AMD Ryzen 9 vs Intel Core i9: A Neck-to-neck Comparison

The top tier 13th Gen Intel Core i9 and the latest AMD Ryzen 9 processors are the best processors available right now and both are continuously competing for the top spot claiming to be the ultimate performance king. Users and constantly arguing and comparing AMD Ryzen 9 vs Intel Core i9.

The Intel Core i9-13900K vs AMD Ryzen 9 7950X rivalry places Intel’s 13th-Gen Raptor Lake with an x86 hybrid architecture against AMD’s Zen 4 based Ryzen 7000 family for supremacy at the top of the mainstream desktop PC market. As the Intel vs AMD battle enters a new phase, these two fundamentally different approaches have shifted our list of the best CPUs for our needs, but the competition is closer than it appears on the surface.

Here is an in-detail comparison of AMD Ryzen 9 vs Intel Core i9 that can help you make a decision.

Also Read: Intel Processor: A Complete Buying Guide

AMD Ryzen 9 vs Intel Core i9

The AMD Ryzen 9 and 13th Generation Intel Core i9 processors are both excellent. The Intel Core i9-13900K and AMD Ryzen 9 7950X are the best processors in their respective families, capable of competing in synthetic benchmarks and gaming. The Intel Core i9-13900K is the best CPU if we had to pick just one, but the Ryzen 9 7950X is a close second.

The i9-13900K CPU is Intel’s top-of-the-line model in the 13th Generation family. The processor features more cores than the Ryzen 9 delivering better performance. More cores, a lower TDP, faster boost clock speeds, and an integrated GPU are all present here.

Let’s switch to the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X. It is the chip to look at if you want the top-tier typical AMD performance. It is the member of team red with the most cores and can compete with Intel’s 13900K. This Team Red processor has a 5nm TSMC process, more cache, and an integrated GPU.

AMD Ryzen 9 vs Intel Core i9: Features & Specs:

In the table below you can see the real comparison of both processors:

Compared to AMD’s Ryzen 9 7950X, the Intel Core i9-13900K features more physical cores and threads. Compared to AMD’s 16, there are a total of 24. It’s interesting to note that despite AMD using the old processor core design and Intel using a new hybrid core design, the number of threads is the same.

The only cores with two threads are Intel’s P-cores, which results in an unbalanced ratio of threads to cores. When Intel is able to reduce the size of its manufacturing process to match that of AMD’s rival TSMC, it will also be able to use a more modern manufacturing method with a more efficient transistor design.

Both CPUs include integrated graphics, however, Intel has the advantage here thanks to UHD Graphics 770. It is not advisable to rely on AMD’s Radeon-integrated GPU for demanding applications like gaming and video editing because it is primarily utilized for visual output.

In the field of features and specs, the contest between the Intel Core i9-13900K and AMD Ryzen 9 7950X results in a tie. Both chips are compatible with the PCIe 5.0 interface and DDR5, therefore neither chip has a clear advantage over the other in terms of the underlying communication technology. However, Intel offers the benefit of DDR4 backward compatibility, allowing budget-conscious consumers to purchase motherboards and memory at reduced prices.

Also Read: Best Intel Evo Laptops To Buy In India

While Intel’s motherboard ecosystem is more expensive and only supports expensive DDR5, AMD’s new AM5 platform offers forward compatibility because AMD intends to support the AM5 platform until 2025 or later. Raptor Lake, however, is available for older-generation 600-series motherboards, offering a cost-effective option provided the board has the right BIOS. However, the more recent 700-series motherboards mark the end of the line for the LGA 1700 socket. The chips won’t be backwards compatible as a result.

Intel’s core counts aren’t directly comparable to AMD’s due to their various capabilities and the latter’s new hybrid architecture with two separate sorts of cores. The worth of the overall designs will be determined by our performance outcomes.

AMD Ryzen 9 vs Intel Core i9: Gaming Benchmarks

At both 1080p and 1440p resolutions, the Core i9-13900K outperforms the Ryzen 9 7950X by 15% and 11%, respectively. When we consider 99th percentile frame rate measurements, it too has a noticeable advantage. The Core i9-13900K is, in the end, the fastest gaming processor money can buy.

