After reviewing Intel’s latest mainstream CPU, the Core i5-13600K, we concluded it is a superb worth CPU and doubtless one of the best all-rounder you should purchase proper now for lower than $400. Nonetheless, when wanting purely at gaming as we all know a lot of you do, the Ryzen 5 7600X is a robust contender, too, as is the Zen 3-based 5800X3D, 5600X, and even Intel’s personal previous-gen 12600K may be put in rivalry if you happen to’re trying to maximize frames whereas spending much less.
However there’s simply a lot info and so many configurations we will take a look at in our particular person evaluations, particularly with regards to reminiscence. So for this characteristic we have added in sweet-spot DDR4-3600 CL16 reminiscence for the DDR4 configurations, together with a extra reasonably priced DDR5-5200 configuration for the Ryzen 7600X.
We’ll even be specializing in extra reasonably priced motherboards, akin to a B550 board for the 5800X3D, B650 for the 7600X, and even B660 for the Intel CPUs. Along with all this new reminiscence testing, we’re additionally together with 4K testing, together with the same old 1080p and 1440p outcomes, all utilizing the GeForce RTX 4090.
This may present you ways efficiency scales throughout these resolutions utilizing numerous CPU and reminiscence configurations, earlier than conducting an in depth price per body evaluation. So let’s rapidly go over the {hardware} configurations, check system specs, after which soar into benchmark outcomes.
For the Ryzen 5 5600X and Ryzen 7 5800X3D we’ll be utilizing the MSI MPG X570S Carbon Max Wi-Fi motherboard operating the most recent BIOS. This knowledge can be consultant for all supporting AM4 motherboards. The reminiscence configurations embrace 32GB of dual-rank DDR4-3600 CL14 and a 32GB single-rank DDR4-3600 CL16 configuration.
Then for the Ryzen 5 7600X we’re utilizing the MSI MEG X670E Ace motherboard with 32GB of DDR5-6000 CL30 and a 32GB DDR5-5200 CL40 configuration, each single rank.
The Core i5-13600K and 12600K every have three check configurations: one utilizing costly high-speed DDR5-6400 CL32 reminiscence on the MSI Z790 Tomahawk DDR5, then two DDR4 configuration on the MSI Z790 Tomahawk DDR4 utilizing twin rank DDR4-3600 CL14 and single rank DDR4-3600 CL16 reminiscence.
The DDR5-6400 reminiscence used for the Intel platform would not work on AM5 because it would not supply EXPO assist and loading XMP fails in addition. So the reminiscence must be manually configured and that is not one thing most customers are keen to do. Additionally, to run at 6400 speeds, a Cloth frequency of 2133 MHz is required and solely one of the best silicon will obtain this frequency whereas sustaining stability. So realistically DDR5-6000 is the restrict for Ryzen 7000 collection processors, whereas Thirteenth-gen Intel CPUs can do past DDR5-6400 with ease.
As talked about above, the graphics card of selection is the GeForce RTX 4090, we’re utilizing Home windows 11 and resizable bar enabled for all configurations. Let’s get into it…
Gaming Benchmarks
There is a loopy quantity of gaming knowledge to go over, so we’re not going to debate all the outcomes for all of the video games examined, at the least not individually, however let’s go over a number of earlier than having a look on the geomean breakdown.
Right here we check out Watch Canine: Legion operating at 1080p the place the 7600X delivered 16% extra frames when utilizing DDR5-6000 against 5200, and naturally, there may be fairly a considerable distinction there in reminiscence timings as properly.
The 13600K was solely examined utilizing a single DDR5 configuration as the main target is on that sweet-spot CL16 reminiscence, which was simply 2% slower than the extremely costly CL14 reminiscence. That mentioned, the 6400 reminiscence was 22% quicker and that is an enormous distinction, particularly for reminiscence. It is also attention-grabbing to notice that the 12600K noticed only a 16% enhance from CL16 3600 to 6400, so the quicker Thirteenth gen CPU is doing a greater job of justifying DDR5 on this instance.
