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

✅+33.2% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅Costs $70 less on MSRP ($409 MSRP vs $479 MSRP).
✅Delivers 34.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 111.9 vs 83.4 PassMark/$ ($409 MSRP vs $479 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 9800X3D across 45 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Ryzen 7 9800X3D

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +8.2% higher average FPS across 45 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅40% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (23,277 vs 31,000).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 83.4 vs 111.9 PassMark/$ ($479 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).

Core i7-13700K

2022

Ryzen 7 9800X3D

2024

Why buy it

✅+33.2% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅Costs $70 less on MSRP ($409 MSRP vs $479 MSRP).
✅Delivers 34.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 111.9 vs 83.4 PassMark/$ ($409 MSRP vs $479 MSRP).

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +8.2% higher average FPS across 45 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅40% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 9800X3D across 45 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (23,277 vs 31,000).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 83.4 vs 111.9 PassMark/$ ($479 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-13700K better than Ryzen 7 9800X3D?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen 7 9800X3D is ahead with a 8.2% average FPS lead across 45 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-13700K pulls ahead with 33.2% better Cinebench R23 multi-core. Ryzen 7 9800X3D also has the bigger cache pool with 220% larger total L3 cache (96 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 33.2% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 16 cores and 24 threads.

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

Core i7-13700K is the smarter buy today. Core i7-13700K is $70 cheaper on MSRP at $409 MSRP versus $479 MSRP, and it gives you 33.2% better Cinebench R23 multi-core. The trade-off is that Ryzen 7 9800X3D is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 8.2% average FPS lead across 45 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 34.2% better value on MSRP (111.9 vs 83.4 PassMark/$), 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 AM5 + DDR5 setup, Ryzen 7 9800X3D is still an elite gaming CPU and a very strong platform-matched choice because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap while remaining one of the strongest gaming chips you can buy.

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

Ryzen 7 9800X3D is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2022) and 3D V-Cache and a much larger 96 MB L3 cache instead of 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 7 9800X3D Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-13700K	Ryzen 7 9800X3D
1080p
low	284 FPS	276 FPS
medium	268 FPS	257 FPS
high	223 FPS	219 FPS
ultra	190 FPS	192 FPS
1440p
low	238 FPS	260 FPS
medium	200 FPS	217 FPS
high	159 FPS	172 FPS
ultra	139 FPS	155 FPS
4K
low	159 FPS	179 FPS
medium	134 FPS	149 FPS
high	103 FPS	112 FPS
ultra	90 FPS	100 FPS

Open Core i7-13700K Open Ryzen 7 9800X3D

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-13700K	Ryzen 7 9800X3D
1080p
low	689 FPS	880 FPS
medium	580 FPS	713 FPS
high	484 FPS	561 FPS
ultra	439 FPS	474 FPS
1440p
low	595 FPS	697 FPS
medium	525 FPS	591 FPS
high	441 FPS	483 FPS
ultra	378 FPS	383 FPS
4K
low	348 FPS	383 FPS
medium	314 FPS	328 FPS
high	295 FPS	305 FPS
ultra	261 FPS	263 FPS

Open Core i7-13700K Open Ryzen 7 9800X3D

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-13700K	Ryzen 7 9800X3D
1080p
low	648 FPS	944 FPS
medium	530 FPS	772 FPS
high	467 FPS	698 FPS
ultra	405 FPS	604 FPS
1440p
low	591 FPS	731 FPS
medium	491 FPS	598 FPS
high	427 FPS	529 FPS
ultra	371 FPS	452 FPS
4K
low	434 FPS	506 FPS
medium	374 FPS	419 FPS
high	339 FPS	377 FPS
ultra	290 FPS	316 FPS

Open Core i7-13700K Open Ryzen 7 9800X3D

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-13700K	Ryzen 7 9800X3D
1080p
low	970 FPS	999 FPS
medium	883 FPS	999 FPS
high	766 FPS	907 FPS
ultra	689 FPS	811 FPS
1440p
low	829 FPS	885 FPS
medium	740 FPS	778 FPS
high	642 FPS	685 FPS
ultra	566 FPS	592 FPS
4K
low	567 FPS	639 FPS
medium	515 FPS	568 FPS
high	463 FPS	507 FPS
ultra	404 FPS	437 FPS

Open Core i7-13700K Open Ryzen 7 9800X3D

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-13700K and Ryzen 7 9800X3D

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 7 9800X3D

The Ryzen 7 9800X3D is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 November 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Granite Ridge (2024−2025) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 4.7 GHz, with boost up to 5.2 GHz. L3 cache: 96 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: AM5. Thermal design power (TDP): 120 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 39,966 points. Launch price was $479.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-13700K packs 16 cores / 24 threads, while the Ryzen 7 9800X3D 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 7 9800X3D — a 3.8% clock advantage for the Core i7-13700K (base: 3.4 GHz vs 4.7 GHz). The Core i7-13700K uses the Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen 7 9800X3D uses Granite Ridge (2024−2025) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-13700K scores 45,784 against the Ryzen 7 9800X3D's 39,966 — a 13.6% lead for the Core i7-13700K. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 31,000 vs 23,277 (28.5% advantage for the Core i7-13700K). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,846 vs 3,450, a 19.2% lead for the Ryzen 7 9800X3D that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 18,980 vs 18,500 (2.6% advantage for the Core i7-13700K). L3 cache: 30 MB (total) on the Core i7-13700K vs 96 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 9800X3D.

Feature	Core i7-13700K	Ryzen 7 9800X3D
Cores / Threads	16 / 24+100%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	5.4 GHz+4%	5.2 GHz
Base Clock	3.4 GHz	4.7 GHz+38%
L3 Cache	30 MB (total)	96 MB (total)+220%
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)+100%	1 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	4 nm-43%
Architecture	Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022)	Granite Ridge (2024−2025)
PassMark	45,784+15%	39,966
Cinebench R23 Multi	31,000+33%	23,277
Geekbench 6 Single	2,846	3,450+21%
Geekbench 6 Multi	18,980+3%	18,500

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-13700K uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 7 9800X3D uses AM5 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-5600 memory speed. Both support up to 192 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i7-13700K) vs 28 (Ryzen 7 9800X3D) — the Ryzen 7 9800X3D 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 X670E,B650E,X870E,B850 (Ryzen 7 9800X3D).

Feature	Core i7-13700K	Ryzen 7 9800X3D
Socket	LGA1700	AM5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-5600	DDR5-5600
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB	192 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 7 9800X3D supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: true (Core i7-13700K) vs AMD-V, AMD-Vi (Ryzen 7 9800X3D). Both include integrated graphics — Intel UHD Graphics 770 (Core i7-13700K) and Radeon Graphics (Ryzen 7 9800X3D) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 7 9800X3D targets Extreme Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i7-13700K rivals Ryzen 9 7900X; Ryzen 7 9800X3D rivals Core i9-14900K.

Feature	Core i7-13700K	Ryzen 7 9800X3D
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	Intel UHD Graphics 770	Radeon Graphics
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	true	AMD-V, AMD-Vi
Target Use	—	Extreme Gaming

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-13700K launched at $409 MSRP, while the Ryzen 7 9800X3D debuted at $479. On MSRP ($409 vs $479), the Core i7-13700K is $70 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-13700K delivers 111.9 pts/$ vs 83.4 pts/$ for the Ryzen 7 9800X3D — making the Core i7-13700K the 29.2% better value option.