Intel Core i9-13900K, 8C+16c/32T, 3.00-5.80GHz, boxed ohne Kühler

Mit Raptor Lake beendet nun auch Intel die Ära der monolithischen Prozessoren. Das geschieht natürlich noch einmal mit einem ordentlichen Performance-Schub und es wird der Zweck dieses Test sein, die neuen CPUs mit AMDs neuer Ryzen 7000 Familie zu vergleichen. Das lohnt sich durchaus, denn Intel hätte schon ganz gern die Gaming-Krone zurück. Bei den Workstation- und Creation-Anwendungen hat man sich zwar nicht ganz so breitbeinig artikuliert, aber ich darf zumindest schon einmal spoilern, dass es hier ebenfalls in vielen Bereichen ordentliche Zuwächse gab. Ob es dann am Ende für die ganze Krone, einen größeren Teil oder nur einen Zacken gereicht hat, das sehen wir noch. Ich will Euch ja nicht die Spannung verderben.

Die Jagt hat begonnen! AMD hat dieses Jahr bereits vorgelegt, doch nun zieht Intel nach und kämpft um die Krone der schnellsten Gaming-CPU der Welt. Ob Intel dieses Kunststück gelungen ist, erfahren Sie in diesem ausführlichen Review zum Intel Core i9-13900K und dem Intel Core i5-13600K.

Intel und AMD haben es schon wieder getan - die schnellsten CPUs der Welt gebaut. PCGH hat Raptor Lake in Form des Core i9-13900K, Core i7-13700K und Core i5-13600K im Test genauestens unter die Lupe genommen und prüft Spielleistung, Effizienz und Alltagstauglichkeit. Ist Zen 4 besiegt? Oder gelingt Intel das erneut nur mit der TDP-Keule?

Nachdem AMD mit den Ryzen-7000-Prozessoren (Test) den ersten Aufschlag hatte, folgen von Intel nun die Raptor-Lake-Prozessoren der 13. Core-Generation. AMDs neueste Generation auf Basis von Zen 4 bietet ein ordentliches Single- und Multi-Threaded-Leistungsplus. Intel will mit den Raptor-Lake-Prozessoren ebenfalls in beiden Anwendungsbereichen die Führung übernehmen – der Kampf um die Vorherrschaft im Desktop-Segment ist also neu eröffnet.

Intel Raptor Lake als Refresh der Alder-Lake-Architektur ist da. Zum Start hat ComputerBase Core i9-13900K, i7-13700K und i5-13600K unter die Lupe genommen: Der Test mit Benchmarks in Apps und Spielen sowie IPC-, Takt- und Effizienz-Analysen vermittelt einen umfassenden Eindruck der neuen Generation – Überraschungen inklusive.

We've covered a lot of information about RAM performance in this article, and from the charts and tests we've presented, it's clear that fast frequency / low latency RAM with XMP function tends to perform well. However, it's important to note that not all motherboards are capable of supporting high frequencies like 7200 MHz, so it's essential to verify that your motherboard is compatible before purchasing RAM. Additionally, it's always a good idea to update your BIOS to the latest version, as this can ensure the best compatibility with your RAM. Beyond raw performance, there are other factors to consider when purchasing RAM such as the design of the heat spreader, the type of ICs and PMICs used, and whether or not the RAM includes RGB lighting. The T-Force Delta RGB is a great example of this, as it commands a high price tag due to its impressive looks and speed. At $389.99, it's almost as expensive as a 13600K processor or as expensive as many popular motherboards. It's worth noting that DDR5 RAM of this class is still relatively new, and production is limited, so you'll have to pay a premium to obtain the most promising parts. This makes the T-Force Delta RGB quite expensive, and many people may be discouraged from purchasing it. However, if you're willing to pay the price, you can expect above-average XMP performance. Overall, if you're looking for a RAM kit that offers a little extra performance and looks great, the T-Force Delta RGB is a great choice, but be prepared to spend a significant amount of money for just a few percent extra performance.

The raptors are here! We're reviewing the Intel Core i9-13900K, which leads the company's new 13th Gen Core "Raptor Lake" desktop processor series. This gains significance as it is the company's final generation of processors built on a monolithic die with a uniform silicon fabrication node, with the CPU cores, iGPU, caches, and platform controllers sitting on a single die. With future generations, Intel is expected to put its IDM 2.0 product development strategy into motion, and we'll see processors made from multi-chip modules (MCMs). The Intel Core i9-13900K in this review doubles down on the Hybrid architecture, which dealt a blow to AMD's leadership in the segment with the 12th Gen "Alder Lake." The idea behind Hybrid is not to chase down AMD's lead with CPU core-counts, as Intel did with the 8th through 11th generations; but to place two distinct kinds of CPU cores, with different performance and power bands. The larger performance cores (or P-cores) handle the most demanding workloads, and Intel calculates that eight of these should suffice, as even workloads such as games don't need more than 16 threads from performance cores; while a Zerg swarm of physically smaller efficient cores (or E-cores), with reasonably high IPC, could help the processor overcome the multi-threaded performance deficit to AMD processors in creator tasks. The E-cores also give the processor a low power footprint in everyday workloads.

The Core i9-13900K offers truly exquisite performance, and it runs a little less hot (overall) than Ryzen 7000. The single-threaded performance, by the way, we find to be really good. It has to be stated that today you'll see very different reviews on performance throughout a lot of media. See, the motherboard manufacturers get to decide how the CPU is configured concerning PL1/PL2 states (the maximum allowed energy consumption during a set timeframe, and these values will differ everywhere. We also noticed that when you run a benchmark, often the score is never 100% the same. We tested on a Z790 motherboard that allows the multi-core configuration to be set at reference specification, and we did that. So you're seeing as close to reference performance as possible. That means on a lot of platforms, this CPU will perform faster and hotter. When we loaded up motherboard optimized defaults, we noticed that that would increase the CPU's heat levels as well, hitting even 100 Degrees C in short bursts. The processor can take that, it will however require satisfactory cooling. It's a somewhat similar story to the top-end Ryzen 7000 SKUs. If you're a gamer, then the new L2 caches do make up for a lot of extra performance, and this is probably also why the 13600K is probably the more exciting processor, be sure to check out that review. Realistically we feel we should call the 13900K with a Z790 motherboard Intel's new HEDT platform for the consumer market. The cost of running that performance will be tailed by heat levels and big numbers in energy consumption. Next to that, the cost of ownership is steep if you convert to a new Z790 platform with DDR5 memory. If you can cool it good enough (Tjmax is 100°C), then the 13900K is listed by Intel at a boost of (up to) 5.8GHz, which we can confirm. So this means that the flagship processor may reach speeds of 5.8 GHz at stock on a small number of performance cores. In an all-core configuration, we noticed 5500 MHz mostly. If you purchase a motherboard that optimizes PL2 states even further and harder, a 360 mm AIO will likely be necessary to keep temperatures below the thermal threshold for more demanding tasks that necessitate pushing the CPU to its maximum when you desire optimal turbo frequencies.