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AMD Ryzen 9 9950X vs Intel Core i9-13900K: Comparison
What is the difference between AMD Ryzen 9 9950X and Intel Core i9-13900K?
On l3 cache the spread is 44%, AMD Ryzen 9 9950X 64 MB against Intel Core i9-13900K 36 MB, so AMD Ryzen 9 9950X takes it. Cinebench R23 (Multi-Core) backs the spec sheet up. AMD Ryzen 9 9950X scores 41,898 to 38,481, 8% clear. Add l2 cache to that, 16 MB on the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X versus 32 MB on the Intel Core i9-13900K, and the pattern holds.
Which should you buy, AMD Ryzen 9 9950X or Intel Core i9-13900K?
Take the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X for enthusiast gaming and heavy content-creation desktop builds wanting AMD's strongest mainstream Zen 5 performance. It is the wrong buy for buyers on a tighter budget, the Ryzen 9 9900X or 7 9700X deliver strong performance at meaningfully lower cost. Take the Intel Core i9-13900K for buyers on the mature LGA 1700 platform wanting flagship-tier Raptor Lake gaming and productivity performance at a lower price than the 14900K. Avoid it for new builds without an existing LGA 1700 investment, the newer Arrow Lake lineup offers better power efficiency on a fresh platform. Our rating of the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X (9/10): the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X is the strongest mainstream desktop chip for heavy multithreaded work, pairing 16 Zen 5 cores with excellent efficiency.
Where the two are identical
Everything else lines up. Total threads, integrated graphics, form factor, market segment and smt enabled read the same on both, so those are not worth weighing. They match on 8 further specifications as well.
Which is cheaper, AMD Ryzen 9 9950X or Intel Core i9-13900K?
The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X asks 10% more, $649 against $589 for the Intel Core i9-13900K.
Frequently asked questions
Do the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X and Intel Core i9-13900K differ on total cores?
Yes. Total Cores reads 16 on the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X versus 24 on the Intel Core i9-13900K.
Is the Unlocked Multiplier the same on the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X and Intel Core i9-13900K?
It is. Both are listed at Yes, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Brand
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- AMD
- Intel Core i9-13900K
- Intel
Product Line
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- Ryzen 9
- Intel Core i9-13900K
- Core i9
Form Factor
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- Desktop
- Intel Core i9-13900K
- Desktop
Model Number
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- 9950X
- Intel Core i9-13900K
- 13900K
Codename
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- Granite Ridge
- Intel Core i9-13900K
- Raptor Lake
Release Year
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- 2024
- Intel Core i9-13900K
- 2022
TDP
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- 170 W
- Intel Core i9-13900K
- 125 W
iGPU
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- AMD Radeon Graphics
- Intel Core i9-13900K
- Intel UHD Graphics 770
Market Segment
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- Desktop
- Intel Core i9-13900K
- Desktop
Microarchitecture
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- Zen 5, Ryzen 9000 Series
- Intel Core i9-13900K
- Raptor Lake, 13th Gen Intel Core
Socket
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- AM5
- Intel Core i9-13900K
- FCLGA1700
Socket Status
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- Current
- Intel Core i9-13900K
- End of Life
Process Node
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- 4 nm
- Intel Core i9-13900K
- 10 nm
Total Cores
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- 16
- Intel Core i9-13900K
- 24Best
Performance Cores
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- 16Best
- Intel Core i9-13900K
- 8
Efficiency Cores
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- 0
- Intel Core i9-13900K
- 16Best
Total Threads
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- 32
- Intel Core i9-13900K
- 32
SMT Enabled
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- Yes
- Intel Core i9-13900K
- Yes
P-Core Base Clock
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- 4.3 GHz
- Intel Core i9-13900K
- 3 GHz
P-Core Boost Clock
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- 5.7 GHz
- Intel Core i9-13900K
- 5.4 GHz
Unlocked Multiplier
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- Yes
- Intel Core i9-13900K
- Yes
L2 Cache
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- 16 MB-50%
- Intel Core i9-13900K
- 32 MBBest
L3 Cache
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- 64 MBBest
- Intel Core i9-13900K
- 36 MB-44%
3D Stacked Cache
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- No
- Intel Core i9-13900K
- No
Base Power
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- 170 W
- Intel Core i9-13900K
- 125 W
Max Turbo Power
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- 230 W
- Intel Core i9-13900K
- 253 W
Memory Type
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- DDR5-5600
- Intel Core i9-13900K
- DDR5 or DDR4
Max Memory Speed
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- 5600 MT/s
- Intel Core i9-13900K
- 5600 MT/s
Memory Channels
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- 2
- Intel Core i9-13900K
- 2
Max Memory Capacity
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- 256 GBBest
- Intel Core i9-13900K
- 192 GB
ECC Support
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- Yes
- Intel Core i9-13900K
- Yes
Integrated Graphics
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- Yes
- Intel Core i9-13900K
- Yes
iGPU Model
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- AMD Radeon Graphics
- Intel Core i9-13900K
- Intel UHD Graphics 770
Copilot Plus Certified
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- No
- Intel Core i9-13900K
- No
PCIe Generation
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- PCIe 5.0
- Intel Core i9-13900K
- PCIe 5.0
PCIe Lanes
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- 24
- Intel Core i9-13900K
- 20-17%
Launch MSRP
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- $649
- Intel Core i9-13900K
- $589
Retail Availability
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- Boxed Retail
- Intel Core i9-13900K
- Boxed Retail
Benchmarks
- General CPU
Cinebench R23 (Multi-Core)
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- 41,898Best
- Intel Core i9-13900K
- 38,481-8%
Renders a 3D scene on every core. Shows speed in rendering and other heavy work.
Cinebench R23 (Single-Core)
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- 2,2320%
- Intel Core i9-13900K
- 2,240Best
Renders a 3D scene on one core. Shows how quick the CPU feels in everyday apps and games.
Which one should you pick?
Choose 9950X if you want the higher L3 cache (64 MB vs 36 MB), the higher memory channels (2 vs 2) and the higher PCIe lanes (24 vs 20).
Choose 13900K if you want the higher L2 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB) and the higher cinebench R23 (Single-Core) (2,240 vs 2,232).
Price comparison
| Retailer | AMD Ryzen 9 9950X | Intel Core i9-13900K |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | $649.00 View on Amazon | $589.00 View on Amazon |
| Newegg | View on Newegg | View on Newegg |
Disclaimer: The price and specification of the given product may differ from the actual product. Please confirm on the retailer's website before buying.
Verdict
AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
9 / 10 Expert Rating
The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X is the strongest mainstream desktop chip for heavy multithreaded work, pairing 16 Zen 5 cores with excellent efficiency.
Intel Core i9-13900K
8.3 / 10 Expert Rating
The Intel Core i9-13900K is still a powerful 24-core desktop chip, now largely matched by its cheaper 14th-gen successors.