Are you looking to upgrade to the Intel 13th gen CPUs? Overclockers UK has put together this guide with everything you need to know about this generation of processors, including all of the hardware you need to upgrade.
Intel 13th Raptor Lake
Primed to support all of your gaming needs, the Intel 13th gen CPUs come armed with a vast array of cutting-edge technology.
Expanding on the powerful hybrid P- and E- architecture, Intel Raptor Lake processors now feature more E-, efficiency, cores to streamline your workloads and make multitasking even easier. Whilst the P-, performance, cores are tasked with optimising your workflow to ensure you get the best possible performance every time. All of which is backed up by the built-in Intel Thread Director, to effectively spread these tasks across the P- and E- cores.
What’s more, Intel 13th gen CPUs come fully equipped with support for both DDR4 and DDR5 RAM, meaning you don’t have to upgrade to DDR5 straight away, or at all if you don’t want to! However, you will have to ensure your motherboard is compatible with your chosen RAM standard.
If you want more of an in-depth look at Intel Raptor Lake, you can check out our dedicated article!
The CPUs
There are currently six processors available in the Intel Raptor Lake series.
- Intel i5-13600 K/KF
- Intel i7-13700 K/KF
- Intel i9-13900 K/KF
You can purchase these CPUs as either a K or KF model. Whilst K models are ready and unlocked for unlocking, the F denotes that the CPU does not come with any integrated graphics.
| i5-13600K | i5-13600KF | i7-13700K | i7-13700KF | i9-13900K | i9-13900KF | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cores | 14 (6P+8E) | 14 (6P+8E) | 16 (8P+8E) | 16 (8P+8E) | 24 (8P+16E) | 24 (8P+16E) |
| Threads | 20 | 20 | 24 | 24 | 32 | 32 |
| Base clock | 3.5GHz | 3.5GHz | 3.4GHz | 3.4GHz | 3.0GHz | 3.0GHz |
| E- Core max | 3.9GHz | 3.9GHz | 4.2GHz | 4.2GHz | 4.3GHz | 4.3GHz |
| P- Core max | 5.1GHz | 5.1GHz | 5.3GHz | 5.3GHz | 5.4GHz | 5.4GHz |
| Cache | 44MB | 44MB | 54MB | 54MB | 68MB | 68MB |
| TDP | 125W | 125W | 125W | 125W | 125W | 125W |
| Unlocked | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Onboard Graphics | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | No |
Intel Core i5-13600
The Intel Core i5-13600 is perfect for both gaming and light content creation. With 14 cores and 20 threads, along with a max boost clock of 5.1GHz, enjoy ultra-fast gaming and effortless multitasking that is perfect for both work and play.
Intel Core i5-13600K LGA 1700 Processor:
- 14 cores & 20 threads
- Hybrid P- and E- architecture
- 3.50GHz base clock speed
- 5.1GHz single core max speed
- 44MB cache
- 125W TDP
- Onboard Intel UHD 770 Graphics
Intel Core i5-13600KF LGA 1700 Processor:
- 14 cores & 20 threads
- Hybrid P- and E- architecture
- 3.50GHz base clock speed
- 5.1GHz single core max speed
- 44MB cache
- 125W TDP
- No onboard graphics
Intel Core i7-13700
The Intel Core i7-13700 is aimed at streamers and lovers of AAA gaming looking for an upgrade. Utilise the powerful 16 cores and 24 threads to enjoy a fast, optimised experience, even in intensive tasks such as video editing.
Intel Core i7-13700K LGA 1700 Processor:
- 16 cores & 24 threads
- Hybrid P- and E- architecture
- 3.40GHz base clock speed
- 5.4GHz single core max speed
- 54MB cache
- 125W TDP
- Onboard Intel UHD 770 Graphics
Intel Core i7-13700KF LGA 1700 Processor:
- 16 cores & 24 threads
- Hybrid P- and E- architecture
- 3.40GHz base clock speed
- 5.4GHz single core max speed
- 54MB cache
- 125W TDP
- No onboard graphics
Intel Core i9-13900
The flagship of the Intel 13th gen is the Intel Core i9-13900. Packed with a whopping 24 cores and 32 threads and a max clock speed of 5.4GHz, this CPU can handle any task you throw its way. From AAA 4K gaming to complex image rendering.
