Question Help me decide between a 13600K and a 7600X ?

[jaxx80]

Hello
I am assembling a new PC to replace my veteran 13 years old I5-750 (1st generation).
I will reuse my GTX 1660 TI for now, but may buy a better video card in the future.

I need to choose between:
- 13600K, MSI PRO Z790-A
- 7600X, MSI B650 Tomahawk

In both cases I will buy 2x16GB DDR5 6000

I will use the PC for both gaming and some work.

The cost for the 2 variants is roughly the same (or at least the price difference is not sufficient to help the decision).

I know that AM5 platform is supposed to support new processors for several years in the future, but I am not sure that I will decide to buy a new processor in the following 4 years...
I know both processors are good and will be more than enough for my needs, but still I need to pick one
Any advice (as of May 2023) will be welcome.

Thanks in advance

 

[jnjnilson6]

Hello
I am assembling a new PC to replace my veteran 13 years old I5-750 (1st generation).
I will reuse my GTX 1660 TI for now, but may buy a better video card in the future.

I need to choose between:
- 13600K, MSI PRO Z790-A
- 7600X, MSI B650 Tomahawk

In both cases I will buy 2x16GB DDR5 6000

I will use the PC for both gaming and some work.

The cost for the 2 variants is roughly the same (or at least the difference is not meaningful to help the decision).

I know that AM5 platform is supposed to support new processors for several years in the future, but I am not sure that I will decide to buy a new processor in the following 4 years...
I know both processors are good and will be more than enough for my needs, but still I need to pick one
Any advice (as of May 2023) will be welcome.

Thanks in advance

The Core i5-13600K blows it out of the water.

 

[Lafong]

The Intel has only a 1 percent advantage in single thread performance on a standard benchmark. But about 33 percent when all cores and threads are considered.

The difference may well not be noticeable in your use case.

What about the motherboards? How close are they in features? That might be enough to tip the balance.

Since you may have no interest in later upgrading ONLY the cpu, I'd probably consider the motherboard/CPU combination as a single package.

 

[jnjnilson6]

The Intel has only a 1 percent advantage in single thread performance on a standard benchmark. But about 33 percent when all cores and threads are considered.

The difference may well not be noticeable in your use case.

What about the motherboards? How close are they in features? That might be enough to tip the balance.

Since you may have no interest in later upgrading ONLY the cpu, I'd probably consider the motherboard/CPU combination as a single package.

Thank you for the enlightening comment.

Yet I do believe that the Core i5-13600K will provide a wonderful performance boon, much better than the 7600X.

For example, if in 2010 you used your computer for light gaming, one could say a Core 2 Duo, performing the same way as a Core 2 Quad in single threaded performance, would be enough; yet having the Core 2 Quad would undoubtedly provide more FPS and higher performance in rendering and practically everything. Sure, both CPUs would 'be enough,' but you'd get much more out of the latter one, especially in the long run.

 

[Joseph_138]

I would go with Intel, while AMD and the motherboard manufacturers figure out how to stop exploding CPU's.

 

[jaxx80]

What about the motherboards? How close are they in features? That might be enough to tip the balance.
Since you may have no interest in later upgrading ONLY the cpu, I'd probably consider the motherboard/CPU combination as a single package.

Both are good motherboards and have all the features that I need

 

[zx128k]

He could get a 5800x3d and a cheap motherboard. Get decent DDR4 RAM. The build could be very cheap.

 

[jaxx80]

The Core i5-13600K blows it out of the water.

Thanks
I started now wondering whether I should take 13700k for 40 euro more.
I do not really need it, but the price difference seems rather small (the same difference as between 13600k and 13600kf).
I already ordered the cooler however - peerless assassin 120 se, and I do not want to buy AIO...

 

[bill001g]

The 13700k is right on the line for if you can cool it with air or have to go water. In general it has been found that a good air cooler is not much worse than a 240 AIO. Problem is if you go to a 360 aio you would also need a case it fits in.

You could look up some of the benchmarks where they cool 13700k with air and see if your cooler will keep up with a 13700k.
It also depends on the work load. Most the test that cause the 13700k to use so much power/heat are stuff like bender benchmarks. Something like game uses much fewer cores.

Pretty much what will happen is if your cooler can't keep up the cpu will slow itself down...it all depends on if it slows down below what the 40 EU difference is tp the 13600k.

 

[ilukey77]

still think a 7700 non x is the way to go easy to cool longer life span saving $$$$ even if your not going to update for years never say never the 8000/9000series may bring something very special like a decent double stacked 8900 9900 x3d cache cpu !!
X3d is the future of cpu's !!

 

[jnjnilson6]

Thanks
I started now wondering whether I should take 13700k for 40 euro more.
I do not really need it, but the price difference seems rather small (the same difference as between 13600k and 13600kf).
I already ordered the cooler however - peerless assassin 120 se, and I do not want to buy AIO...

The Core i7-13700K would definitely be the better performer and would last a longer while.

It's like this. If back in 2012 you could choose between the i5-3570K and the i7-3770K and chose the i5, you could run it for a good 5 years. However, if you chose the i7-3770K (had a 3770K myself) it could well last up until 2020, which makes it 8 years in total in the 'good-performance' league.

It would boldly and assuredly be better to obtain an i7 over an i5 from the same generation, providing you boundless and enthusiast-level performance for a longer time to a higher level; the frames passing unobtrusively and speedily, the software running well and more than well, your expectations filled to satiety at the brim of the technological spectrum.