The Core i9-13900K is the fastest gaming chip you can buy, but typically, we don’t recommend chips in this price bracket if you’re exclusively interested in gaming. Additionally, the Ryzen 7000 X3D models with vertically-stacked L3 cache might overtake the competition once they hit the market. A 6 GHz special version from Intel will also be available soon.

Here is a comprehensive FPS comparison chart comparing gameplay at the same graphic setting using the same GPU i.e. Nvidia RTX 4090.

AMD Ryzen 9 vs Intel Core i9: Productivity Performance

At single-threaded workloads, the Intel Core i9-13900K is in the lead. With very minor differences in threaded work depending on the workload, it effectively ties the Ryzen 9 7950X in multi-threaded workloads. However, AMD’s Ryzen 7000 adds hardware acceleration to speed AVX-512 workloads, giving it a real advantage over Raptor Lake in a growing number of heavily threaded activities. As a result, this section is tied.

Also Read: AMD Ryzen 3 Vs Intel Core i3: The Best Budget CPU?

CPU Benchmarks

It’s not all smooth sailing for Intel; in a few tests, AMD’s Ryzen 7950X beat it out and also provided far greater power efficiency. But there’s no disputing that the Core i9-13900K almost wins in terms of performance. In all three of the game tests, Cinebench’s single- and multi-threaded versions, and Premiere Pro, it is quicker. That’s really significant.

AMD Ryzen 9 vs Intel Core i9: Overclocking

Both processors offer a wide range of enthusiast-friendly adjustable parameters, distinct overclocking benefits, and a selection of auto-overclocking and software applications. By aggressively overclocking the core, fabric, and memory compared to what we have done, specialized tuners may find greater performance gains. On the high end, the chip’s out-of-the-box performance has already incorporated the majority of the overclocking headroom.

Both businesses have advantages: Intel, which limits complete overclockability to K-series CPUs and Z-series motherboards, has the greatest peak overclocking frequencies we’ve ever seen. With the exception of its X3D model and A-series motherboards, AMD supports overclocking but has lower peak frequencies. This indicates that a lot of the contest will come down to personal preference.

Power Consumption & Cooling

Although Intel has come a long way, AMD continues to produce the most energy-efficient CPUs. They not only consume less peak power, but they also work more efficiently per unit of electricity used. You’ll have a cooler, quieter system as a result of the overall victory in power consumption, efficiency, and thermal output.

Both of the processors in our AMD Ryzen 9 7950X vs. Intel Core i9-13900K comparison are sold without a cooler, however, due to Raptor Lake’s increased power consumption, the Core i9-13900K requires a larger cooler than the Ryzen 9 7950X does.

Also Read: AMD Ryzen 7 vs Intel Core i7

AMD Ryzen 9 vs Intel Core i9: Pricing

In comparison to the Core i9-13900K having a price tag of Rs. 57,000 (approx), the Ryzen 9 7950X is pricey at Rs. 58,000 when seen through the lens of the official suggested pricing. While virtually tied with the 7950X in terms of multi-threaded performance, the Core i9-13900K outperforms it in gaming and single-threaded performance. Intel’s LGA 1700 is a non-evolving platform, AMD does have better power consumption stats and the advantage of its AM5 platform. While the current pricing of both the processors is almost similar now, it all drains down to the performance.

In addition, other areas like motherboard and memory cost are where Ryzen 9 7000 series encounters its largest difficulties. High-end X670E motherboard prices have decreased over time, so they often only cost a little more than Z790 motherboards that offer DDR5.

Finally, DDR5 memory still costs more than DDR4 memory, providing Intel builders with a further option for more affordable configurations. It does, however, come with a little performance hit for applications and a 4% decrease in games.

Conclusion

The decision to purchase the Core i9-13900K is not straightforward, however, since there are other considerations. It is marginally more affordable than AMD’s CPU and offers the advantage of supporting less expensive DDR4 memory with a compatible motherboard, whereas you are now required to purchase DDR5 memory with new AMD systems. There are other cheaper versions of those Intel motherboards available.

AMD has an advantage over Intel due to its present CPU socket’s limited lifespan, but AMD’s Socket AM5 will be supported for the foreseeable future and at least one more CPU generation. If you purchase the Core i9-13900K, you probably won’t need to update for a few years.

Also Read: Best Intel Processors To Buy In India