Intel Core i9-13900KF Gaming Desktop Processor 24 cores (8 P-cores + 16 E-cores) - Unlocked

Product Information

We found that the MSI MAG B760 Tomahawk WiFi DDR4 motherboard offered superior connectivity as well. Its 2.5 Gbps Ethernet port enables speedy file transfers, surpassing typical home internet speeds. Wi-Fi 6E technology provides fast wireless connections, making online gaming and streaming seamless. Plus, Bluetooth 5.3 support allows convenient music streaming to Bluetooth headphones. When it comes to choosing a processor for your next PC build, you’re faced with an array of options. Intel has been a household name in the world of CPUs, and they’ve recently launched two contenders that have piqued my interest: the Intel Core i9-13900K and the Intel Core i9-13900KF. As a tech enthusiast, I couldn’t resist diving into the specs and testing these two chips to see which one comes out on top. Read on to explore my 13900k vs 13900kf comparison… Meet the Contenders – Intel Core i9-13900K vs. 13900KF

The Intel Core i9-13900K's 8 Performance cores have a 3.00 GHz base frequency and support a 5.40 GHz max turbo boost frequency. If you're only planning to stream shows, use office apps, or browse the internet, you won't need a top-end CPU to get good performance. The most important CPU capability for general app usage is the single-core max turbo boost frequency.

Intel® AES New Instructions

Overall, we concluded that the MSI MAG B760 Tomahawk WiFi DDR4 motherboard strikes a balance between performance and functionality, offering an exceptional gaming experience. With its advanced features and versatile connectivity options, this motherboard is a reliable choice for gamers looking to elevate their gameplay. See our best Z690 motherboards for some ideas, as they will be more affordable than the newer Z790s). Raptor Lake processors will run just fine inside of existing Alder Lake motherboards, but Intel also launched a new Z790 chipset for Raptor Lake, too.

The ‘F’ in 13900KF stands for “Graphics-Free,” which means it doesn’t include integrated graphics. In contrast, the 13900K comes with Intel’s Xe integrated graphics, providing a one-stop solution for users who don’t require a separate graphics card. The Power Struggle We found that it's wise to make sure the motherboard provides enough USB ports at your desired speeds. Based on our evaluation of using Intel's Core i9-13900K CPU for general apps, you can expect excellent app performance with a high-performance CPU cooler. We found that the ASUS ROG Strix Z790-E Gaming WiFi 6E motherboard offered superior connectivity as well. Its 2.5 Gbps Ethernet port enables speedy file transfers, surpassing typical home internet speeds. Wi-Fi 6E technology provides fast wireless connections, making online gaming and streaming seamless. Plus, Bluetooth 5.3 support allows convenient music streaming to Bluetooth headphones.

Maximum Turbo Power

Processors that support 64-bit computing on Intel® architecture require an Intel 64 architecture-enabled BIOS. Office and web applications rarely max out the CPU for long periods. These applications can use turbo boost speeds when a burst of processing power is needed, returning to the more efficient base frequencies afterward.

Lastly, I would like to see R23 bench numbers for the 125W and 200W power levels, and not just temp. I would advise against running the 13900K without power limits. Because attempting to cool a CPU that’s using over 300W results in a lot of fan noise and heat output for very little increased performance. While in the past a CPU hitting its peak temperature was cause for concern, enthusiasts are going to have to learn to accept high temperatures as “normal” while running demanding workloads with Raptor Lake and Ryzen 7000 CPUs.

Max # of PCI Express Lanes

I think the selection of coolers is quite fine, since it's covering what I'd consider the good reasonable range (maybe adding a 240 AIO would be good?) and it demonstrated via CB, that after a certain point, the CPU even if throttling still performs fine-ish. The caveat is the noise, since it's pegged at 100% everything, but still performs close to what you'd like/expect. Turbo boost frequencies are only achieved under ideal circumstances. However, with adequate cooling, you may be able to maintain speeds near the max boost frequency. Overall, Intel came out better than what I would have expected to be honest, so I'd love to see those additions to this piece and then do the same testing on Ryzen and other Intel models (although I think it's fair to extrapolate from highest SKU). Intel's Core i9-13900K CPUs have 8 Performance cores (P-cores) and 16 Efficiency cores (E-cores) for a total of 24 cores. Our recommended runner-up motherboard to pair with the Core i9-13900KF is the ASUS ROG Strix Z790-E Gaming WiFi 6E.