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Intel Core i7-13700K

Intel Core i7-13700K: Complete Review of the 2025 Processor

March 2025

Key Specifications: Architecture and Performance

Hybrid Raptor Lake Architecture

The Intel Core i7-13700K, released in late 2022, remains relevant in 2025 thanks to its hybrid Raptor Lake architecture. It combines 8 performance cores (P-cores) and 8 efficient cores (E-cores), totaling 16 cores and 24 threads. This allows it to efficiently distribute tasks: P-cores handle heavy applications and games, while E-cores offload background processes.

Intel 7 Process (10nm Enhanced SuperFin) provides a balance between energy efficiency and high frequency. The base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with a maximum turbo frequency of up to 5.4 GHz.

Performance and Cache

- 30 MB L3 Cache speeds up data processing in games and professional tasks.

- Geekbench 6: 2829 (single-core) / 17484 (multi-core). For comparison, the Ryzen 7 7800X3D scores around ~2700/16500, making the i7-13700K a leader in multi-threaded scenarios.

- Integrated Graphics UHD 770 is suitable for office tasks and emergencies (for instance, if the discrete GPU fails), but is weak for gaming—outputting ~30 FPS in CS2 at low settings.

Key Features:

- PCIe 5.0 support for next-gen SSDs and graphics cards.

- Intel Thread Director technology for workload optimization on cores.

- Overclocking capability (indicated by the "K" designation).

Compatible Motherboards: Socket and Chipsets

LGA 1700: The Final Note of the Platform

The i7-13700K uses the LGA 1700 socket, compatible with 600 and 700 series chipsets:

- Z790 — the top choice for enthusiasts: unlocked multiplier, support for DDR5-5600, and up to 5 PCIe 4.0/5.0 lanes. Example: ASUS ROG Strix Z790-E (~$300).

- B760 — the optimal option for most users: limited overclocking but stable performance with DDR4-3200. Boards like MSI B760 Tomahawk (~$180) are popular for budget builds.

- H770 — for office PCs: no overclocking, minimal ports.

Important: Some 600 series boards (e.g., Z690) require a BIOS update to work with Raptor Lake. By 2025, such models are rare—it's simpler to get a 700 series.

Memory: DDR4 vs DDR5

Hybrid Support

The i7-13700K works with DDR4-3200 and DDR5-5600. By 2025, DDR5 has become cheaper (~$100 for 32 GB at 6000 MHz), but DDR4 (~$60 for 32 GB at 3200 MHz) is still in demand:

- DDR5 — a choice for the future: high throughput is critical for rendering and video compression.

- DDR4 — cost-effective with negligible performance loss in gaming: the FPS difference between DDR4 and DDR5 rarely exceeds 5-8%.

Tip: If opting for DDR5, look for motherboards with XMP 3.0 support for automatic overclocking.

Power Supply: How Many Watts Do You Need?

Power Calculation

With a TDP of 125 W and possible consumption of up to 250 W when overclocked, the minimum power supply requirement is 650 W. However, considering the graphics card (e.g., RTX 4070 Ti), it's better to choose 750-850 W.

Recommendations:

- Corsair RM750x (80 Plus Gold, $120) — quiet and reliable.

- Be Quiet! Pure Power 12 M 850W ($140) — modular design for convenient assembly.

Avoid cheap no-name power supplies—voltage fluctuations can damage the processor.

Pros and Cons of i7-13700K

Strengths:

1. High multi-threaded performance: rendering in Blender is 30% faster than with Ryzen 7 7700X.

2. DDR4 support: savings on RAM for budget builds.

3. PCIe 5.0: future-proofing for NVMe storage.

Weaknesses:

1. Heat: without a quality cooler (for example, Noctua NH-D15 or Arctic Liquid Freezer II 360), temperatures can reach 95°C under load.

2. Power consumption: more expensive to operate than Ryzen.

3. No support for Wi-Fi 7 on most boards—only available via separate modules.

Use Cases

Gaming

In 2025, the i7-13700K still runs AAA titles on ultra settings at 4K (paired with an RTX 4080). In Cyberpunk 2077 with ray tracing—steady 60 FPS.

