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 $7 less on MSRP ($385 MSRP vs $392 MSRP).
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while Core i7-13790F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-13790F across 5 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (14,397 vs 43,549).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 33 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 37.4 vs 111.1 PassMark/$ ($385 MSRP vs $392 MSRP).
❌46.2% higher power demand at 95W vs 65W.

Core i7-13790F

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +63.8% higher average FPS across 5 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+175% larger total L3 cache (33 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Delivers 197.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 111.1 vs 37.4 PassMark/$ ($392 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 95W, a 30W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1151 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌
1.8% HIGHER MSRP
$392 MSRPvs$385 MSRP
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-9700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i7-9700K

2018

Core i7-13790F

2023

Why buy it

✅Costs $7 less on MSRP ($385 MSRP vs $392 MSRP).
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while Core i7-13790F needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +63.8% higher average FPS across 5 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+175% larger total L3 cache (33 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Delivers 197.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 111.1 vs 37.4 PassMark/$ ($392 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 95W, a 30W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1151 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-13790F across 5 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (14,397 vs 43,549).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 33 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 37.4 vs 111.1 PassMark/$ ($385 MSRP vs $392 MSRP).
❌46.2% higher power demand at 95W vs 65W.

Trade-offs

❌
1.8% HIGHER MSRP
$392 MSRPvs$385 MSRP
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-9700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-13790F better than Core i7-9700K?

Yes. Core i7-13790F is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 63.8% average FPS lead across 5 shared CPU game tests in our data, 202.5% 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 i7-13790F is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 63.8% 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 i7-13790F is the better fit. You are getting 202.5% better PassMark, backed by 16 cores and 24 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 175% larger total L3 cache (33 MB vs 12 MB).

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

Core i7-13790F is the smarter buy today. Core i7-13790F is 1.8% more expensive on MSRP at $392 MSRP versus $385 MSRP, and it gives you a 63.8% average FPS lead across 5 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 197.1% better value on MSRP (111.1 vs 37.4 PassMark/$), 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 i7-13790F is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2018), a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of LGA1151, 175% larger total L3 cache (33 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 i7-13790F Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Core i7-13790F
1080p
low	308 FPS	276 FPS
medium	278 FPS	258 FPS
high	231 FPS	214 FPS
ultra	182 FPS	183 FPS
1440p
low	270 FPS	256 FPS
medium	221 FPS	215 FPS
high	178 FPS	167 FPS
ultra	143 FPS	148 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	173 FPS
medium	140 FPS	145 FPS
high	108 FPS	108 FPS
ultra	95 FPS	97 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Core i7-13790F

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Core i7-13790F
1080p
low	360 FPS	361 FPS
medium	321 FPS	309 FPS
high	291 FPS	259 FPS
ultra	259 FPS	233 FPS
1440p
low	324 FPS	314 FPS
medium	282 FPS	278 FPS
high	258 FPS	235 FPS
ultra	225 FPS	199 FPS
4K
low	249 FPS	186 FPS
medium	221 FPS	168 FPS
high	208 FPS	160 FPS
ultra	179 FPS	138 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Core i7-13790F

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Core i7-13790F
1080p
low	360 FPS	1025 FPS
medium	360 FPS	1011 FPS
high	360 FPS	933 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	803 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	969 FPS
medium	360 FPS	858 FPS
high	360 FPS	775 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	656 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	588 FPS
medium	360 FPS	506 FPS
high	360 FPS	455 FPS
ultra	318 FPS	387 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Core i7-13790F

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Core i7-13790F
1080p
low	360 FPS	1089 FPS
medium	360 FPS	1015 FPS
high	360 FPS	876 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	767 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	960 FPS
medium	360 FPS	844 FPS
high	360 FPS	722 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	620 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	684 FPS
medium	360 FPS	605 FPS
high	360 FPS	536 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	437 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Core i7-13790F

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-9700K and Core i7-13790F

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 i7-13790F

The Core i7-13790F is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 10 February 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024) architecture. It features 16 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 5.2 GHz. L3 cache: 33 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: 43,549 points. Launch price was $441.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-9700K packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the Core i7-13790F offers 16 cores / 24 threads — the Core i7-13790F has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.9 GHz on the Core i7-9700K versus 5.2 GHz on the Core i7-13790F — a 5.9% clock advantage for the Core i7-13790F (base: 3.6 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Core i7-9700K uses the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i7-13790F uses Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024) (10 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-9700K scores 14,397 against the Core i7-13790F's 43,549 — a 100.6% lead for the Core i7-13790F. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-9700K vs 33 MB (total) on the Core i7-13790F.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Core i7-13790F
Cores / Threads	8 / 8	16 / 24+100%
Boost Clock	4.9 GHz	5.2 GHz+6%
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+71%	2.1 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	33 MB (total)+175%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	2 MB (per core)+700%
Process	14 nm	10 nm-29%
Architecture	Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019)	Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024)
PassMark	14,397	43,549+202%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	26,247
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,815
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	13,673

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-9700K uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-13790F uses LGA1700 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2666 on the Core i7-9700K versus DDR5-5600 on the Core i7-13790F — the Core i7-13790F supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i7-13790F supports up to 192 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 40% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 16 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: Intel 300 series (Core i7-9700K) and Z790,B760 (Core i7-13790F).

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Core i7-13790F
Socket	LGA1151	LGA1700
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	DDR5-5600+25%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	192 GB+50%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	16	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Core i7-9700K has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Core i7-13790F supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. The Core i7-9700K includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630), while the Core i7-13790F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-9700K targets Desktop.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Core i7-13790F
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 630	—
Unlocked	Yes	No
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 i7-13790F debuted at $392. On MSRP ($385 vs $392), the Core i7-9700K is $7 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-9700K delivers 37.4 pts/$ vs 111.1 pts/$ for the Core i7-13790F — making the Core i7-13790F the 99.3% better value option.