Intel 13th Gen vs AMD Ryzen 7000 – Consider Your Options Think about what matters most for your needs before deciding.
Intel 13th Gen vs AMD Ryzen 7000 – Consider Your Options Think about what matters most for your needs before deciding.
Hey guys, been a while since Ive been on this forum Currently running an AMD Ryzen 3700X + Red Devil 5700-XT + 32GB RAM + ASUS B550-F Build. I am considering the possibility of upgrading to one of the new generation of CPUs, but man have there been issues from both AMD and Intel this year. Like probably most of you, I just got done watching the reviews of Intel's new 13th Gen CPUs from Linus, Jays2Cents, Hardware Unboxed, and Gamers Nexus, to get the pros and cons from multiple angles. While Intel may have just taken back the gaming crown, and at a lower price than comparable AMD chips, I realized something watching these videos and realized - maybe neither is the best option... You see there are issues with both the new AMD 7000 and Intel 13th Gen platforms, and they are not small issues but rather quite large ones that have me disappointed with both companies. When you dig deeper into the AMD Ryzen 7000 design, its clear that someone at AMD R&D wasn't thinking clearly. Im not sure if you guys of heard, but the reason Ryzen 7000 is compatible with Ryzen 5000 Cooling Solutions is simple - AMD employed a massive, super-thick IHS on the CPUs to give them the extra height needed to clear the new CPU retention mechanism and make contact with existing coolers. While this does work, the super-thick IHS traps heat insanely badly, and thats why everyone is constantly sitting at 95°C regardless of cooling solution. How dumb is that? Instead of just having cooling solution manufacturers sell us a new mounting bracket kit for Ryzen 7000, AMD decided that trapping the heat was a better option. This is easily the dumbest decision AMD has ever made in its CPU design, especially with power consumption and heat output soaring ever higher with recent generations. Jays2Cents and Der Bauer have already demonstrated that in order to get any sort of decent thermal performance out of Ryzen 7000, you are forced to void your warranty and do one of two things - LAP the CPU, removing about 1.0mm of IHS and then use a mounting bracket mod to make up for the lost space. Jay showed this rather successfully in a recent video on his channel and without even properly finishing the job was able to go from having the 7950X constantly pinned at 94-95C to more like 85-86C. He was even able to overclock it to 5.4GHz All-Core without hitting the 95C Limit. And remember, this is NOT removing the IHS. The IHS is still perfectly intact, its just been shaved down so its not so thick. The other option is delidding - far more risky and could cost you your CPU, but if done correctly using the soon-to-be available Der Bauer De-Lidding kit, you can achieve an almost unbelievable 20C drop in temps. Now some of you might say "well AMD designed the new Ryzen 7000 to run at 95C, its perfectly safe". That is true, they did. But its pretty obvious why they did it - to account for this idiotic IHS design- thats why. Plus like I said, Jay was able to achieve 5.4GHz All-Core OC without even properly finishing the job. This means that anyone who just buys a Ryzen 7000 chip and wants to just run it and keep the warranty - is just leaving performance on the table. There simply isn't any way to avoid the fact that to get the most out of Ryzen 7000, you HAVE to void the warranty. Its just so incredibly stupid. Now lets talk Intel. Sure, they took the gaming crown back today. Awesome, good for you Intel. But guess what, this absurd game of "chasing horsepower" and just not giving a crap about power draw has pushed the new i9-13900K to an absolutely stupid level. Hardware Unboxed reported that while the 7950X draws about 180W under full load, the 13900K now draws up to 330W!!! Are you joking??? Thats the kind of power HEDT ThreadRipper Chips consume, its absolutely bonkers. Of course this means rediculous temps for Intel as well. Hardware Unboxed reported Thermal Throttling in ALL FULL-LOAD TESTS!!! Literally all of them, even when he decided that fairness no longer matters and boosted the Intel system up to a 420mm AIO Liquid Cooler, it STILL thermal throttles at 100C in like 20 seconds LOL . What are these R&D people doing at these companies? This is complete insanity across the board, absolute morons, all of them. So that being said, where will I end up? Well, considering AMDs pricing will surely come down after this walloping from Intel today, I think my smartest move would be to wait for the Ryzen 7800X3D. 3D Cache has a massive impact on a lot of games. So much so that the old-gen 5800X3D is beating the new Ryzen 7000 and even the new 13900K in a fair number of games. Since Intel's win today was by an overall small margin, and this should bring the cost of Ryzen 7000 down, this likely means that the 7800X3D will not only likely take back the gaming crown, but it will do so at a fantastic value. Then Ill probably shave 1.0mm from the IHS so I can use my Noctua D-15 without thermal throttling (probably no CPU overclocking this time around just due to heat, maybe PBO + target 90C and call it a day). This way I don't need expensive liquid cooling and can get a reasonably riced system thats both fantastic at gaming and decently good at multi-thread workloads as well. Its not like 16 Threads is weak. So in conclusion, Ill say this: I think buying either Ryzen 7000 or Intel 13th Gen right now, is just not a great idea. With the costs involved in going DDR5 with the issues associated with the new generations, it just doesn't make any sense unless you are bored with a butt load of cash burning a hole in your pocket. So what do you guys think? What route are you going to go? Either way Im disappointed in design and heat management this time around, no matter who you are, its just absurd. EDIT: In case you were wondering, this is how profound of an effect that 3D Cache can have in gaming. This makes sense on a game like Factorio, and the same sort of boost (although not as profound, Factorio is just one of the best examples) happens quite often, especially in similar RTS or similar style games with thousands of units on screen. These large unit quantities throw a huge load at the CPU cores that game is using and eat up cache for breakfast, thus giving you the biggest gains. However, gains are also found in a fair number of AAA games using this same technology.
