As we know, the central processing unit (CPU) serves as the backbone of any gaming system, influencing everything from frame rates to overall performance. Before delving into the comparison, let’s provide a brief overview of two prominent contenders in the gaming CPU market: Intel’s i5 and i7 processors. These processors have garnered widespread recognition for their performance capabilities and reliability, making them popular choices among gamers worldwide. The primary aim of this humble blog is to carefully analyze and determine which of these processors—i5 or i7—might offer a better gaming experience. Through a balanced examination of various factors, we seek to provide insights that will assist gamers in making informed decisions tailored to their individual preferences and requirements and get clarity on a question “is i5 or i7 better for gaming?” So when it comes to analyzing these process, let’s concentrate on the best version of Intel i5 and i7 that is Intel Core i5-13600K and Intel Core i7-13700K.
Let’s analyze
Contents
- 1 Technical Comparison: i5-13600K vs. i7-13700K
- 2 Performance of i5-13600K vs. i7-13700K (with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti GPU) for AAA games
- 3 i5-13600K vs. i7-13700K Performance with RTX 4070 Ti in AAA Games
- 4 i5-13600K vs. i7-13700K Performance with RTX 4070 Ti in Call of Duty Series Games
- 5 Performance of i5-13600K vs. i7-13700K with RTX 3060 Ti and RTX 4070 Ti in USA's Favorite Games
- 6 Power consumption: i5-13600K vs. i7-13700K
- 7 Conclusion:
- 8 13700k vs 13900k gaming
Technical Comparison: i5-13600K vs. i7-13700K
| Feature | Intel Core i5-13600K | Intel Core i7-13700K |
|---|---|---|
| Cores (P-cores + E-cores) | 6 + 8 | 8 + 8 |
| Threads | 20 | 24 |
| Base Clock Speed | 3.5 GHz | 3.4 GHz |
| Max Turbo Boost Speed | 5.1 GHz | 5.4 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 24 MB | 30 MB |
Let’s demystify these parameters
Core Count and Threads: The i7 boasts 2 more P-cores (performance cores) and identical E-cores (efficient cores) compared to the i5. This translates to a 20% increase in core count and 20% more threads. This extra processing power allows the i7 to excel in heavily threaded tasks like video editing, 3D rendering, and scientific computing.
Clock Speed: While the base clock speeds are similar, the i7 has a slight edge in max turboboost. This means the i7 can reach marginally higher clock speeds during peak loads, resulting in faster processing in short bursts.
Cache Size: The i7’s larger L3 cache size (25% bigger) allows it to store more frequently accessed data readily available for the CPU. This can lead to quicker response times and smoother performance, especially in applications that rely heavily on data transfer.
Having seen the technical aspects in general before we compare these two-top CPUs from Intel, let’s answer the basic question
Does CPU Impact on GPU Performance in Gaming?
Yes, the CPU can significantly impact the performance of the GPU in gaming. The CPU acts like the conductor in an orchestra. It feeds instructions and data to the GPU, dictating what needs to be rendered visually. If the CPU is not powerful enough to keep up with the GPU’s processing demands, it can create a bottleneck. This means the GPU has to wait for the CPU to deliver instructions, hindering its ability to work at full capacity. This bottleneck situation can lead to:
- Lower frame rates: The number of frames displayed per second (FPS) can drop significantly, resulting in choppy gameplay.
- Stuttering: The game might experience sudden pauses or slowdowns as the CPU struggles to catch up with the GPU.
Games that rely heavily on physics simulations, complex AI calculations, or open-world environments demand more processing power from the CPU. In such cases, a weak CPU can severely limit the GPU’s performance. Given, below are some examples for CPU intensive games
Strategy Games:
1 Civilization VI: This turn-based strategy game involves complex AI decision-making, managing large empires, and simulating various aspects of civilization.
2 Total War: Warhammer III: Managing massive armies, intricate battle mechanics, and a large-scale campaign map heavily tax the CPU.
Open-world Games:
1 Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020: Recreating a realistic world with detailed scenery, weather simulation, and complex flight dynamics requires significant CPU power.
2 Red Dead Redemption 2: The vast open world with numerous NPCs, dynamic weather systems, and intricate AI behavior puts a strain on the CPU.
Simulation Games:
1 Cities: Skylines: Managing a sprawling city, including traffic flow, resource allocation, and citizen needs, demands efficient CPU handling.
2 Kerbal Space Program: Simulating complex spacecraft physics, orbital mechanics, and intricate part interactions requires significant CPU horsepower.
Games with Complex AI:
3 StarCraft II: Managing multiple units effectively, strategizing against advanced AI opponents, and fast-paced decision-making heavily rely on CPU power.
4 XCOM 2: Squad-based tactics with procedural generation, enemy AI with advanced tactics, and real-time decision-making during combat make it CPU intensive.
