13th gen is faster, but 13th and 14th gen is under fire currently for high failure rates. As others have stated, a 12900k is closer to a 13700k in core count or even a 13600k in actual performance in say, gaming. The only advantages of the 12900k are stability (since it isnt affected by the issues the newer chips are) and sometimes price. Like if you got a microcenter in your area and you can get that sweet sweet $400 12900k bundle, and you arent interested in AMD, 12900k all day. otherwise it's kinda overprice for what you get and you can do better with 13th gen assuming you dont get a lemon. Answer from JonWood007 on reddit.com
UserBenchmark
cpu.userbenchmark.com › Compare › Intel-Core-i9-13900K-vs-Intel-Core-i9-12900K › 4129vs4118
UserBenchmark: Intel Core i9-12900K vs i9-13900K
Consumers can look forward to Meteor Lake (14th gen) in less than a years time. [Oct '22 CPUPro] Intel’s 16-core flagship Alder Lake i9-12900K processor delivers a staggering performance improvement over it's predecessor (+70% 64-core).
Tech4Gamers
tech4gamers.com › home › guides › comparisons › core i9-13900k vs core i9-12900k: we tested 8 games
Core i9-13900K vs Core i9-12900K: We Tested 8 Games - Tech4Gamers
August 4, 2024 - The 12900K averages 680 FPS, while the 13900K offering hovers around 640 FPS. Red Dead Redemption 2 benchmarks [Image Credits: Tech4Gamers] Without any doubts, the i9-13900K has yet again outperformed its predecessor with a 17.3% margin.
12900K or 13900K
If you are looking at the i9 12900K perhaps you should also look at the i7 13700K. It has the same core count as the 12th gen i9 and offer 95% of the performance of the 13th gen i9. ... Agree 13700k/kf is probably the best bet .. but comparing it to a 13900k: Around 95% perf in 1-2 core/games ... More on reddit.com
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February 12, 202311900K vs 12900K vs 13900K
Well I'm your guy because I have the same setup as you. My friend has a 4090 and a 13900k. At 1440p maxed he gets 220 to 270fps in ground war. I, with my 11900k and 4090, get 144 to 180 fps in ground war. (Hovering at 160) in 6v6 he gets basically 300fps at all times, I get 170 to 220. Sometimes it goes higher but not usually. The 11900k bottlenecks the shit outta the 4090. The 13900k still does but not as much. For instance his GPU utilization is always at 85 to 95% were mine is 50 to 60%. The 11900k really holds this card back. I'm happy with my performance though and am gonna wait for the 14900k as it'll run on TSMCs 7nm architecture. Then I'll really be able to see what this card can do lol. If I were you I'd wait for the next Gen of CPUs. (but if you're impatient get the 13900k and you'll see a fucking massive performance boost) More on reddit.com
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November 14, 2022i9 13900K vs i9 12900K with RTX 4090, is it worth the upgrade?
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More on reddit.com 8
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May 13, 2023i9 12900k or i9 13900k for Gaming/Streaming Build?
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July 20, 2023Which is better for 1440p and 4K gaming, Core i9-12900K or Core i9-13900K?
The Core i9-13900K is faster at both resolutions. Toggle the resolution selector above to see per-game FPS.
howmanyfps.com
howmanyfps.com › home › cpus › comparison › core i9-12900k vs core i9-13900k
i9-12900K vs i9-13900K: Gaming FPS & Benchmarks (2026) – HowManyFPS
Is it worth upgrading from i9-12900K to i9-13900K?
If you currently have the i9-12900K, then you shouldn’t go for the i9-13900K unless you want the latest and greatest chipset. Yes, the i9-13900K is quite an upgrade, but we don’t think you should swap your current i9-12900K for it.
tech4gamers.com
tech4gamers.com › home › guides › comparisons › core i9-13900k vs core i9-12900k: we tested 8 games
Core i9-13900K vs Core i9-12900K: We Tested 8 Games - Tech4Gamers
Which is better, Core i9-12900K or Core i9-13900K?
The Core i9-13900K. It's 11% faster than the Core i9-12900K on average across 100+ games, scoring 68/100 vs 61/100 in our gaming rating.
howmanyfps.com
howmanyfps.com › home › cpus › comparison › core i9-12900k vs core i9-13900k
i9-12900K vs i9-13900K: Gaming FPS & Benchmarks (2026) – HowManyFPS
Videos
10:47
Core i9 13900K vs Core i9 12900K - Test in 10 Games - YouTube
04:39
i9 13900K vs 12900K Gaming Benchmarks [1080p, 1440p, 4K] - YouTube
10:40
How much has REALLY improved? — Intel 13900K vs 12900K - YouTube
More Cores More Power! Intel i9-13900K vs i9-12900K ...
