Intel Core i7-14700K vs Core i9-13900K: Which is the Better Gaming CPU?

Intel’s 14th Gen Raptor Lake Refresh is a rebrand of the 13th Gen family with higher prices. Of course, there are some exceptions, most notably the Core i7-14700K which features more cores and higher clocks. Today, we’ll compare the most relevant 14th Gen chip to the 13th Gen flagship, the Core i9-13900K. The latter is the better option on paper, with more cores (20 vs. 24), more cache (33MB vs. 36MB), and higher boost clocks (5.6GHz vs 5.8GHz). It does, however, cost $140 more than the 14700K.

Intel Core i7-14700K vs i9-13900K: Specifications

Both CPUs have a TDP of 125W and a boost power limit of 253W. They are compatible with DDR4-3200 and DDR5-5600 memory and feature the same UHD 770 iGPU. The Core i7-14700K was launched in the last quarter of 2023, while the 13900K came out roughly a year before. The chips retail at $401 and $541, respectively.

Test Bench

• Motherboard: ASUS ROG Maximus Hero Z790/X670.
• Memory: 16GB x2 DDR5 6,000MT/s CL38.
• GPU: NVIDIA GeForce 4090 24GB FE.
• Power Supply: Corsair RM1000E.

Terms to remember

• 1% FPS: Only 1% of the recorded frame rates are lower than this. It helps ascertain the stability of the game through the most intensive scenes. A value of over 50-60 is ideal.

Intel Core i7-14700K vs i9-13900K: Gaming Benchmarks

We tested the Core i7-14700K and the Core i9-13900K across ten titles from our benchmark suite. The “Ultra” quality graphics preset was used with the resolution set to 720p to minimize GPU bottlenecks. Remember that the CPU draw calls are almost always unaffected by the resolution.

In “A Plague Tale: Requiem,” the Core i9-13900K averages 199.6 FPS versus 195 FPS on the i7-14700K. A more substantial difference can be seen in the lows, where the former scores 13 FPS higher.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla runs better on the Core i7-14700K, averaging 223 FPS, slightly lower than the 228 FPS reported by the 13900K. However, the 14th Gen chip produces higher lows that translate to a smoother overall experience.

Cyberpunk 2077 performs nearly the same on the two processors, averaging 207.5 FPS and 198 FPS on the 13900K and 14700K, respectively. The lows are also identical.

Dying Light 2 runs slightly better on the Core i9-13900K, averaging 300 FPS compared to 286 FPS on the Core i7-14700K. There’s a difference of 11 FPS between the lows, but nothing you’ll be able to tell apart.

F1 2022 is another game that favors the 13900K, yielding higher averages and smoother lows. We’re looking at an average of 323 FPS versus 290 FPS on the 14700K. The lows differ by 20 FPS in the 200+ range.

The Callisto Protocol produces an average of 232 FPS on the 13th Gen i9, slightly higher than the 218 FPS posted by the 14th Gen i7. The lows are within the margin of error.

Hogwarts Legacy nets similar averages on the two CPUs, 147.6 FPS on the 13900K and 141 FPS on the 14700K. However, the Core i9 registers notably higher lows.

Hitman 3 runs a smidge faster on the Core i7-14700K. The averages are identical, but the Raptor Lake Refresh posts slightly higher lows.

Ghostwire Tokyo runs a tad faster on the 13900K, averaging 229 FPS, up from 223 FPS on the 14700K. We see a similar delta in the 1% lows as well.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider averages 294 FPS on the Core i7-14700K, making it one of the few titles to prefer it over the Core i9-13900K. The lows remain well over 150 FPS, resulting in a smooth experience on both CPUs.

The Callisto Protocol runs better on the Core i9-13900K, averaging 232 FPS, versus 218 FPS on the 14700K. The lows are almost within the margin of error.

Average Rasterization Performance

Ray Tracing Benchmarks on the next page…