Work Tasks

- Video Editing: Rendering a 4K clip in Premiere Pro takes 12 minutes (compared to 18 minutes for i5-13600K).

- 3D Modeling: In SolidWorks, the processor doesn’t falter even with complex scenes.

Multimedia and Streaming

Enthusiasts like streamer MaximHardware note smooth streaming in OBS without FPS drops thanks to 24 threads.

Comparison with Competitors

AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D

- Pros: Better in gaming (+10% FPS) thanks to 3D V-Cache.

- Cons: Weaker in multi-threaded tasks (e.g., rendering takes 20% longer). Price ~$400.

Intel Core i9-13900K

- Pros: 24 cores, higher performance in professional tasks.

- Cons: Price ~$550, runs hotter.

Conclusion: The i7-13700K (~$350 in 2025) is a sweet spot between price and performance.

Building Tips

1. Cooling: Either a liquid cooling system or a powerful tower cooler is essential.

2. Motherboard: For overclocking, choose Z790 with a 14-phase VRM (e.g., Gigabyte AORUS Master).

3. Case: Good airflow is important (Lian Li Lancool III or Fractal Design Meshify 2).

Final Verdict: Who Should Choose the i7-13700K?

This processor is ideal for:

- Gamers wanting to play in 4K and stream simultaneously.

- Professionals: videographers, 3D designers.

- Enthusiasts planning to upgrade without changing to DDR4.

In 2025, the i7-13700K remains a cost-effective choice, combining the power of the previous generation with an affordable price.

Basic

Label Name

Intel

Platform

Desktop

Launch Date

September 2022

Model Name

The Intel processor number is just one of several factors - along with processor brand, system configurations, and system-level benchmarks - to be considered when choosing the right processor for your computing needs.

i7-13700K

Code Name

Raptor Lake

CPU Specifications

Total Cores

Cores is a hardware term that describes the number of independent central processing units in a single computing component (die or chip).

Total Threads

Where applicable, Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology is only available on Performance-cores.

Performance-cores

Efficient-cores

Max Turbo Frequency

Max Turbo Frequency is the maximum single-core frequency at which the processor is capable of operating using Intel® Turbo Boost Technology and, if present, Intel® Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 and Intel® Thermal Velocity Boost. Frequency is typically measured in gigahertz (GHz), or billion cycles per second.

5.40 GHz

Intel Turbo Boost Technology

Intel® Turbo Boost Technology dynamically increases the processor's frequency as needed by taking advantage of thermal and power headroom to give you a burst of speed when you need it, and increased energy efficiency when you don’t.

2.0

Intel Hyper-Threading Technology

Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology (Intel® HT Technology) delivers two processing threads per physical core. Highly threaded applications can get more work done in parallel, completing tasks sooner.

Yes

Intel Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 Frequency

Intel® Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 identifies the best performing core(s) on a processor and provides increased performance on those cores through increasing frequency as needed by taking advantage of power and thermal headroom. Intel® Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 frequency is the clock frequency of the CPU when running in this mode.

5.40 GHz

Intel Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0

Yes

L3 Cache

30 MB

CPU Socket

The socket is the component that provides the mechanical and electrical connections between the processor and motherboard.

FCLGA1700

Technology

Lithography refers to the semiconductor technology used to manufacture an integrated circuit, and is reported in nanometer (nm), indicative of the size of features built on the semiconductor.

Intel 7

TDP

125 W

Processor Base Power

The time-averaged power dissipation that the processor is validated to not exceed during manufacturing while executing an Intel-specified high complexity workload at Base Frequency and at the junction temperature as specified in the Datasheet for the SKU segment and configuration.

125 W

Maximum Turbo Power

The maximum sustained (>1s) power dissipation of the processor as limited by current and/or temperature controls. Instantaneous power may exceed Maximum Turbo Power for short durations (<=10ms). Note: Maximum Turbo Power is configurable by system vendor and can be system specific.

253 W

Max. Operating Temperature

Junction Temperature is the maximum temperature allowed at the processor die.