DDR4 delivers better performance compared to DDR5, especially at the 13600k speed. It makes the 13600k much more acceptable. You can get a strong CPU, motherboard, and RAM set for under $600.
The chips running at 95°C isn't too much of an issue, laptop CPUs usually hover around that temperature. They remain quicker than older models even when cooling down. Ideally they should allow CPUs to use maximum power as long as thermal capacity exists and the motherboard and power supply can handle it; otherwise, performance drops significantly. When playing games they consume about 100W, which is manageable with a good cooler. The main concern seems to be AMD's bulky IHS design, though other factors might matter too.
Laptops are often criticized for their performance, especially when compared to desktops without proper cooling. A temperature of 95°C might not seem extreme, but it can still affect components over time. Enthusiasts understand that maintaining a steady 95°C or 100°C in Intel’s processors is crucial for long-term reliability. This isn’t just about short-term issues—it’s about the cumulative impact on hardware after years of use. It’s surprising that such high temperatures are tolerated by major manufacturers, as better cooling options exist. Both AMD and Intel are aware of this, but their approach seems inconsistent.
Laptops lag behind desktops mainly due to lower power limits, even with optimal cooling they still underperform compared to desktops. Desktop processors handle heat well and maintain strong performance despite thermal throttling. Over time, modern CPUs show minimal performance drop. Most laptops and OEM setups stay consistently hot without major problems.
I understand the limitations of lower power systems and their effects. Many laptop models lack sufficient cooling, causing them to throttle constantly. This might not cause immediate damage, but it can reduce performance over time. You have options—choose laptops with strong cooling solutions or invest in a dedicated cooler. For AMD processors, consider purchasing cooling accessories from reputable brands instead of relying on chip design flaws. Intel has already addressed these concerns with their HEDT/Xeon series. I'm not claiming these problems are insurmountable, but they were never intended to be. As the saying goes, looking back is annoying.
CPU designers aim to minimize energy use, yet achieving this often limits speed. The processors already consume maximum power for their cooling methods, which reduces overall efficiency. This issue is critical in laptops, where excessive cooling can make devices unnecessarily bulky and heavy.
It's difficult to fix things now, it's too late. The CPUs are already here, with all their issues. They definitely wouldn't redo the design later, would they? Intel could have improved power efficiency, especially by moving from 10nm to 7nm transistors. Perhaps that upgrade will appear in the 14th generation, who knows? Some folks prioritize hardware cooling, and I'm one of them. When I used a laptop, I carried an ASUS ROG replacement desktop—still much lighter than anything else. Why? Even a ROG is still significantly lighter and more portable than a full desktop. Sure, it's a bit heavier, but I just packed it into a big backpack. Comfortable and unobtrusive. When I reached my destination, I was surprised to find a high-end gaming laptop that runs smoothly and stays cool. That's the point. You might not mind cooling or size—let's just agree on that. But the last time I checked, people who build their own PCs value performance and thermal management. That's why we make our own systems, to surpass standard OEM products. Otherwise, what's the point?
Running below 95°C offers no performance gain if the cooling system matches the CPU's power consumption. Each degree cooler adds only minor material, size, and expense costs. A large laptop can run a CPU at 70°C while maintaining the same speed as one in a smaller model at 95°C. If your cooling setup stays below 95°C, boosting power usage could actually improve performance.