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

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (45,784 vs 51,665).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (30 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $409 MSRP, while Ryzen 9 9850HX mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌127.3% higher power demand at 125W vs 55W.

Ryzen 9 9850HX

2025

Why buy it

✅+12.8% higher PassMark.
✅+113.3% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 30 MB).
✅Draws 55W instead of 125W, a 70W reduction.
✅40% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Core i7-13700K

2022

Ryzen 9 9850HX

2025

Why buy it

✅+12.8% higher PassMark.
✅+113.3% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 30 MB).
✅Draws 55W instead of 125W, a 70W reduction.
✅40% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (45,784 vs 51,665).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (30 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $409 MSRP, while Ryzen 9 9850HX mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌127.3% higher power demand at 125W vs 55W.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 9 9850HX better than Core i7-13700K?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core i7-13700K is ahead with a 2.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 9 9850HX pulls ahead with 12.8% better PassMark. Ryzen 9 9850HX 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, Ryzen 9 9850HX is the better fit. You are getting 12.8% better PassMark, backed by 12 cores and 24 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 113.3% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 30 MB).

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

Ryzen 9 9850HX is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i7-13700K makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen 9 9850HX is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $409 MSRP, and it gives you 12.8% better PassMark. The trade-off is that Core i7-13700K is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 2.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i7-13700K is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (111.9 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

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

Ryzen 9 9850HX is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2022), 113.3% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 30 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 12 cores / 24 threads instead of 16/24. 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 9850HX Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-13700K	Ryzen 9 9850HX
1080p
low	284 FPS	268 FPS
medium	268 FPS	244 FPS
high	223 FPS	208 FPS
ultra	190 FPS	180 FPS
1440p
low	238 FPS	253 FPS
medium	200 FPS	207 FPS
high	159 FPS	163 FPS
ultra	139 FPS	146 FPS
4K
low	159 FPS	175 FPS
medium	134 FPS	144 FPS
high	103 FPS	107 FPS
ultra	90 FPS	96 FPS

Open Core i7-13700K Open Ryzen 9 9850HX

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-13700K	Ryzen 9 9850HX
1080p
low	689 FPS	669 FPS
medium	580 FPS	576 FPS
high	484 FPS	433 FPS
ultra	439 FPS	375 FPS
1440p
low	595 FPS	564 FPS
medium	525 FPS	503 FPS
high	441 FPS	391 FPS
ultra	378 FPS	312 FPS
4K
low	348 FPS	318 FPS
medium	314 FPS	288 FPS
high	295 FPS	255 FPS
ultra	261 FPS	219 FPS

Open Core i7-13700K Open Ryzen 9 9850HX

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-13700K	Ryzen 9 9850HX
1080p
low	648 FPS	849 FPS
medium	530 FPS	678 FPS
high	467 FPS	600 FPS
ultra	405 FPS	514 FPS
1440p
low	591 FPS	678 FPS
medium	491 FPS	542 FPS
high	427 FPS	469 FPS
ultra	371 FPS	397 FPS
4K
low	434 FPS	484 FPS
medium	374 FPS	400 FPS
high	339 FPS	360 FPS
ultra	290 FPS	302 FPS

Open Core i7-13700K Open Ryzen 9 9850HX

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-13700K	Ryzen 9 9850HX
1080p
low	970 FPS	1072 FPS
medium	883 FPS	966 FPS
high	766 FPS	843 FPS
ultra	689 FPS	760 FPS
1440p
low	829 FPS	842 FPS
medium	740 FPS	747 FPS
high	642 FPS	652 FPS
ultra	566 FPS	566 FPS
4K
low	567 FPS	619 FPS
medium	515 FPS	553 FPS
high	463 FPS	487 FPS
ultra	404 FPS	421 FPS

Open Core i7-13700K Open Ryzen 9 9850HX

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-13700K and Ryzen 9 9850HX

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 9850HX

The Ryzen 9 9850HX is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Fire Range-HX (Zen 5) (2025) architecture. It features 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 5.2 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: FL1. Thermal design power (TDP): 55 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 51,665 points. Launch price was $499.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-13700K packs 16 cores / 24 threads, while the Ryzen 9 9850HX 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 5.2 GHz on the Ryzen 9 9850HX — a 3.8% clock advantage for the Core i7-13700K (base: 3.4 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Core i7-13700K uses the Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen 9 9850HX uses Fire Range-HX (Zen 5) (2025) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-13700K scores 45,784 against the Ryzen 9 9850HX's 51,665 — a 12.1% lead for the Ryzen 9 9850HX. L3 cache: 30 MB (total) on the Core i7-13700K vs 64 MB (total) on the Ryzen 9 9850HX.

Feature	Core i7-13700K	Ryzen 9 9850HX
Cores / Threads	16 / 24+33%	12 / 24
Boost Clock	5.4 GHz+4%	5.2 GHz
Base Clock	3.4 GHz+13%	3 GHz
L3 Cache	30 MB (total)	64 MB (total)+113%
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)	Fire Range-HX (Zen 5) (2025)
PassMark	45,784	51,665+13%
Cinebench R23 Multi	31,000	—
Geekbench 6 Single	2,846	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	18,980	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-13700K uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 9 9850HX uses FL1 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-5600 on the Core i7-13700K versus 5600 on the Ryzen 9 9850HX — the Ryzen 9 9850HX supports 199.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. 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 9 9850HX) — the Ryzen 9 9850HX 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 FL1 (Ryzen 9 9850HX).

Feature	Core i7-13700K	Ryzen 9 9850HX
Socket	LGA1700	FL1
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-5600	5600+111900%
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB+104857500%	192
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 9850HX supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: true (Core i7-13700K) vs VT-x, VT-d, AMD-V (Ryzen 9 9850HX). Both include integrated graphics — Intel UHD Graphics 770 (Core i7-13700K) and AMD Radeon 610M (Ryzen 9 9850HX) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Core i7-13700K rivals Ryzen 9 7900X; Ryzen 9 9850HX rivals Core Ultra 7 255HX.