPS
ultra	628 FPS	810 FPS
1440p
low	760 FPS	1010 FPS
medium	678 FPS	881 FPS
high	590 FPS	761 FPS
ultra	519 FPS	651 FPS
4K
low	535 FPS	756 FPS
medium	488 FPS	662 FPS
high	437 FPS	578 FPS
ultra	384 FPS	437 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Core i9-13900E

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-12700K and Core i9-13900E

Core i7-12700K

The Core i7-12700K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 November 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake, Golden Cove, Gracemont (2021) architecture. It features 12 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 25 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 34,347 points. Launch price was $409.

Core i9-13900E

The Core i9-13900E 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 1.8 GHz, with boost up to 5.2 GHz. L3 cache: 36 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 40,476 points. Launch price was $499.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-12700K packs 12 cores / 20 threads, while the Core i9-13900E offers 24 cores / 32 threads — the Core i9-13900E has 12 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5 GHz on the Core i7-12700K versus 5.2 GHz on the Core i9-13900E — a 3.9% clock advantage for the Core i9-13900E (base: 3.6 GHz vs 1.8 GHz). The Core i7-12700K uses the Alder Lake, Golden Cove, Gracemont (2021) architecture (10 nm), while the Core i9-13900E uses Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024) (10 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-12700K scores 34,347 against the Core i9-13900E's 40,476 — a 16.4% lead for the Core i9-13900E. L3 cache: 25 MB (total) on the Core i7-12700K vs 36 MB (total) on the Core i9-13900E.

Feature	Core i7-12700K	Core i9-13900E
Cores / Threads	12 / 20	24 / 32+100%
Boost Clock	5 GHz	5.2 GHz+4%
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+100%	1.8 GHz
L3 Cache	25 MB (total)	36 MB (total)+44%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	2 MB (per core)+60%
Process	10 nm	10 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake, Golden Cove, Gracemont (2021)	Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024)
PassMark	34,347	40,476+18%
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,606
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	15,000

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the LGA1700 socket with PCIe 5.0. Maximum memory speed reaches 4800 on the Core i7-12700K versus DDR5-5600 on the Core i9-13900E — the Core i7-12700K supports 199.6% 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. Both provide 20 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: Z690,B660 (Core i7-12700K) and W680,Q670,Z790,H770 (Core i9-13900E).

Feature	Core i7-12700K	Core i9-13900E
Socket	LGA1700	LGA1700
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	4800+95900%	DDR5-5600
Max RAM Capacity	128	128 GB+104857500%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Core i7-12700K has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. Both include integrated graphics — Intel UHD Graphics 770 (Core i7-12700K) and Intel UHD Graphics 770 (Core i9-13900E) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i9-13900E targets Embedded. Direct competitor: Core i7-12700K rivals Ryzen 7 5800X.

Feature	Core i7-12700K	Core i9-13900E
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	Intel UHD Graphics 770	Intel UHD Graphics 770
Unlocked	Yes	No
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	—	Embedded

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-12700K launched at $409 MSRP, while the Core i9-13900E debuted at $554. On MSRP ($409 vs $554), the Core i7-12700K is $145 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-12700K delivers 84.0 pts/$ vs 73.1 pts/$ for the Core i9-13900E — making the Core i7-12700K the 13.9% better value option.