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

✅Draws 95W instead of 125W, a 30W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while Core i7-13700KF needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-13700KF across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (14,397 vs 45,730).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 30 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 37.4 vs 119.1 PassMark/$ ($385 MSRP vs $384 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on LGA1151 with DDR4, while Core i7-13700KF moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Core i7-13700KF

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +37.6% higher average FPS across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+150% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Costs $1 less on MSRP ($384 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
✅Delivers 218.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 119.1 vs 37.4 PassMark/$ ($384 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1151 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌31.6% higher power demand at 125W vs 95W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-9700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i7-9700K

2018

Core i7-13700KF

2022

Why buy it

✅Draws 95W instead of 125W, a 30W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while Core i7-13700KF needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +37.6% higher average FPS across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+150% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Costs $1 less on MSRP ($384 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
✅Delivers 218.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 119.1 vs 37.4 PassMark/$ ($384 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1151 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-13700KF across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (14,397 vs 45,730).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 30 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 37.4 vs 119.1 PassMark/$ ($385 MSRP vs $384 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on LGA1151 with DDR4, while Core i7-13700KF moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌31.6% higher power demand at 125W vs 95W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-9700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

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

Yes. Core i7-13700KF is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 37.6% average FPS lead across 6 shared CPU game tests in our data, 217.6% 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 i7-13700KF is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 37.6% more average FPS across 6 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-13700KF is the better fit. You are getting 217.6% better PassMark, backed by 16 cores and 24 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 150% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 12 MB).

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

Core i7-13700KF is the smarter buy today. Core i7-13700KF is $1 cheaper on MSRP at $384 MSRP versus $385 MSRP, and it gives you a 37.6% average FPS lead across 6 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 218.5% better value on MSRP (119.1 vs 37.4 PassMark/$), 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 i7-13700KF is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2018), a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of LGA1151, 150% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 12 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 16 cores / 24 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 i7-13700KF Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Core i7-13700KF
1080p
low	308 FPS	284 FPS
medium	278 FPS	268 FPS
high	231 FPS	223 FPS
ultra	182 FPS	190 FPS
1440p
low	270 FPS	238 FPS
medium	221 FPS	200 FPS
high	178 FPS	159 FPS
ultra	143 FPS	139 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	159 FPS
medium	140 FPS	134 FPS
high	108 FPS	103 FPS
ultra	95 FPS	90 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Core i7-13700KF

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Core i7-13700KF
1080p
low	360 FPS	689 FPS
medium	321 FPS	580 FPS
high	291 FPS	484 FPS
ultra	259 FPS	439 FPS
1440p
low	324 FPS	595 FPS
medium	282 FPS	525 FPS
high	258 FPS	441 FPS
ultra	225 FPS	378 FPS
4K
low	249 FPS	348 FPS
medium	221 FPS	314 FPS
high	208 FPS	295 FPS
ultra	179 FPS	261 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Core i7-13700KF

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Core i7-13700KF
1080p
low	360 FPS	648 FPS
medium	360 FPS	530 FPS
high	360 FPS	467 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	405 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	591 FPS
medium	360 FPS	491 FPS
high	360 FPS	427 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	371 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	434 FPS
medium	360 FPS	374 FPS
high	360 FPS	339 FPS
ultra	318 FPS	290 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Core i7-13700KF

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Core i7-13700KF
1080p
low	360 FPS	970 FPS
medium	360 FPS	883 FPS
high	360 FPS	766 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	689 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	829 FPS
medium	360 FPS	740 FPS
high	360 FPS	642 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	566 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	567 FPS
medium	360 FPS	515 FPS
high	360 FPS	463 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	404 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Core i7-13700KF

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

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

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 i7-13700KF

The Core i7-13700KF 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 W, 253 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-5600, DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 45,730 points. Launch price was $384.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-9700K packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the Core i7-13700KF offers 16 cores / 24 threads — the Core i7-13700KF has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.9 GHz on the Core i7-9700K versus 5.4 GHz on the Core i7-13700KF — a 9.7% clock advantage for the Core i7-13700KF (base: 3.6 GHz vs 3.4 GHz). The Core i7-9700K uses the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i7-13700KF uses Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-9700K scores 14,397 against the Core i7-13700KF's 45,730 — a 104.2% lead for the Core i7-13700KF. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-9700K vs 30 MB (total) on the Core i7-13700KF.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Core i7-13700KF
Cores / Threads	8 / 8	16 / 24+100%
Boost Clock	4.9 GHz	5.4 GHz+10%
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+6%	3.4 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	30 MB (total)+150%
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, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022)
PassMark	14,397	45,730+218%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	30,766
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,962
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	17,708

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-9700K uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-13700KF uses LGA1700 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2666 on the Core i7-9700K versus 5600 on the Core i7-13700KF — the Core i7-13700KF supports 199.7% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i7-13700KF supports up to 192 of RAM compared to 128 GB — 40% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i7-9700K) vs 20 (Core i7-13700KF) — the Core i7-13700KF offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel 300 series (Core i7-9700K) and Z790,B760 (Core i7-13700KF).

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Core i7-13700KF
Socket	LGA1151	LGA1700
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	5600+139900%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+69904967%	192
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	16	20+25%

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. The Core i7-9700K includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630), while the Core i7-13700KF requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-9700K targets Desktop. Direct competitor: Core i7-13700KF rivals Ryzen 7 7700X.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Core i7-13700KF
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 630	None
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	No	No
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 i7-13700KF debuted at $384. On MSRP ($385 vs $384), the Core i7-13700KF is $1 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-9700K delivers 37.4 pts/$ vs 119.1 pts/$ for the Core i7-13700KF — making the Core i7-13700KF the 104.4% better value option.