You ultimately decide what you'd get. But I'd opt for the i7 if you can afford it.

I currently have an i7-12700H; I could have gotten a cheaper deal had I opted for an i5-12500H, but I thought it was worthwhile to spend quite some more money for that enthusiast-feel and longer-lasting, ravaging performance. It is in the beauty and the sparkling exhilaration of having that upper level performance on the tip of the generation.

 

[jnjnilson6]

Thanks
I started now wondering whether I should take 13700k for 40 euro more.
I do not really need it, but the price difference seems rather small (the same difference as between 13600k and 13600kf).
I already ordered the cooler however - peerless assassin 120 se, and I do not want to buy AIO...

A little addenda to my previous comment.

If the i7-13700K hits a high thermal state (high temperature), it would automatically lower performance, just like my i7-12700H does, to a point which would allow temperature to be maintained and not to exceed the current levels.

And still, even with this, a difference of 40 euro would definitely outweigh what I have said in the lines above, in the favor of the fact that you would invariably gain a very good amount of higher performance in comparison to the i5.

With this to note, I am wishing you many golden and rememberable hours with whatever your choice would be. The i7-13700K would, in all cases, perform and last more; and in addition this performance would much outweigh the price difference; however, the i5-13600K is within itself a very notable and high performer. And they would both be two very good choices.

 

[jaxx80]

Thank you for your good wishes
My only concern is whether the 13700k will throttle due to high temps or will I need to undervolt it, so potentially it could reach a performance similar to 13600k (but with fans rotating at higher speed, so louder)?

 

[Why_Me]

Thank you for your good wishes
My only concern is whether the 13700k will throttle due to high temps or will I need to undervolt it, so potentially it could reach a performance similar to 13600k (but with fans rotating at higher speed, so louder)?

What country are you located?

 

[jaxx80]

What country are you located?

European union

 

[jnjnilson6]

European union

There's always the possibility it may throttle, although even if it does, it will definitely not require undervolting or underclocking. The system will automatically lower down performance when high temperatures are reached to the point that such temperatures are maintained or lowered a little in order that they do not surpass a particular level. For example, my i7-12700H lowers down performance when it reaches 92 C and maintains that temperature and does not go upwards even after hours of stressful use.

So you will not need to underclock or undervolt to be in the safe zone, Intel does that automatically.

Even if the i7-13700K throttles a little on air cooling, it will still outperform the i5-13600K in all scenarios and be worth it the extra 40 euro, especially in the long run.

 

[Why_Me]

European union

That's not a country, it's a trade organization. The reason I ask is because every country has their own VAT, available hardware, etc .. and some of those countries have the Asus H770 available.


Which one of these countries do you reside in.

 

[jaxx80]

As long as you are in EU you can buy from any online shop from another country in the union without any import taxes or duties. I can buy AH770 and it is a lot cheaper than MSI PRO Z790-A, but I do not see how this will help with unlocked processors like 13600k and 13700k and the choice between them?

 

[Deleted member 2838871]

I would go with Intel, while AMD and the motherboard manufacturers figure out how to stop exploding CPU's.

Exploding CPUs was in style a month ago... it's since faded away with BIOS updates and people really don't need to be concerned about it anymore.

Who am I kidding though? I mean COVID went away 2 years ago and people are still driving cars alone with masks on. 🤣 🤣 🤣

 

[Why_Me]

As long as you are in EU you can buy from any online shop from another country in the union without any import taxes or duties. I can buy AH770 and it is a lot cheaper than MSI PRO Z790-A, but I do not see how this will help with unlocked processors like 13600k and 13700k and the choice between them?

A H770 board is a good fit for a locked i7 cpu. And yes you pay your countries VAT even when ordering from another EU country + shipping cost hence the reason I asked what country you are located.

 

[TerryLaze]

There's always the possibility it may throttle, although even if it does, it will definitely not require undervolting or underclocking. The system will automatically lower down performance when high temperatures are reached to the point that such temperatures are maintained or lowered a little in order that they do not surpass a particular level.

People have to be more clear when stating this, a cheap $20 cooler will give all of the warrantied performance to an 13900k, but at high temps.
So a 13700k would run at decent temps unless it is also auto overclocked by the mobo to run at the absolute limit.
Any throttling will only be compared to the automatic overclocking that happens with high-end coolers vs low end coolers.
Also undervolting protection in newer intel CPUs destroys performance and should be completely avoided.

Core i9-13900K Cooling Guide: Testing Intel's Flagship With Budget Air and Big AIOs

The Core i9-13900K can push even the most capable liquid coolers to their limits, but you don’t lose that much performance if you go with budget-priced air cooling.

www.tomshardware.com

 

[jaxx80]

Thanks
I got today 13600kf for a good price, so I will pair it with MSI PRO Z790-A
Now I wonder whether it is necessary to put a contact frame on it?
I am not worried about the temperatures, but I wonder whether not putting a contact frame may cause some bending damage on the processor?
On the other hand I am worried that I may damage the CPU socket, while trying to put a contact frame...
What is your opinion on that for 13600 ?

 

[bill001g]

It is mostly a cooling thing and it is very small amount. Motherboards are designed to intel specs which I assume also has details on how much pressure the chip has to the socket. Just be careful to make sure the bracket is centered on the chip.

Not likely worth the money even if you were to use the cheap clone versions.