AMD Ryzen 9 3900 vs Intel Core i7-13700K Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data reveals a decisive overall victory for the Intel Core i7-13700K, which wins 14 of the 15 head-to-head comparisons. The only exception is a narrow AMD win in the Passmark find prime numbers test, where the Ryzen 9 3900 scores 203 against the Intel chip's 191, a 6.3% advantage.

The largest Intel advantage comes in floating point math. The Core i7-13700K scores 114,867 in passmark floating point math, while the Ryzen 9 3900 manages 56,730. That is a 50.6% gap, meaning the Intel processor is roughly twice as fast in this workload. The data shows similar large gaps in other heavy compute tasks. In Geekbench multicore, Intel scores 19,429 versus 10,653 for AMD, a 45.2% difference. The Cinebench R15 multicore test shows a 37.8% deficit for the Ryzen, with scores of 4,507.5 for Intel and 2,804 for AMD.

Single-thread performance also strongly favors Intel. The Cinebench R15 single-core run gives Intel 303 points versus 197 for AMD, a 35% lead. Geekbench single-core shows Intel at 2,529 against 1,550 for AMD, a 38.7% gap. The Passmark single-thread score is 4,333 for Intel and 2,604 for AMD, a 39.9% difference. These numbers reinforce that Intel holds a substantial per-core performance advantage, not just a multi-core lead.

In other Passmark workloads, Intel dominates across the board. Data compression shows Intel at 595,292 versus 413,887 for AMD, a 30.5% lead. Integer math is 154,446 for Intel against 97,698 for AMD, a 36.7% gap. The multithread score is 45,887 versus 30,586, a 33.3% difference. Physics runs at 2,716 versus 1,617, a 40.5% lead. Even the smallest Intel win, data encryption, shows a 19.8% advantage with scores of 33,249 and 26,657.

The single AMD win in prime number finding is notable but isolated. The data suggests that while the Ryzen 9 3900 has a slight edge in that specific algorithmic task, it is outclassed in nearly every other measured area.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design eras. The AMD Ryzen 9 3900 uses the Zen 2 architecture on a 7 nm node from TSMC, with the Matisse codename. It is part of the 3000 series, released on September 23, 2019. The Intel Core i7-13700K is based on Raptor Lake, specifically the Raptor Lake-S codename, on Intel's 10nm process. It belongs to the Core 13th Gen, released on September 26, 2022.

Core counts differ significantly. The Ryzen 9 3900 has 12 cores and 24 threads, while the Core i7-13700K has 16 cores and 24 threads. The thread count is equal, but Intel achieves it with more physical cores. The base clock differs: AMD runs at 3.10 GHz, Intel at 3.40 GHz. The boost clock gap is larger: 4.30 GHz for AMD versus 5.40 GHz for Intel.

Cache configurations are completely different. AMD uses 64 KB L1 per core, 512 KB L2 per core, and 64 MB of shared L3. Intel uses 80 KB L1 per core, 2 MB L2 per core, and 30 MB of shared L3. The total L3 size heavily favors AMD at 64 MB versus 30 MB, which may explain the AMD win in prime number finding, a task that can benefit from large caches. However, Intel's per-core L2 is four times larger.

Memory support differs. The Ryzen 9 3900 supports only DDR4, while the Core i7-13700K supports both DDR4 and DDR5. Both have dual-channel memory buses, but the AMD memory bandwidth is recorded as 51.2 GB/s, while the Intel field is not recorded in the data. ECC memory support is present on the Intel chip but not on the AMD chip.

PCIe capabilities differ: AMD offers Gen 4 with 24 lanes (CPU only), while Intel offers Gen 5 with 20 lanes (CPU only). The Intel chip also includes integrated graphics, specifically UHD Graphics 770, whereas the AMD chip has no integrated graphics field. TDP is another divider: the AMD is rated at 65W, the Intel at 125W. The AMD die size is recorded as 2x 74 mm², the Intel die size as 257 mm². The AMD transistor count is recorded as 7,600 million, while the Intel field is null.