15:58
Intel i9 12900K VS i9 13900K 1080p Benchmarks | RTX 4090 - YouTube
04:30
Core i9 14900k vs i9 13900k vs i9 12900k - World's Fastest CPU ?
Reddit
reddit.com › r/buildapc › need help deciding between i9-12900k vs i9-13000k processors
r/buildapc on Reddit: Need Help Deciding Between i9-12900K vs i9-13000K processors
July 12, 2024 -
Other than the obvious price differences, what would most of you guys recommend between the 12th gen and 13th gen CPUs? Please don't compare it with AMD Ryzen 5/7 as that is not what I'm asking. I'm solely trying to figure out the pros and cons between the 12th and 13th gen i9 processors.
I'm planning to build a new PC for basic needs and some moderate gaming, nothing that requires graphic heavy performance. Thanks in advance.
Top answer 1 of 8
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13th gen is faster, but 13th and 14th gen is under fire currently for high failure rates. As others have stated, a 12900k is closer to a 13700k in core count or even a 13600k in actual performance in say, gaming. The only advantages of the 12900k are stability (since it isnt affected by the issues the newer chips are) and sometimes price. Like if you got a microcenter in your area and you can get that sweet sweet $400 12900k bundle, and you arent interested in AMD, 12900k all day. otherwise it's kinda overprice for what you get and you can do better with 13th gen assuming you dont get a lemon.
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Why just i9s? The i7-13700K is better than the i9-12900K at everything.
NanoReview
nanoreview.net › home › cpu comparison › core i9 13900k or core i9 12900k: what's better?
Intel Core i9 13900K vs i9 12900K: performance comparison
We compared Intel Core i9 13900K (3 GHz) against i9 12900K (32 GHz) in games and benchmarks. Find out which CPU has better performance.
Digital Trends
digitaltrends.com › home › computing › evergreens
Intel Core i9-13900K vs. Core i9-12900K: Is it worth the upgrade? - Digital Trends
October 20, 2022 - This is pretty surprising, given the 13900K has way more cache than the 12900K, and adding more cache is a great way to improve gaming performance. Additional clock speed (which Raptor Lake also has) is good for gaming as well, so it’s a bit ...
XDA Developers
xda-developers.com › home › cpu › intel core i9-13900k vs. core i9-12900k: should you buy 12th or 13th gen?
Intel Core i9-13900K vs. Core i9-12900K: Should you buy 12th or 13th Gen?
September 5, 2023 - It's a similar story with Geekbench 5. The Intel Core i9-12900K is no slouch, and its results are excellent for computing, but the 13900K is just that much better in multi-threaded performance.
Technical City
technical.city › processors
i9-13900K vs i9-12900K | Technical City
Core i9-13900K outperforms Core i9-12900K by a considerable 41% based on our aggregate benchmark results.
HowManyFPS
howmanyfps.com › home › cpus › comparison › core i9-12900k vs core i9-13900k
i9-12900K vs i9-13900K: Gaming FPS & Benchmarks (2026) – HowManyFPS
The Core i9-13900K. It's 11% faster than the Core i9-12900K on average across 100+ games, scoring 68/100 vs 61/100 in our gaming rating.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/intel › 12900k or 13900k
r/intel on Reddit: 12900K or 13900K
February 12, 2023 - ... Agree 13700k/kf is probably the best bet .. but comparing it to a 13900k: Around 95% perf in 1-2 core/games Around 75% in multicore, due to 13900k having 8 extra e-cores (also makes it hotter & hungrier)
CPU Monkey
cpu-monkey.com › en › compare_cpu-intel_core_i9_13900k-vs-intel_core_i9_12900k
Intel Core i9-13900K vs Intel Core i9-12900K - Benchmark, comparison and differences
1 month ago - The difference is not significant in computer games; the Intel Core i9-13900K can only set itself apart from its predecessor due to the higher maximum frequency of 5.8 GHz. The Intel Core i9-13900K has 24 CPU cores and 32 threads, the Intel Core i9-12900K is also very fast with 16 CPU cores ...
WePC
wepc.com › home › cpu comparison
Intel Core i9-13900K vs Core i9-12900K | WePC
December 5, 2022 - So there you have it, based on specifications alone it’s clear to see that the 13900K is the winner. Its superior core count, thread count, core speed, and cache mean it is way better suited to gaming and multi-core workloads than the 12900K.