Transferring to the 5800X3D, which is the quickest CPU on this check, we noticed an inexpensive 8% enhance in efficiency from CL14 to CL16 3600 reminiscence after which we see a good bigger 11% enhance with the 5600X. So the decrease latency reminiscence is actually way more helpful for Ryzen than it’s the Twelfth and Thirteenth gen Core i5 processors.
Rising the decision to 1440p would not change a lot, we’re nonetheless closely CPU restricted in mainly all situations which suggests body charges listed below are similar to what was simply proven at 1080p… that being the case lets enhance the decision to 4K.
Now at 4K the sport begins to turn into extra GPU certain and in consequence CPU and reminiscence efficiency is much less of a priority. Nonetheless the 7600X was 9% quicker utilizing DDR5-6000 against 5200 or a fairly hefty 22% quicker if we take a look at the 1% lows.
Remarkably related outcomes are seen with the 13600K when going from DDR4 to DDR5 and extra importantly, there’s just about no distinction between CL14 and CL16 reminiscence, and the identical was additionally true when utilizing the 12600K.
Transferring on to the 5800X3D we see that this CPU is closely GPU certain and in consequence reminiscence efficiency is not a difficulty right here, and the identical can be true when utilizing the 5600X as CL14 solely afforded that configuration and additional body or two.
Subsequent we’ll check out Rainbow Six Extraction outcomes and at 1080p we discover some attention-grabbing outcomes. Reminiscence would not seem to have a big influence on efficiency and a few good examples of this are the 7600X and 5600X.
The 7600X noticed only a 3% enchancment when going from 5200 to 6000 reminiscence and the 5600X only a 4% enhance from CL14 to CL16. Then we see just about no distinction for the Core i5 processors when utilizing DDR4 or DDR5.
Rising the decision to 1440p reduces a lot of the margins additional, although curiously the Intel CPUs at the moment are barely quicker utilizing DDR5, although the margins are very slim.
Then at 4K we’re nearly fully GPU restricted with just some small deviations in efficiency of 2-3%. It is also price noting that we’re utilizing the low high quality preset as that is how avid gamers usually play Rainbow Six Extraction as decrease high quality visible settings present a aggressive benefit, so had greater high quality settings been used we would have seen a robust GPU bottleneck at decrease resolutions.
Transferring on to the Far Cry 6, the 7600X enjoys a ten% efficiency enhance utilizing the quicker DDR5 reminiscence, whereas the 13600K delivers related common body price efficiency whatever the reminiscence used, although DDR5 did enhance 1% lows by 11%.
The 5800X3D noticed an enormous 18% enhance to 1% lows when utilizing the decrease latency reminiscence which is not terribly stunning as Far Cry 6 is a really DRAM latency delicate title.
Rising the decision to 1440p as soon as once more would not change the outcomes all that a lot, we’re nonetheless primarily CPU restricted right here for many configurations, so the info is similar to what was simply seen at 1080p.
Now, at 4K a variety of the configurations are beginning to turn into GPU restricted or are closely GPU restricted. The 13600K, 12600K and 5600X, for instance, noticed now change in efficiency between the assorted reminiscence configurations whereas the 5800X3D solely noticed a 5% change to the 1% lows. The 7600X was additionally simply 5% quicker utilizing the 6000 reminiscence, so not an enormous distinction right here both.
Subsequent we now have Hitman 3 and on this sport at 1080p we see that the 7600X is 10% quicker utilizing the upper frequency DDR5 reminiscence. Then with the 13600K we solely noticed a 2.5% enhance from CL16 to CL14, whereas DDR5 elevated efficiency over CL14 DDR4 by 8%.
There was mainly no efficiency distinction between the DDR4 reminiscence kits with the 12600K whereas DDR5 was 7% quicker. Then we see that efficiency is way the identical with the 5800X3D whereas the quicker DDR4 reminiscence boosted efficiency utilizing the 5600X by an 8% margin.
