Is the Intel Core i7 13700K worth buying in 2023?

Back in 2022, Intel launched the mid-range Core i7 13700K as the spiritual successor to the Core i7 12700K. As the new CPU features even more cores and boasts faster operating speeds, it offers superior performance when it comes to video games, but all of this comes with a higher price.

Gamers will easily find themselves spending $100 more for the latest i7 chip from Team Blue. With the high-performance Ryzen 7000 processors now out, the primary question that comes up is whether one should opt for what Intel has to offer or not.

In this article, we'll go over the specs and performance of the 13700K, compare it with its last-gen counterpart as well as its competition, and determine which is the best option.

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The Core i7 13700K has a lot to offer, but it'll drill a hole in your pocket

Undeniably, the 13700K is a high-performance processor. Considering its $400 price tag, the chip certainly offers solid performance. Gamers looking to build a high-performance rig should definitely consider the 13700K over the Core i9 and Ryzen 9 offerings that are currently available on the market.

However, a quick glance at its specs reveals that the chip isn't very different from the competition or its last-gen counterpart.

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Specs

The Core i7 13700K is based on the latest Raptor Lake architecture from Team Blue. The chip packs sixteen cores, with eight of these being high-performance 'P' cores, while the remaining are low-power and low-performing 'E' cores. Its operating clock speeds have been boosted to 5.4 GHz, which is on par with the latest Ryzen offerings.

	AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D	AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D	Intel Core i7 12700K	Intel Core i7 13700K	AMD Ryzen 7 7700X
Architecture	Zen 3	Zen 4	Alder Lake	Raptor Lake	Zen 4
Core count	8	8	12 (8P+4E)	16 (8P+8E)	8
Thread count	16	16	20	24	16
Maximum boost clock	4.5 GHz	5.6 GHz	5.0 GHz	5.4 GHz	5.4 GHz
L3 cache	96 MB	104 MB	25MB Intel Smart Cache	30MB Intel Smart Cache	32 MB
TDP	105 W	120 W	125W (190W MTP)	125W (253W MTP)	105W

Looking at the table above, it's fairly evident that the 13700K is the most beefed-up chip here. However, this lead doesn't translate linearly to the performance of the processors themselves.

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Performance difference

The Core i7 13700K packs significant single-core performance gains when compared to the last-gen Core i7 12700K. Coupled with the higher core count, this results in a huge multi-core performance difference.

The 13700K is ideal for multi-core workloads such as video editing, 3D modeling, multitasking, and others. However, modern video games generally don't rely on any more than two cores, even though it's been years since high-core count processors have become the norm. As a result, single-core performance becomes far more relevant.

	Ryzen 7 5800X3D	Ryzen 7 7800X3D	Intel Core i7 13700k	AMD Ryzen 7 7700X	Intel Core i7 12700K
Cinebench R23 single-core	1,442	2,127	2,069	1972	1,920
Cinebench R23 multi-core	14,799	22,856	30,337	19,072	22,754
Geekbench 5 single-core	1,629	2,245	2,106	2,208	2,080
Geekbench 5 multi-core	11,562	16,194	20,932	14,068	15,462

In this regard, the 7800X3D takes a clear lead, with the 13700K trailing close behind. Although the slight difference between these chips shouldn't be a huge limiting factor in games, it's fairly substantial realistically.

	Ryzen 7 5800X3D	Ryzen 7 7800X3D	Core i7 13700K
Cyberpunk 2077	112	136	123
The Days Gone	185	221	204
God of War	229	262	247
Hitman III	163	189	181

The 13700K humiliates the last-gen Ryzen competitor, but it's much slower than the latest 3D V-Cache-enabled processor from Team Red.

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Pricing

The pricing might just be the single biggest factor when opting for the Core i7 13700K. As of writing this article, the chip will cost gamers $417, with the iGPU-less 13700KF priced at $378.

In comparison, the Ryzen 7 7800X3D is priced at $499. Gamers must also note that AM5 motherboards are particularly expensive and that the platform doesn't support cheaper DDR4 memory. As a result, the AMD-based rig will most likely end up costing much more.

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Thus, we recommend the Core i7 13700K to anyone looking for solid performance without spending a fortune on their gaming system. Anyone looking to buy the Ryzen 7 7800X3D should consider the Core i9 12900K and the -KF chips. They cost about the same and outperform what Team Red has to offer with its 3D V-Cache technology.