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 i7-9700K

2018

Why buy it

✅Costs $117 less on MSRP ($385 MSRP vs $502 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-13700H across 5 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (14,397 vs 26,140).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 24 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 37.4 vs 52.1 PassMark/$ ($385 MSRP vs $502 MSRP).
❌111.1% higher power demand at 95W vs 45W.

Core i7-13700H

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +54.3% higher average FPS across 5 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Delivers 39.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 52.1 vs 37.4 PassMark/$ ($502 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
✅Draws 45W instead of 95W, a 50W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FCBGA1744 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1151 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌
30.4% HIGHER MSRP
$502 MSRPvs$385 MSRP

Core i7-9700K

2018

Core i7-13700H

2023

Why buy it

✅Costs $117 less on MSRP ($385 MSRP vs $502 MSRP).

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +54.3% higher average FPS across 5 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Delivers 39.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 52.1 vs 37.4 PassMark/$ ($502 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
✅Draws 45W instead of 95W, a 50W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FCBGA1744 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1151 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-13700H across 5 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (14,397 vs 26,140).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 24 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 37.4 vs 52.1 PassMark/$ ($385 MSRP vs $502 MSRP).
❌111.1% higher power demand at 95W vs 45W.

Trade-offs

❌
30.4% HIGHER MSRP
$502 MSRPvs$385 MSRP

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-13700H better than Core i7-9700K?

Yes. Core i7-13700H is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 54.3% average FPS lead across 5 shared CPU game tests in our data, 81.6% 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 i7-13700H is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 54.3% more average FPS across 5 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-13700H is the better fit. You are getting 81.6% better PassMark, backed by 14 cores and 20 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 100% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 12 MB).

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

Core i7-13700H is the smarter buy today. Core i7-13700H is 30.4% more expensive on MSRP at $502 MSRP versus $385 MSRP, and it gives you a 54.3% average FPS lead across 5 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 39.2% better value on MSRP (52.1 vs 37.4 PassMark/$), 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?

Core i7-13700H is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2018), a healthier platform with FCBGA1744 and DDR5 instead of LGA1151, 100% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 12 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 14 cores / 20 threads instead of 8/8. 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 i7-9700K Benchmark Check

Core i7-13700H Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Core i7-13700H
1080p
low	308 FPS	301 FPS
medium	278 FPS	277 FPS
high	231 FPS	233 FPS
ultra	182 FPS	198 FPS
1440p
low	270 FPS	243 FPS
medium	221 FPS	199 FPS
high	178 FPS	162 FPS
ultra	143 FPS	141 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	169 FPS
medium	140 FPS	138 FPS
high	108 FPS	107 FPS
ultra	95 FPS	93 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Core i7-13700H

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Core i7-13700H
1080p
low	360 FPS	654 FPS
medium	321 FPS	569 FPS
high	291 FPS	468 FPS
ultra	259 FPS	419 FPS
1440p
low	324 FPS	617 FPS
medium	282 FPS	520 FPS
high	258 FPS	430 FPS
ultra	225 FPS	363 FPS
4K
low	249 FPS	366 FPS
medium	221 FPS	314 FPS
high	208 FPS	291 FPS
ultra	179 FPS	253 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Core i7-13700H

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Core i7-13700H
1080p
low	360 FPS	654 FPS
medium	360 FPS	654 FPS
high	360 FPS	654 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	613 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	654 FPS
medium	360 FPS	654 FPS
high	360 FPS	588 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	507 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	595 FPS
medium	360 FPS	494 FPS
high	360 FPS	442 FPS
ultra	318 FPS	374 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Core i7-13700H

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Core i7-13700H
1080p
low	360 FPS	654 FPS
medium	360 FPS	654 FPS
high	360 FPS	654 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	654 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	654 FPS
medium	360 FPS	654 FPS
high	360 FPS	654 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	597 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	628 FPS
medium	360 FPS	558 FPS
high	360 FPS	502 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	432 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Core i7-13700H

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-9700K and Core i7-13700H

Core i7-9700K

The Core i7-9700K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 October 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture. It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.9 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 14,397 points. Launch price was $374.

Core i7-13700H

The Core i7-13700H is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-H (2023−2024) architecture. It features 14 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 24 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1744. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 26,140 points. Launch price was $502.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-9700K packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the Core i7-13700H offers 14 cores / 20 threads — the Core i7-13700H has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.9 GHz on the Core i7-9700K versus 5 GHz on the Core i7-13700H — a 2% clock advantage for the Core i7-13700H (base: 3.6 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Core i7-9700K uses the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i7-13700H uses Raptor Lake-H (2023−2024) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-9700K scores 14,397 against the Core i7-13700H's 26,140 — a 57.9% lead for the Core i7-13700H. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-9700K vs 24 MB (total) on the Core i7-13700H.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Core i7-13700H
Cores / Threads	8 / 8	14 / 20+75%
Boost Clock	4.9 GHz	5 GHz+2%
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+50%	2.4 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	24 MB (total)+100%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	2 MB (per core)+700%
Process	14 nm	Intel 7 nm-50%
Architecture	Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019)	Raptor Lake-H (2023−2024)
PassMark	14,397	26,140+82%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	20,101
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,279
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	13,208

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-9700K uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-13700H uses FCBGA1744 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2666 on the Core i7-9700K versus DDR5-5200 on the Core i7-13700H — the Core i7-13700H supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i7-9700K supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 96 GB — 28.6% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i7-9700K) vs 28 (Core i7-13700H) — the Core i7-13700H offers 12 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel 300 series (Core i7-9700K) and Mobile (Core i7-13700H).

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Core i7-13700H
Socket	LGA1151	FCBGA1744
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	DDR5-5200+25%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+33%	96 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	16	28+75%

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Only the Core i7-13700H supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. Both include integrated graphics — UHD Graphics 630 (Core i7-9700K) and Iris Xe Graphics (96EU) (Core i7-13700H) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-9700K targets Desktop.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Core i7-13700H
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 630	Iris Xe Graphics (96EU)
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	Desktop	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-9700K launched at $385 MSRP, while the Core i7-13700H debuted at $502. On MSRP ($385 vs $502), the Core i7-9700K is $117 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-9700K delivers 37.4 pts/$ vs 52.1 pts/$ for the Core i7-13700H — making the Core i7-13700H the 32.8% better value option.