Intel Core i7-13790F vs Intel Core i9-12900KS

Processor comparisons 09-02-2023

   Let's say you have difficulties with the choice of a processor, you will solve them by reading the full tests Intel Core i7-13790F vs Intel Core i9-12900KS and decide which is better for games or normal use for machine learning, rendering, video editing, programming, streaming. Here you can find useful information from real streaming and video editing tests or several benchmarks. A careful analysis of all the specifications, to make it easier to read, is summarized in the table.
   From the video comparison, you can get the results of joint testing in special testing software such as RealBench, DaVinci Resolve Studio, 3DMark, Dolphin Emulator, Gears 5, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, SuperPi, GeekBench 6, 5.2, 7zip, Blender, VeraCrypt, AIDA64, Prime95, Handbrake, PassMark, WPrime, UserBenchmark, PCMark 10, MATLAB, Furmark, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), Blender.
   Gaming performance of CPUs in:

Death Stranding
Cyberpunk 2077
Overwatch
Last Man Standing
Watch Dogs Legion
Valorant
Halo Infinite
Call of Duty: Warzone and Modern Warfare
Apex Legends
Red Dead Redemption 2
Assassin's Creed Valhalla
Rainbow Six Siege
Fallout 76
Valheim
Fortnite
DOOM: Eternal
Grand Theft Auto V
World of Warcraft: Shadowlands
Borderlands 3

After looking at the data of all benchmarks and videos, you can already make an briefed decision about which CPU is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i9-12900KS or Intel Core i7-13790F.

Summary benchmark results

As a percentage of the maximum value based on a sample from the entire base of all processors
Processor Benchmark

Core i7-13790F

65%

Core i9-12900KS

73%

This parameter shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i9-12900KS is 10% better than Core i7-13790F. The data source is several popular tests. More detailed information of the benchmarks is below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i7-13790F

61%

Core i9-12900KS

61%

The maximum result in this parameter is 100 percent, which is the performance of the most powerful processor currently available. And it is clear that this is a server processor, on which no one will play games. Because this processor costs several tens of thousands of dollars. Therefore, if you think that the selected CPU has a low game result, look at the FPS that it produces in real games in the summary table below.
List of other games in which CPU comparisons were performed: Battlefield V, Ghostrunner, Half-Life: Alyx, NBA 2K20, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Microsoft Flight Simulator, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Control, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, DOTA 2A, Monster Hunter World, Metro Exodus, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Hitman 3, Forza Horizon 4, Horizon Zero Dawn, League of Legends (LOL).

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	108.4	108.6
Valorant	123.2	123.4
Cyberpunk 2077	69.0	69.1
Apex Legends	115.8	116.0
Call of Duty Warzone	92.4	92.6
Overwatch	99.8	100.0
Red Dead Redemption 2	85.0	85.1
DOOM Eternal	61.6	61.7
Warzone	96.1	96.3
Assassin's Creed	103.5	103.7
Valheim	102.3	102.4

The numbers in this table indicate the maximum FPS that was received on the device with the corresponding processor. Depending on the configuration of the computer (RAM size and Video Card) and graphics quality settings (Ultra, Medium, Normal), the results may differ quite significantly. We recommend that you better study the results of the Cinebench, GeekBench and Passmark becnmarks.
The tested computers not only did they have different amounts of RAM and different video cards. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: FullHD, 2K or 4K. Therefore, the game benchmark data is approximate. But all video cards met the average system requirements of games. You will get more accurate information about how powerful the processor will be in games, if you get acquainted with the benchmarks that are made with the same video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

Core i7-13790F

107%

Core i9-12900KS

48%

To make a finishing resolution on which processor is better, you should also consider the generation of its core. The newer the processor generation, the better its performance in games and benchmarks, as well as its energy efficiency. In this case the Core i7-13790F is more energy efficient than the Core i9-12900KS as it consumes less power: 65W vs. 150W. Power consumption is particularly important for laptops. And TDP should be taken into account when choosing a processor cooling system. It is necessary to count so that the TDP data specified in the cooler specification is greater than the TDP of the compared processor.

Software benchmarks

For example you plan to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for streaming, video editing or video rendering, programming, machine learning, then first of all you need to pay attention to the performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to achieve maximum performance, the processor uses all threads and cores that it has. You will find out this data from the benchmark tables below. Before using the data from these tests, be sure to check whether the program you are going to use on your computer supports multi-threaded mode. Because there are still many programs that can use only one core to work, and all the advantages of multi-core mode are unused.

Cinebench 23, 20 an 15
The results of this benchmark show Single-threaded and Multi-threaded CPU performance

	Intel Core i7-13790F	Intel Core i9-12900KS
Cinbench 15 Single-core	470	669
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	4751	6984
Cinbench 20 Single-core	770	1113
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	10536	15520
Cinbench 23 Single-core	2680	3930
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	30282	44652

Passmark
This popular benchmark displays Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Intel Core i7-13790F	Intel Core i9-12900KS
Single-Core	2451	4211
Multi-Core	51601	76561

GeekBench 6, 5.2
This benchmark shows Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Intel Core i7-13790F	Intel Core i9-12900KS
Single-Core	2095	2187
Multi-Core	20045	20189

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the processor release date and overclocking capability will be the most helpful. The later the processor is released, the longer it will last in your computer. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system in the future. The same can be said about overclocking. If the processor can be overclocked, thereby increasing its performance, then it will continue to maintain maximum FPS in new games. The economy are obvious! It turns out that there is no longer a need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer.

	Intel Core i7-13790F	Intel Core i9-12900KS
Announcement date	February 07, 2023	March 27, 2022
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	FCLGA1700	FCLGA1700
Core name	Raptor Lake	Alder Lake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	13	12
Turbo Frequency	5.2 MHz	5.5 MHz
Frequency	4.1 MHz	4 MHz
Cores	16	16
Threads	24	24
Bus rate	16 GT/s	16 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	7 nm	7 nm
Transistors count	14200 millions	12400 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	65 W	150 W
Memory type	Up to DDR5 5600 MT/s Up to DDR4 3200 MT/s	Up to DDR5 4800 MT/s Up to DDR4 3200 MT/s
Max. Memory	128 Gb	128 Gb
Memory Frequency	6500	6400
Memory bandwidth	89.6 GB/s	76.8 GB/s
L1 cache	2 MB	2 MB
L2 cache	24 MB	8 MB
L3 cache	33 MB	30 MB
Overclocking	No	No
Supports ECC	Yes	Yes
Part number		Expansion Options

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here Core i7-13790F is 2% better than Core i9-12900KS in terms of CPU frequency. Also keep in mind that high CPU frequency affects battery life through power consumption (relevant for laptops).

Result:
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i7-13790F is better: 8
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i9-12900KS is better: 23
Although it should be realized that all the data in the table above do not mean that taking them into account you should entirely trust a simple quantitative comparison. Better to watch the video tests and read the opinion of real owners of Intel Core i7-13790F and Intel Core i9-12900KS before deciding which CPU to buy for gaming and which not.

Intel Core i7-13790F - all data

• Cinebench r15 score
• Cinebench r20 score
• Cinebench r23 score
• GeekBench 6, 5.2 score

• Intel Core i7-13790F specs and review.

Intel Core i9-12900KS - all data

• Cinebench r15 score
• Cinebench r20 score
• Cinebench r23 score
• GeekBench 6, 5.2 score

• Intel Core i9-12900KS specs and review.