Intel Core i9-13900K LGA 1700 Processor:
- 24 cores & 32 threads
- Hybrid P- and E- architecture
- 3.0GHz base clock speed
- 5.8GHz single core max speed
- 68MB cache
- 125W TDP
- Onboard Intel UHD 770 Graphics
Intel Core i9-13900KF LGA 1700 Processor:
- 24 cores & 32 threads
- Hybrid P- and E- architecture
- 3.0GHz base clock speed
- 5.8GHz single core max speed
- 68MB cache
- 125W TDP
- No onboard graphics
8Pack and Intel 13th Gen
Overclocking legend, 8Pack, sat down with us and took a closer look at Intel’s brand-new CPUs. We’ve included our video down below if you want to take a look!
What Do I Need to Upgrade to Intel 13th Gen?
Motherboard:
To utilise an Intel 13th gen CPU, you will need a motherboard with a LGA 1700 socket. If you have a motherboard with an existing 600 series chipset, such as the Z690, your motherboard will be compatible with an Intel 13th gen CPU. However, you can now also upgrade to a new generation of motherboards with a 700 series chipset, the Z790.
ASUS ROG Strix Z790-A Gaming Wi-Fi DDR4 ATX Motherboard:
- ATX form factor
- Intel Z790 chipset
- LGA 1700 socket
- Compatible with Intel 13th Gen
- Supports PCIe 5.0 and DDR4 RAM
- Comes with built-in Wi-Fi 6E
MSI MPG Z790 Carbon Wi-Fi DDR5 ATX Motherboard:
- ATX form factor
- Intel Z790 chipset
- LGA 1700 socket
- Compatible with Intel 13th Gen
- Supports PCIe 5.0 and DDR5 RAM
- Comes with built-in Wi-Fi 6E
Cooler:
To keep your brand-new Intel 13th gen CPU cool and performing at its best, then you will need a compatible LGA 1700 cooler.
ASUS ROG Ryuo III 240mm AiO CPU Cooler:
- AiO CPU cooler
- 240mm
- 2x 120mm PWM fans
- Customisable OLED display
- Compatible with LGA 1700 socket and Intel 13th gen
Lian Li Galaad II LCD 360mm AiO CPU Cooler:
- AiO CPU cooler
- 360mm
- 3 x 120mm PWM fans
- aRGB lighting
- Compatible with LGA 1700 socket and Intel 13th gen
RAM:
The Intel 13th gen CPUs come with support for both DDR4 and DDR5 RAM, meaning you can utilise whichever standard of RAM you like. If you do wish to upgrade to DDR5, you need to ensure that your motherboard supports it!
TeamGroup Delta 32GB (2x16GB) DDR5 Dual Channel RAM Kit:
- 32GB capacity
- 2 x 16GB RAM sticks
- DDR5
- Dual-channel configuration
- Compatible with Intel XMP 3.0
- Integrated aRGB lighting
Corsair Vengeance Pro 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4 Dual Channel RAM Kit:
- 16GB capacity
- 2 x 8GB RAM sticks
- DDR4
- Dual-channel configuration
- Compatible with Intel XMP 2.0
- Integrated aRGB lighting
GPU:
The Intel 13th Gen CPUs are equipped with support for both PCIe 4.0 and PCIe 5.0. This means you can utilise the latest AMD 6000 series and even NVIDIA’s 40 series graphics cards!
Gigabyte Radeon RX 7900 XT 20GB GDDR6 Graphics Card:
- AMD 7000 Series GPU
- Built with AMD RDNA 3 architecture
- 2175MHz boost clock speed
- 20GB GDDR6 video memory
MSI GeForce RTX 4080 Super 16GB GDDR6X Graphics Card:
- NVIDIA RTX 40 Series GPU
- Built with Ada Lovelace architecture
- 10240 CUDA cores
- 16GB GDDR6X video memory
All Your Intel 13th Gen Questions Answered!
When Will Intel 13th Gen CPUs be Released?
This generation of CPU has already been released! Intel Raptor Lake CPUs were available to buy from October 20th 2022.
What Socket Does Intel 13th Gen Use?
The Intel 13th Gen CPUs utilise an LGA1700 socket.
Is Intel 13th Gen Good for Gaming?
The Intel 13th Gen comes packed with everything you need to enjoy an optimised gaming experience. The combination of P- and E- cores ensures peak performance in both single and multi-threaded tasks, meaning you can sit back and enjoy ultra-fast speeds and buttery-smooth frame rates in all your favourite AAA games.
Have You Upgraded to Intel 13th Gen?
Have you upgraded to an Intel 13th Gen CPU? Which processor did you buy? Let us know in the comments.
- 7 min read
Ruth Rowley
Author
Ruth has been with Overclockers UK for over a year and has gone on to write about everything ranging from in-depth hardware guides to monthly game releases.
Outside of writing blog posts, she can be found wrapped in a blanket with her black cat, engrossed in a book or playing life-simulation games such as The Sims, Stardew Valley, and Animal Crossing.
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