The 1440p outcomes are nearly unchanged from what was seen at 1080p, so in most situations we’re nonetheless CPU certain.
Then at 4K we’re nearly fully GPU restricted, with most configurations discovering the GPU restrict of simply over 190 fps. The slower reminiscence configurations could not fairly attain the bounds of the RTX 4090, and the 5600X fell properly quick at simply shy of 160 fps.
12 Recreation Common
We will skip over the person outcomes for F1 22, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Cyberpunk 2077, The Riftbreaker, CSGO, ACC, Horizon Zero Daybreak and Spider-Man Remastered graphs as they will blow over your consideration span and as an alternative soar to the 12 sport common knowledge as that is the vital info for this comparability…
As we have seen thus far, the 1080p and 1440p knowledge is comparable when utilizing the RTX 4090 as we’re nearly all the time CPU certain with an extremely quick GPU.
It isn’t till we attain 4K decision the efficiency is usually GPU restricted, besides wanting on the 12 sport common, which has been calculated utilizing the geomean, we nonetheless see that the 7600X was 6% quicker utilizing the upper frequency, decrease latency DDR5 reminiscence.
The 13600K was additionally 5% quicker utilizing DDR5-6400 against DDR4-3600 CL14, although efficiency for the 5800X3D and 5600X was fairly closely CPU certain, so the decrease latency DDR4 reminiscence did not assist right here.
Decision Scaling
We took a fast take a look at decision scaling with the RTX 4090, beginning with Cyberpunk 2077. Right here the 1360K was barely quicker than the 7600X at 1080p, although the outcomes are shut with related 1% lows and only a 2.5% deviation in common body price.
Nonetheless, at 1440p the 7600X was reliably quicker, notably for the 1% lows which averaged out throughout our runs to be 7% greater. Then at 4K we bumped into a tough GPU limitation and all three CPU configurations in contrast right here delivered the identical outcomes.
In Hitman 3 we see that efficiency at 1080p and 1440p is essentially CPU restricted and the 7600X delivered one of the best outcomes. Nonetheless, by the point we attain 4K, the outcomes have turn into GPU restricted and now all CPUs are capped on the identical body price.
The 7600X delivered one of the best efficiency in Rainbow Six Extraction at 1080p, enhancing 1% lows over the 13600K by as a lot as 21%. That mentioned, these taking part in at 1440p will see no distinction in efficiency between these three CPUs and the identical can be true at 4K, although oddly the 7600X did drop a number of frames right here, however we’re speaking not more than a 2% margin.
In Watch Canine Legion, the 7600X trailed the 13600K at 1080p and 1440p, whereas the Core i5 was slower than the 5800X3D. However once more by the point we hit 4K efficiency ranges out as the sport turns into closely GPU certain.
Lastly, here is a take a look at the 12 sport common throughout the three resolutions examined and as you possibly can see total efficiency finally ends up a lot the identical for the quickest reminiscence configurations examined for every of those CPUs.
Value per Body Evaluation
That is what we have been working in direction of, the fee per body graphs. For this we’re evaluating all the platform price, so CPU, motherboard and reminiscence. The whole determine is proven to the left of the graph, and the determine earlier than it are the reminiscence and motherboard costs.
All reminiscence kits are primarily based on 32GB capacities, so the DDR4-3600 CL14 reminiscence prices $230, whereas the CL16 stuff is simply $130. The DDR5-5200 CL40 reminiscence used with the 7600X prices $150, whereas the premium DDR5-6000 CL30 prices $25. Then the premium DDR5-6400 CL32 reminiscence used with the 13600K and 12600K prices $240.
The 5600X and 5800X3D have been priced on a $110 B550 board and there are a number of first rate fashions accessible at that value. In the meantime, the 7600X has been priced on one of many cheaper B650 boards at $170. Then the Twelfth and Thirteenth-gen Core i5s may be paired with a Z690 board with first rate DDR4 fashions beginning at $160 or DDR5 at $180.
Taking all these costs into consideration we get our total platform price which is related for these upgrading their platform or constructing a brand new PC.