100°C

PCI Express Version

PCI Express Revision is the supported version of the PCI Express standard. Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (or PCIe) is a high-speed serial computer expansion bus standard for attaching hardware devices to a computer. The different PCI Express versions support different data rates.

5.0 and 4.0

Number of PCI Express Lanes

A PCI Express (PCIe) lane consists of two differential signaling pairs, one for receiving data, one for transmitting data, and is the basic unit of the PCIe bus. Max # of PCI Express Lanes is the total number of supported lanes.

Intel 64

Intel® 64 architecture delivers 64-bit computing on server, workstation, desktop and mobile platforms when combined with supporting software.¹ Intel 64 architecture improves performance by allowing systems to address more than 4 GB of both virtual and physical memory.

Yes

Instruction Set

The instruction set is a hard program stored inside the CPU that guides and optimizes CPU operations. With these instruction sets, the CPU can run more efficiently. There are many manufacturers that design CPUs, which results in different instruction sets, such as the 8086 instruction set for the Intel camp and the RISC instruction set for the ARM camp. x86, ARM v8, and MIPS are all codes for instruction sets. Instruction sets can be extended; for example, x86 added 64-bit support to create x86-64. Manufacturers developing CPUs that are compatible with a certain instruction set need authorization from the instruction set patent holder. A typical example is Intel authorizing AMD, enabling the latter to develop CPUs compatible with the x86 instruction set.

64-bit

PCI Express Configurations

PCI Express (PCIe) Configurations describe the available PCIe lane configurations that can be used to link to PCIe devices.

Up to 1x16+4 | 2x8+4

Memory Specifications

Memory Type

Intel® processors come in four different types: Single Channel, Dual Channel, Triple Channel, and Flex Mode. Maximum supported memory speed may be lower when populating multiple DIMMs per channel on products that support multiple memory channels.

Up to DDR5 5600 MT/s Up to DDR4 3200 MT/s

Max Memory Size

Max memory size refers to the maximum memory capacity supported by the processor.

192 GB

Memory Channels

The number of memory channels refers to the bandwidth operation for real world application.

Max Memory Bandwidth

Max Memory bandwidth is the maximum rate at which data can be read from or stored into a semiconductor memory by the processor (in GB/s).

89.6 GB/s

ECC Memory Supported

ECC Memory Supported indicates processor support for Error-Correcting Code memory. ECC memory is a type of system memory that can detect and correct common kinds of internal data corruption. Note that ECC memory support requires both processor and chipset support.

Yes

GPU Specifications

Integrated Graphics Model

An integrated GPU refers to the graphics core that is integrated into the CPU processor. Leveraging the processor's powerful computational capabilities and intelligent power efficiency management, it delivers outstanding graphics performance and a smooth application experience at a lower power consumption.

Intel® UHD Graphics 770

Graphics Base Frequency

Graphics Base frequency refers to the rated/guaranteed graphics render clock frequency in MHz.

300 MHz

Graphics Frequency

Graphics max dynamic frequency refers to the maximum opportunistic graphics render clock frequency (in MHz) that can be supported using Intel® HD Graphics with Dynamic Frequency feature.

1.60 GHz

DirectX Support

DirectX* Support indicates support for a specific version of Microsoft’s collection of APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) for handling multimedia compute tasks.

Execution Units

The Execution Unit is the foundational building block of Intel’s graphics architecture. Execution Units are compute processors optimized for simultaneous Multi-Threading for high throughput compute power.

Max Resolution (HDMI)

Max Resolution (HDMI) is the maximum resolution supported by the processor via the HDMI interface (24bits per pixel & 60Hz). System or device display resolution is dependent on multiple system design factors; actual resolution may be lower on your system.

4096 x 2160 @ 60Hz

Max Resolution (DP)

Max Resolution (DP) is the maximum resolution supported by the processor via the DP interface (24bits per pixel & 60Hz). System or device display resolution is dependent on multiple system design factors; actual resolution may be lower on your system.

