Intel Core i5-14600K vs Core i7-13700: Which is the best gaming CPU?

The Intel Core i5-14600K and the Core i7-13700 are some of the most interesting budget chips for gamers. Both processors are now available within the $330-350 range, making them ideal for those seeking premium performance at an affordable price. These chips can be paired with any high-end graphics card, making them a superb buy on a budget.

Choosing between the new i5 and the older i7 can sometimes be daunting. To help you make the right decision for this generation, we have compared the 14600K and the 13700 in this article.

Note: This article is subjective and reflects the writer's opinions.

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Both the Core i5-14600K and Core i7-13700 are powerful gaming CPUs

A brief look at the specs of the Intel Core i5-14600K (Image via Amazon)

The new 14th-generation Raptor Lake Refresh processors are a process refinement over the last generation offerings. They aren't completely new in terms of design and, hence, don't offer mind-numbing performance uplifts.

Let's check out what the two chips offer in terms of on-paper specs before delving into their performance differences.

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Specs comparison

Both the Intel Core i5-14600K and the Core i7-13700 are equipped with the latest hardware. The newer i5 has been bumped to 14 cores, six of which are high-performance 'P' rated with the remaining eight efficient 'E' rated.

The 13700, on the other hand, leads in terms of core count. It packs a total of 16 of them, with eight 'P'-rated and the other eight 'E'-rated. Although the i7 has the advantage, it is worth noting that all of these cores are based on the older Raptor Lake architecture. The slightly advanced technology powering the 14600K should bring it to par.

Here is a detailed specs comparison of the two processors:

	Intel Core i5-14600K	Intel Core i7-13700
Processor family	Raptor Lake Refresh	Raptor Lake
Lithography	Intel 7 (10 nm)	Intel 7 (10 nm)
Core count	14 (6P+8E)	16 (8P+8E)
Thread count	20	24
Max. turbo frequency	5.3 GHz	5.2 GHz
RAM support	Up to DDR5 5600 MT/s, Up to DDR4 3200 MT/s	Up to DDR5 5600 MT/s, Up to DDR4 3200 MT/s
iGPU	Intel UHD 770	Intel UHD 770
Power draw	125W (181W turbo power)	65W (219W turbo power)
Price	$306.99	$329.99

Both chips have significant power requirements and demand a high-end cooler to deliver peak performance for longer periods.

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Performance comparison

The new Core i5-14600K brings superb performance to mid-range PCs (Image via Amazon)

In both single and multi-core performance, the processors are quite close to each other. This makes them equally good in most workloads. However, according to benchmark data published on the scores aggregator website NanoReview, the newer 14600K maintains a slight lead.

	Intel Core i5-14600K	Intel Core i7-13700
Cinebench R23 single-core	2,084	2,015
Cinebench R23 multi-core	25,272	25,574
Geekbench 6 single-core	2,815	2,612
Geekbench 6 multi-core	17,306	16,468

The slight lead won't translate to any noticeable performance gains in real-world scenarios. However, we recommend the newer Core i5 because it supports CPU core overclocking, is slightly more efficient, and is cheaper.

The 14600K will easily last you a couple of years without suffering any significant performance issues. However, if you already are on the Core i7-13700 and are considering upgrading to the new Core i5, we advise against doing so because the chips are nearly similar in terms of performance.

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Check out more CPU comparisons on Sportskeeda:

Intel Core i5-14600K vs Ryzen 5 7600X || Intel Core i9-14900K vs Ryzen 9 7950X || Intel Core i9-14900K vs Ryzen 9 7900X