Based mostly on the 1080p knowledge utilizing the RTX 4090, you are paying a 16% premium for DDR5-6000 over 5200 for the 7600X bundle, however when accounting for the extra efficiency the upper velocity reminiscence can ship, it is available in at a 5% premium, which isn’t too dangerous. So whereas the DDR5-5200 reminiscence is actually higher worth, we expect the premium is price it for the 6000 stuff in that occasion.
Fairly surprisingly, the 13600K is barely worse than the 7600X by way of worth when pairing each with high quality DDR5 reminiscence, we’re solely speaking a few mere 5%, but it surely’s good to see the cheaper B650 boards actually serving to with the worth of AM5.
The DDR4 CL14 reminiscence is fairly poor worth, however that is all the time been the case, we use it merely to get probably the most out of the CPU by way of out of the field efficiency. Ideally although, you’d go for the candy spot CL16 reminiscence and that drastically reduces the fee although it solely provides the identical stage of worth because the 7600X operating DDR5-5200, so the Ryzen 5 configuration could be our most popular possibility right here.
This additionally signifies that regardless of costing $40 much less for the CPU, the 12600K merely cannot compete with the worth of the 13600K or 7600X, so on the present asking value you would possibly as properly ignore the Twelfth-gen half.
In relation to worth, the Ryzen 7 5800X3D arguably makes the strongest case for itself, utilizing the candy spot CL16 reminiscence it got here out at a price of simply $2.59 per body and total wasn’t a lot slower than the 13600K and 7600X, but by way of value to efficiency it was 12% cheaper than the 13600K utilizing the identical reminiscence and 16% cheaper than the 7600X utilizing the optimum DDR5-6000 configuration.
The 5600X is extra reasonably priced, however efficiency when CPU certain is significantly decrease, so if you happen to’re in search of high-end efficiency you may skip over this half for a brand new construct or improve.
If we make our price per body comparability primarily based on 4K gaming knowledge, the outcomes are pretty related, although there are some noteworthy adjustments. For instance, the DDR5-6000 configuration of the 7600X fetched a 5% premium at 1080p, however at 4K that determine has doubled to 10%, making the cheaper 5200 stuff significantly higher worth and this development will proceed the extra GPU certain efficiency turns into, maxing out at 16%.
Beforehand we discovered that the 13600K’s price per body was 11% greater utilizing DDR5-6400 over DDR4-3600 CL16, and at 4K that margin grows to 19% making the DDR4 reminiscence significantly higher worth, and that margin can solely develop as giant as 21%.
When evaluating the 13600K and 7600X face to face primarily based on this knowledge, it is simple to make a case for the Ryzen 5 half given the DDR5-5200 configuration provides related worth to the sweet-spot DDR4 configuration of the 13600K. That mentioned, we’re pairing the Core i5 processor with a Z690 board and apparently a lot of you’ll take into account a less expensive B660 board for this half, so let’s check out that.
Right here we have swapped out the Z690 board for an honest B660 mannequin which prices simply $110 for a DDR4 mannequin however $160 for a DDR5 model. We guess there weren’t many DDR5 B660 boards which is smart given how costly DDR5 was once.
Based mostly on this knowledge, if you happen to’re going for final efficiency whereas spending lower than $800 on the platform, the 7600X utilizing DDR5-6000 reminiscence might be the way in which to go, although for a similar value the 13600K delivers related efficiency. Purely for gaming it would not matter which method you go, but when together with core heavy workload efficiency the Core i5 usually smokes the 7600X.
The one caveat is that B660 boards usually aren’t nice they usually actually aren’t similar to B650 with regards to construct high quality and options. So we imagine 7600X + B650 is a much better selection than the 13600K on B660.
In case you’re extra worth centered, then the DDR4 model of B660 is difficult to beat, coming in at a price per body of simply $2.70 which is 8% cheaper than the 7600X utilizing DDR5-5200 reminiscence. For simply 4% extra per body than the 5800X3D which was additionally quicker total, so in a price centered situation absolutely the 5800X3D wins for gaming.
