Intel Core i7-13700K could debut with 16 cores and 24 threads

According to an internal Intel slide published at the end of last year, the Intel Core i7-13700K could have 8+8, i.e. 16 CPU cores that provide 24 threads. The interesting thing about the slide is that it was recently confirmed by newer leaks of the Intel Core i9-13900K and the Intel Core i5-13600K.

The number of cores and also the size of the L2 and L3 cache of recently published CPU-Z screenshots of alleged development models of the Intel Core i9-13900K and the Intel Core i5-13600K match with the data on the slide. So there is a high probability that the remaining processors (not named) will also be released as described in the slide.

In addition to the "Enthusiast" K processors, the slide also shows the normal processor variants:

• Intel Core i9-13900 (24 cores, 32 threads)


• Intel Core i7-13700 (16 cores, 24 threads)


• Intel Core i5-13600 (14 cores, 20 threads)


• Intel Core i5-13500 (14 cores, 20 threads)


• Intel Core i5-13400 (10 cores, 16 threads)

Raptor Lake comes with much more multi-core performance

Even if Intel increases the clock frequencies of the Raptor Lake processors only slightly and the IPC (instructions per clock cycle) is almost identical to Alder Lake, the new Raptor Lake processors will see a very large leap in the multi-core performance. This is primarily due to the partial doubling of the smaller Gracemont efficiency cores.

Raptor Lake gets also slightly improved P-cores (Raptor Cove), which allow a small frequency increase. In addition, the level 2 and level 3 cache is increased, which according to initial tests brings advantages for the minimum frame times in games. The small efficiency cores (Gracemont), on the other hand, remain unchanged and are only increased in number. Here, too, the cache should be increased.

Intel Core i9-13900K, Intel Core i7-13700K and Intel Core i5-13600K in detail

But first, let's take a look at the new K models of the upcoming 13th generation Intel Core i series. The TDP is said to be 125 watts for all three Raptor Lake K processors, but the short-term permitted power consumption (PL2) could differ. It is assumed that the Intel Core i5-13600K has 171 watts instead of 241 watts for the larger processors.

Intel Core i7-13700K faster than Intel Core i9-12900K

By increasing the efficiency cores in the Intel Core i7-13700K to a total of 8 cores, it should even be slightly faster than the Intel Core i9-12900K, which also has an 8+8 structure and slightly lower clock frequencies.

The increase in performance of the Intel Core i7-13700K is amazing, because if we look at the upcoming AMD Zen 4 processors ( performance projection of the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X), we also assume a large increase in performance for the top models but AMD seems to be clearly inferior in the smaller Ryzen 7 and Ryzen 5 models according to initial estimates.

Problems in the mainstream for AMD

If AMD has not already reacted internally to the latest rumors about the Intel Core i processors, there will probably be more processors shortly after the release of the new Zen 4 Ryzen cpus, because so far Ryzen 5 and 7 have always been on par with the respective Core i series from Intel or even superior in the multi-core performance. So far, the following lineup is assumed:

• AMD Ryzen 5 7600X (6 cores, 12 threads)


• AMD Ryzen 7 7800X (8 cores, 16 threads)


• AMD Ryzen 9 7900X (12 cores, 24 threads)


• AMD Ryzen 9 7950X (16 cores, 32 threads)

The Intel Core i5-13600K with its 20 threads could be on par with the new AMD Ryzen 7 7800X, the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X would be clearly inferior with only 6 CPU cores and 12 threads. The difference could no longer be made up for by a further clock increase by AMD, so that actually only an increase in the number of CPU cores remains.

No changes for entry level CPUs

In the entry-level range, Intel will probably not make any changes to the number of cores in the Intel Core i3 and Intel Pentium processors. Intel is already well positioned here with the current Alder Lake processors. Due to the massive core increase of the Intel Core i5, Core i7 and Core i9 processors, Intel would have a little more room for improvement here in the future.

Raptor-Lake compatible with socket LGA 1700

Some mainboard manufacturers have already revealed that the new Raptor Lake S processors will still fit in the LGA 1700 socket. BIOS updates for existing mainboards are planned. PCIe 5.0 as well as the somewhat faster DDR5-5600 memory are also fully supported on the chipsets of the Alder Lake generation.

Note: all information in this article is based on rumors or so called engineering samples. The technical data and also the benchmark results can deviate from the final product.