The Verdict

The data points to clear choices based on workload. For multi-threaded rendering and compute-heavy tasks, the Intel Core i7-13700K is the stronger processor. Its Cinebench R15 multicore score is 37.8% higher, and the Geekbench multicore score is 45.2% higher. The Passmark multithread score is 33.3% higher. These are not marginal differences; they represent a significant performance tier jump.

For single-threaded responsiveness, the Intel chip also wins decisively. The single-core scores in Cinebench R15, Geekbench, and Passmark all show Intel leading by 35% to 39.9%. The boost clock difference, 5.40 GHz versus 4.30 GHz, is likely a major contributor.

The AMD Ryzen 9 3900 wins only in the find prime numbers test. That result suggests a specific strength in prime number calculation, possibly tied to its larger L3 cache. However, one benchmark out of fifteen does not redefine the overall picture. The database shows the AMD chip sits at the 90th percentile among all CPUs, while the Intel chip sits at the 89th percentile. Their average benchmark scores are close: 47,918 for AMD and 46,881 for Intel. The head-to-head tests, however, favor Intel in almost every case.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The Intel Core i7-13700K has 16 cores, while the AMD Ryzen 9 3900 has 12 cores. Both have 24 threads.

Q: What is the biggest performance gap between them?

A: The largest gap is in Passmark floating point math, where the Intel scores 114,867 versus 56,730 for AMD, a 50.6% difference.

Q: Does the AMD chip win any benchmark at all?

A: Yes, the AMD Ryzen 9 3900 wins the Passmark find prime numbers test, scoring 203 versus 191 for Intel, a 6.3% advantage.

Q: What are the memory support differences?

A: The AMD chip supports only DDR4 memory. The Intel chip supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory.

Q: Which processor has integrated graphics?

A: The Intel Core i7-13700K includes UHD Graphics 770. The AMD Ryzen 9 3900 has no integrated graphics listed.

Q: How do their boost clocks compare?

A: The Intel chip has a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, while the AMD chip reaches 4.30 GHz.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i7-13700K is the winner in 14 of 15 head-to-head benchmarks. The list of wins includes Cinebench R15 multicore and singlecore, Geekbench multicore and singlecore, all Passmark tests except find prime numbers, and it also has available 3DMark results. Specific wins: data compression, data encryption, extended instructions, floating point math, integer math, multithread, physics, random string sorting, and single thread. The margin of victory ranges from 19.8% in data encryption to 50.6% in floating point math.

The AMD Ryzen 9 3900 wins only in the Passmark find prime numbers test, with a 6.3% margin. The data shows no other AMD victory in any of the shared benchmarks. The AMD chip also has a notable cache size advantage: 64 MB of L3 versus 30 MB on Intel. The AMD chip has a lower TDP at 65W versus 125W, which may be of interest for power-sensitive builds, but no power consumption benchmarks are recorded in the database.

Specification Differences

| Field | AMD Ryzen 9 3900 | Intel Core i7-13700K |

|---|---|---|

| Cores | 12 | 16 |

| Threads | 24 | 24 |

| Base clock | 3.10 GHz | 3.40 GHz |

| Boost clock | 4.30 GHz | 5.40 GHz |

| TDP | 65 W | 125 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket AM4 | Intel Socket 1700 |

| Architecture | Zen 2 | Raptor Lake |

| Process node | 7 nm | 10 nm |

| Foundry | TSMC | Intel |

| Die size | 2x 74 mm² | 257 mm² |

| L1 cache | 64 KB (per core) | 80 KB (per core) |

| L2 cache | 512 KB (per core) | 2 MB (per core) |

| L3 cache | 64 MB (shared) | 30 MB (shared) |

| Memory support | DDR4 | DDR4, DDR5 |

| Memory bandwidth | 51.2 GB/s | Not recorded |

| ECC memory | No | Yes |

| PCIe | Gen 4, 24 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 5, 20 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated graphics | None | UHD Graphics 770 |

| Release date | 2019-09-23 | 2022-09-26 |

| Launch MSRP | $499 | $409 |

| Part number | 100-000000070 | SRMB8 |