7680 x 4320 @ 60Hz

Max Resolution (eDP - Integrated Flat Panel)

Max Resolution (Integrated Flat Panel) is the maximum resolution supported by the processor for a device with an integrated flat panel (24bits per pixel & 60Hz). System or device display resolution is dependent on multiple system design factors; actual resolution may be lower on your device.

5120 x 3200 @ 120Hz

Number of Displays Supported

Graphics Output

Graphics Output defines the interfaces available to communicate with display devices.

eDP 1.4b | DP 1.4a | HDMI 2.1

Miscellaneous

Intel Virtualization Technology (VT-x)

Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x) allows one hardware platform to function as multiple “virtual” platforms. It offers improved manageability by limiting downtime and maintaining productivity by isolating computing activities into separate partitions.

Yes

Intel Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)

Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d) continues from the existing support for IA-32 (VT-x) and Itanium® processor (VT-i) virtualization adding new support for I/O-device virtualization. Intel VT-d can help end users improve security and reliability of the systems and also improve performance of I/O devices in virtualized environments.

Yes

Intel Standard Manageability (ISM)

Intel® Standard Manageability is the manageability solution for Intel vPro® Essentials platforms and is a subset of Intel® AMT with out-of-band management over Ethernet and Wi-Fi, but no KVM or new life cycle management features.

Intel® SSE4.1 | Intel® SSE4.2 | Intel® AVX2

Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology

Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® Technology is an advanced means of enabling high performance while meeting the power-conservation needs of mobile systems. Conventional Intel SpeedStep® Technology switches both voltage and frequency in tandem between high and low levels in response to processor load. Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® Technology builds upon that architecture using design strategies such as Separation between Voltage and Frequency Changes, and Clock Partitioning and Recovery.

Yes

Execute Disable Bit

Execute Disable Bit is a hardware-based security feature that can reduce exposure to viruses and malicious-code attacks and prevent harmful software from executing and propagating on the server or network.

Yes

Cache

CPU Cache is an area of fast memory located on the processor. Intel® Smart Cache refers to the architecture that allows all cores to dynamically share access to the last level cache.

30 MB Intel® Smart Cache

Intel AES New Instructions

Intel® AES New Instructions (Intel® AES-NI) are a set of instructions that enable fast and secure data encryption and decryption. AES-NI are valuable for a wide range of cryptographic applications, for example: applications that perform bulk encryption/decryption, authentication, random number generation, and authenticated encryption.

Yes

Intel Active Management Technology (AMT)

Yes

Intel Volume Management Device (VMD)

Intel® Volume Management Device (VMD) provides a common, robust method of hot plug and LED management for NVMe-based solid state drives.

Yes

Intel Boot Guard

Intel® Device Protection Technology with Boot Guard helps protect the system’s pre-OS environment from viruses and malicious software attacks.

Yes

Intel Hardware Shield Eligibility

Yes

Intel Clear Video HD Technology

Intel® Clear Video HD Technology, like its predecessor, Intel® Clear Video Technology, is a suite of image decode and processing technologies built into the integrated processor graphics that improve video playback, delivering cleaner, sharper images, more natural, accurate, and vivid colors, and a clear and stable video picture. Intel® Clear Video HD Technology adds video quality enhancements for richer color and more realistic skin tones.

Yes

Intel VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)

Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT), also known as Second Level Address Translation (SLAT), provides acceleration for memory intensive virtualized applications. Extended Page Tables in Intel® Virtualization Technology platforms reduces the memory and power overhead costs and increases battery life through hardware optimization of page table management.

Yes

Intel Control-Flow Enforcement Technology

CET - Intel Control-flow Enforcement Technology (CET) helps protect against the misuse of legitimate code snippets through return-oriented programming (ROP) control-flow hijacking attacks.

Yes

Intel Deep Learning Boost (Intel DL Boost)

Yes

Intel OS Guard

Yes

OpenGL Support

OpenGL (Open Graphics Library) is a cross-language, multi-platform API (Application Programming Interface) for rendering 2D and 3D vector graphics.

4.5

OpenCL Support

OpenCL (Open Computing Language) is a multi-platform API (Application Programming Interface) for heterogeneous parallel programming.

3.0

Intel Quick Sync Video