Should you pair an AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX with the Intel Core i9 13900K?

AMD launched the RX 7900 XTX as its flagship gaming chip in late 2022, and it is faster than the RTX 4080 while costing less than Nvidia's high-end gaming graphics cards. Thus, it is a solid option to pair it with the flagship Core i9 13900K, which packs a lower price tag than its Team Red equivalents.

Additionally, cheaper motherboards and RAM are also available for Intel chips. Thus, many gamers are considering the 7900 XTX and the i9 13900K for their next high-performance gaming rig.

However, the main question is whether one should opt for an Intel CPU and use it with a Radeon graphics card. It is worth noting that AMD does have some exclusive features that help with the performance of an all-Team Red system.

The answer to the aforementioned question, however, is not straightforward. So let's analyze the CPU and GPU and find out whether the parts complement each other.

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The Radeon RX 7900 XTX can deliver great performance with the i9 13900K but its competition is not shy

Performance differences and pricing are the two defining factors that determine which CPU gamers should get. It is worth noting that both the Core i9 13900K and its competition, AMD's Ryzen 9 7950X, are very powerful processors when paired with the RX 7900 XTX. This is why crowning one of these chipsets the winner is important in making things simple.

Performance difference

AMD's Ryzen 9 7950X and Intel's Core i9 13900K are mainly designed for professionals and those with CPU-intensive workloads. Gamers are not these chips' target demographic.

However, AMD offers some benefits that help in increasing performance the 7950X and RX 7900 XTX are used together. The list includes Smart Access Memory (SAM), which helps the processor and graphics card communicate more effectively. This helps reduce latency and yields higher framerates.

This technology gives the slightly slower Ryzen 9 7950X an upper hand in many titles. When Intel's i9 13900K and AMD's CPU are paired with the RTX 4090, there is a noticeable difference between the performance either of these setups offers. However, when the RX 7900 XTX is used with those processors, they deliver the same performance.

The Radeon GPU beats the Intel flagship in multiple scenarios. This is evident in the benchmarks run by YouTuber Dracarys Gaming. Both processors deliver similar performances in all the games tested.

Thus, gamers concerned with the performance of the RX 7900 XTX-powered system will be good to go with either of these chips. Therefore, pricing becomes the determining factor.

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Pricing

According to the latest prices on Newegg, the Core i9 13900K is a more affordable chip. It sells for $579 on the e-tailer website. The iGPU-less 'F' variant is even cheaper and will set gamers back $568.

In comparison, the 7950X costs $598 after AMD's price reductions. The chip was initially launched for a hefty $649.

The price gap between the two chips increases when one considers the price of the Intel and AMD platforms. Since the older Z690 and B660 boards support the Core i9 13900K, gamers can use these boards for the RX 7900 XTX as well. But, motherboard availability for the new AM5 processors is rather limited, with almost no affordable options.

In addition, the Intel chip also supports older and much cheaper DDR4 memory. These differences add up and will result in significant savings for gamers. This makes the Core i9 13900K a better option in this aspect.

However, none of this changes the fact the Ryzen 9 7950X is a very capable processor. Gamers can opt for the AMD flagship and still enjoy flagship-grade performances with the Radeon RX 7900 XTX. The choice solely depends on how much one is willing to spend on their system.