Comparing the three values: 13700K, 13900K, and 13900KS.
Comparing the three values: 13700K, 13900K, and 13900KS.
I’m following up on my earlier discussion about selecting a top-tier CPU for a quiet build. In short, I don’t want to push my CPU beyond 230W for various reasons—mainly to keep the system quiet. That’s why I’m planning to undervolt it and limit its power draw to around 150W most of the time. I’ve been using the 8700K for years and am open to paying a bit more if it offers long-term benefits. I’m mainly looking at the 13700K, 13900K, and 13900KS models.
Regarding Ryzen 7 series, I’m familiar with them and find some, like the 7950X3D, particularly appealing due to their efficiency. However, recent reports about overheating concerns make me hesitant about committing right now.
When comparing K-series versus KF-series, you’re right to wonder if there’s a quality gap—especially without an integrated GPU. I think the main difference lies in the extra E-cores and cache in the K-series, which could help with performance, but the price difference is substantial. I’m curious whether stacking 13900K chips while disabling eight E-cores would yield better results than using the 13700K.
For the benchmarks, I’ve seen the 13700K often matches the power consumption of the 13900K, even at lower frequencies and with fewer cores. This makes me think that the 13900K might be a more cost-effective option if you’re willing to accept slightly lower performance at lower power.
When it comes to silicon quality, I’m wondering if combining 13900K chips in the same configuration (like removing eight E-cores) would improve performance compared to using the 13700K. From reviews, I notice that the 13700K tends to run similarly in wattage to the 13900K, even though it uses fewer cores and operates at lower power.
As for overclocking, I’m curious if the 13900K can deliver better results at lower voltages than the 13700K, even without extra cores.
Lastly, for my motherboard, I’d appreciate a mid-range DDR5 ATX with strong power delivery that pairs well with these CPUs. I don’t mind much about IO performance, so I’m open to suggestions. The Z790-A Strix has been on my radar, but its design isn’t really appealing to me. Thank you!
Get a 13900K unit. The model pulls down to 180W with just 253W stock, showing no noticeable effect during real-world operation—code even benefits from multithreading. QuickSync would be ideal for future projects; otherwise, consider the F chip only if budget allows.
I don't see much benefit from a K CPU on the high end. The small price drop makes sense when comparing $200 to $220, but not for an i9 priced around $550 versus $560. The integrated graphics are really helpful for troubleshooting—something any Ryzen 1000-5000 user would appreciate. Intel's integrated driver performs much better than Radeon's, so it's essentially a free GPU from the Intel side. The 13900k seems unnecessary and overpriced. I'd stick with the 13900k and invest in a solid motherboard to handle the 250W power draw comfortably. Concerning the 7000x3D chips overheating, it doesn't seem worth chasing after Intel's trend. It's riskier than the 12VHPWR issues, but less likely due to user mistakes. Those who bought 7800x3D on launch day probably try to squeeze more performance out, and Asus boards are forgiving even with these chips. They've since tightened their restrictions, though I'd attribute some problems to user error.
If you don’t rely on the iGPU for anything, then yes. The -KF chips might show a slight increase in binning (especially on the 13900KF versus 13900K), but in practice it won’t matter much. The 13700K is essentially a rejection zone for the 13900K, with many units still working fine at 13900K levels—they just needed more voltage to reach peak performance. IgorsLabs provides some binning data, showing roughly 100–200MHz higher speeds at the same voltage for the top end. The gaps become smaller when undervolting, though some variation remains. It’s unlikely to justify the cost difference. The Z790 Aorus Elite is a solid board that complements either a 13700K or a 13900K well.
Interestingly, 13700 (non-K) costs more than 13700K here. I’d rather get the K version too, as I want to tweak the performance to my preference. From what I know, changing the settings on 13th generation CPUs for B760 boards isn’t very flexible—there are even some problems with undervolting there. It’s also worth noting that B760 boards usually offer weaker power delivery, and the price gap between similar B760 and Z790 boards isn’t huge. Thanks a lot! These results are really promising. I didn’t think much about QuickSync, but since the price difference between K and KF chips is only a few dollars, it’s nice to have that option.
Obtain the Z790 model of the Tomahawk next. The AMD models are excellent, so focus on the Z790 version.
It's a hardware concern involving the CPU being overvolted past its limits. MSI provided a performance enhancement for X3D chips that has been disabled, while ASUS tends to default to higher voltage settings, which pushed the chips beyond their safe operating range and led to problems. They've issued updates restoring everything to proper specifications. Regarding your question—you can maintain a calm setup and safely run a full 13900K at maximum by using an adequate cooling solution.
I agree with your assessment. I usually try to use a GPU from the second PC for troubleshooting, though it can be quite bothersome. My thought is that the problem involves both X3D and standard X chips, impacting even those who didn’t overclock their processors—it mainly concerns the EXPO profiles. I think the issue should have been fixed already, yet it seems like a clear bug that shouldn’t exist at all. Still, I’m not ignoring Ryzens; perhaps if things settle down before I make a decision, or if there’s a good deal on the 7950X3D, I’ll consider it. Thanks for checking these results! The Z790 Aorus Elite AX is on my list, and I appreciate your suggestion. Looking forward to seeing more updates. I’m planning to use the Kraken X63 initially (280mm), but I’ll aim for something better since I still need the Kraken for my current build. I’m considering the EK Nucleus CR360—it looks like a solid AIO, and the Lux version really appeals to me.