GeekaWhat
geekawhat.com › home › components › cpus › intel core i9 13900k vs intel core i9 12900k – which cpu is better?
Intel Core i9 13900K vs Intel Core i9 12900K – Which CPU is Better? - GeekaWhat
November 3, 2022 - Looking at the graphs, the 13900K is a clear winner here offering 202 frames on average. This is perfect to get a super smooth gameplay experience, with some extra frames in case you get any drops or stutters.
Trusted Reviews
trustedreviews.com › home › intel core i9-13900k vs intel core i9-12900k: how much better is next-gen?
Intel Core i9-13900K vs Intel Core i9-12900K: How much better is next-gen?
September 28, 2022 - The flagship i9-13900K is the fastest desktop processor in the world, according to the company, offering one of the best gaming experiences. But does this processor hold up to all the hype?
Tech4Gamers
tech4gamers.com › home › guides › comparisons › core i9-12900ks vs core i9-13900k: we benchmarked both
Core i9-12900KS Vs Core i9-13900K: We Benchmarked Both - Tech4Gamers
June 11, 2024 - The Core i9-12900KS outperformed the Core i9-13900K in thermal efficiency during benchmark tests, with an 11.4% higher efficiency. We recommend the Core i9-13900K for its higher performance in games while we also recommend the Core i9-12900KS ...
TechReviewer
techreviewer.com › topics › tech comparisons › intel core i9-13900k vs. intel core i9-12900k
Intel Core i9-13900K vs. Intel Core i9-12900K - TechReviewer
November 21, 2025 - The Core i9-13900K has a 5.80 GHz single-core max turbo boost frequency. The Intel Core i9-12900K's 8 Performance cores have a 3.20 GHz base frequency and support a 5.10 GHz max turbo boost frequency.
CPU Benchmark
cpubenchmark.net › compare › 5022vs4597 › Intel-i9-13900K-vs-Intel-i9-12900K
Intel i9-13900K vs i9-12900K [cpubenchmark.net] by PassMark Software
The Intel Core i9-13900K is newer than Intel Core i9-12900K and is around 41% faster in multi-threaded (CPU Mark) testing. The Intel Core i9-13900K is around 11% faster in single-thread testing. Also, Intel Core i9-13900K uses substantially less power. All the CPUs in this comparison belong ...
PC Gamer
pcgamer.com › hardware › processors
Next gen Core i9 13900K tested against Core i9 12900K | PC Gamer
July 18, 2022 - The 13900K is an evolutionary upgrade over the 12900K. Its major differentiating features appear to be the additional eight E cores and higher clocks. With the additional E cores, the 13900K is a 24-core/32-thread processor.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/pcmasterrace › 11900k vs 12900k vs 13900k
r/pcmasterrace on Reddit: 11900K vs 12900K vs 13900K
November 14, 2022 -
I have 11900K paired with RTX 4090 should I get 12900K or 13900K? Or 11900K is enough for next 2 years?
I play games at 4K with Ultra Settings.
Top answer 1 of 5
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Well I'm your guy because I have the same setup as you. My friend has a 4090 and a 13900k. At 1440p maxed he gets 220 to 270fps in ground war. I, with my 11900k and 4090, get 144 to 180 fps in ground war. (Hovering at 160) in 6v6 he gets basically 300fps at all times, I get 170 to 220. Sometimes it goes higher but not usually. The 11900k bottlenecks the shit outta the 4090. The 13900k still does but not as much. For instance his GPU utilization is always at 85 to 95% were mine is 50 to 60%. The 11900k really holds this card back. I'm happy with my performance though and am gonna wait for the 14900k as it'll run on TSMCs 7nm architecture. Then I'll really be able to see what this card can do lol. If I were you I'd wait for the next Gen of CPUs. (but if you're impatient get the 13900k and you'll see a fucking massive performance boost)
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You don't need an upgrade. You won't see the difference in all but a tiny handful of games.
Tom's Hardware
tomshardware.com › pc components › cpus
Core i9-13900K Outperform Core i9-12900K By 5 Percent In Early Gaming Benchmarks | Tom's Hardware
July 17, 2022 - As well as providing the gaming performance benchmarks, Extreme Player charted some interesting peak power consumption stats. The Core i9-13900K chip sometimes ate considerably more power than its Alder Lake predecessor.
ElectronicsHub
electronicshub.org › home › reviews › pc & pc accessories › cpu
Intel Core i9 13900K vs Intel Core i9 12900K
April 1, 2023 - If you love gaming, smoother gameplay is what you wish for every time you load your favorite game.