The 4K knowledge is not drastically totally different, although the 13600K utilizing CL16 DDR4 does stack up higher in opposition to the 7600X. The 5800X3D can be a lot nearer to the 13600K by way of worth and right here the 5600X is significantly better worth than every part else, dropping to only $2.68 per body making it nearly 20% cheaper than the 5800X3D and 13600K.
Greatest for Gaming vs. Greatest General
In spite of everything that knowledge, we will conclude one of the best ways to go will rely upon a number of variables. Personally, I really feel the $320 Core i5-13600K is finest paired with at the least a Z690 motherboard and if you happen to agree, it is onerous to disregard the Ryzen 5 7600X on a B650 board for high gaming worth. You possibly can pair the 7600X with DDR5 reminiscence for a similar value because the 13600K utilizing candy spot DDR4, however the Ryzen 5 can be quicker for gaming, and we’re positive that margin will proceed to develop as video games proceed to require extra reminiscence bandwidth.
Alternatively, if you wish to max out your PC with one of the best reminiscence, the Ryzen 5 7600X nonetheless appears to be like to be the higher possibility proper now, usually delivering barely higher gaming efficiency whereas costing rather less. This might change as soon as DDR5-7200 and quicker reminiscence turns into financially viable, however proper now the premium for these is loopy.
So when this comparability purely by a gaming lens, the 7600X appears to be like nice assuming B650 pricing is aggressive in your area. Ought to AM5 motherboard costs drop nearer to that of AM4, Ryzen 7000 would then turn into the apparent selection. We had anticipated the sweet-spot DDR4-3600 CL16 reminiscence to enhance the worth of the Core i5-13600K, and it did, however to not a level the place the 7600X was written off. In actual fact, pairing the 7600X with DDR5-5200 usually appeared like a greater possibility.
Furthermore, if going DDR4, the Ryzen 7 5800X3D is a greater gaming CPU, providing higher efficiency whereas costing much less. Not solely that, however AM4 provides a variety of motherboards and B550 is often higher than B660 by way of options and construct high quality on the identical value level. That’s to say, if we had been attempting to get probably the most gaming efficiency attainable, whereas spending as little as attainable, the 5800X3D is your reply. Even in order for you premium efficiency, the 5800X3D is a viable possibility because it matched the 13600K utilizing low latency DDR4, and that was when pairing the Core i5 with DDR5-6400.
Based mostly on all this info, the Core i5-13600K is more durable to suggest for these constructing a PC solely for gaming. Its efficiency is similar to the Ryzen 5 7600X, however the latter is supported by a superior platform that can supply extra CPU improve choices. Now you would possibly say, I do not care about this, I am going to improve my motherboard with my CPU in 3-5 years from now, however when efficiency and value are just about similar, you must take a look at different elements, and when doing the 7600X comes forward due to AM5, it consumes much less energy, and it’s simpler to chill regardless of its love for 95c TjMAX.
This would possibly sound very totally different to how our Core i5-13600K evaluation went, the place we frequently claimed the Core i5 embarrassed the 7600X. However that evaluation was an total comparability of the 2 CPUs and it did not focus solely on gaming. The core-heavy productiveness comparisons had been a severe subject for the 7600X, the place the Core i5-13600K was usually over 40% quicker, and that is no small margin.
So conversely, if you happen to’re efficiency past gaming, then the Core i5-13600K turns into the apparent selection due to vastly superior productiveness efficiency. You possibly can say that given AMD’s weak point with regards to productiveness for this matchup, they should make the 7600X combo cheaper, and if they’ll try this, then it would turn into extra aggressive total.
Hopefully you must now have sufficient info to make an knowledgeable buy. In case you can wait, we hope that in a number of extra months each DDR5 and AM5 motherboard pricing ought to drop fairly a bit (by January), and we would even have some strong information on the Zen 4 3D V-Cache elements which needs to be brutally quick for gaming.