Games that focus primarily on graphics rendering put less strain on the CPU. Here, a powerful GPU is crucial for achieving high frame rates and smooth visuals.
By having this understanding, we will see how i5-13600K and i7-13600K perform in various games. For these comparisons, we will see how both these CPUs perform with the most widely used GPU (NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) in various games.
Performance of i5-13600K vs. i7-13700K (with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti GPU) for AAA games
| Game (AAA Title) | Estimated FPS (i5-13600K) | Estimated FPS (i7-13700K) |
|---|---|---|
| Cyberpunk 2077 (High Settings) | 70-80 FPS | 75-85 FPS |
| Red Dead Redemption 2 (High Settings) | 80-90 FPS | 85-95 FPS |
| Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 (High Settings) | 55-65 FPS | 60-70 FPS |
| Shadow of the Tomb Raider (High Settings) | 100-120 FPS | 105-125 FPS |
| Assassin’s Creed Valhalla (High Settings) | 85-100 FPS | 90-105 FPS |
As we can see, the RTX 3060 Ti is likely to be the bottleneck for most AAA titles at 1080p resolution, limiting the performance difference between the i5-13600K and the i7-13700K. There is only a marginal improvement in FPS when you opt for i7-13700K over i5-13600K (with RTX 3060 Ti). These difference may not be visible playing these games.
Now let’s analyze with higher version of GPU
i5-13600K vs. i7-13700K Performance with RTX 4070 Ti in AAA Games
| Game (AAA Title) | Estimated FPS (i5-13600K) | Estimated FPS (i7-13700K) |
|---|---|---|
| Cyberpunk 2077 (High Settings) | 120-140 FPS | 125-145 FPS |
| Red Dead Redemption 2 (High Settings) | 100-120 FPS | 105-125 FPS |
| Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 (High Settings) | 90-110 FPS | 95-115 FPS |
| Shadow of the Tomb Raider (High Settings) | 160-180 FPS | 165-185 FPS |
| Assassin’s Creed Valhalla (High Settings) | 140-160 FPS | 145-165 FPS |
As we can see, with the RTX 4070 Ti being a powerful GPU, the CPU bottleneck is significantly reduced compared to the RTX 3060 Ti scenario. The i5-13600K and i7-13700K are both capable CPUs for gaming, especially when paired with a high-end GPU like the RTX 4070 Ti. Here also we can see only marginal improvement of FPS when we opt for i7-13700K over i5-13700K with RTX4070 Ti GPU. For most games at 1080p resolution, the difference between the two CPUs might be negligible, however the i7-13700K becomes more relevant at higher resolutions (like 1440p and above) and in CPU-bound games where the extra cores can provide a noticeable advantage.
Now let’s analyze
i5-13600K vs. i7-13700K Performance with RTX 4070 Ti in Call of Duty Series Games
| Call of Duty Title | Estimated FPS (i5-13600K) | Estimated FPS (i7-13700K) |
|---|---|---|
| Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019) | 200+ FPS | 200+ FPS |
| Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 | 180-200 FPS | 185-205 FPS |
| Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War | 160-180 FPS | 165-185 FPS |
| Call of Duty: Vanguard | 150-170 FPS | 155-175 FPS |
| Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 | 200+ FPS | 200+ FPS |
Call of Duty games are generally less CPU-intensive compared to other genres like strategy or open-world titles. With the powerful RTX 4070 Ti handling most graphical processing, the CPU bottleneck is significantly reduced, leading to minimal performance differences between the i5-13600K and i7-13700K. Both CPUs are expected to deliver exceptionally high frame rates (above 144 FPS) at resolutions like 1080p and potentially even 1440p.
For Call of Duty titles specifically, the i5-13600K paired with the RTX 4070 Ti is a strong combination that delivers outstanding performance. Upgrading to the i7-13700K might not be necessary unless you prioritize future proofing for potentially more CPU-demanding games or applications.
Now let’s analyze
Performance of i5-13600K vs. i7-13700K with RTX 3060 Ti and RTX 4070 Ti in USA's Favorite Games
| Game Title | GPU | CPU (i5-13600K) | CPU (i7-13700K) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hogwarts Legacy | RTX 3060 Ti | 60-70 FPS | 65-75 FPS |
| Hogwarts Legacy | RTX 4070 Ti | 100-120 FPS | 105-125 FPS |
| Wild Hearts | RTX 3060 Ti | 50-60 FPS | 55-65 FPS |
| Wild Hearts | RTX 4070 Ti | 80-100 FPS | 85-105 FPS |
| Like a Dragon: Ishin! | RTX 3060 Ti | 60-70 FPS | 65-75 FPS |
| Like a Dragon: Ishin! | RTX 4070 Ti | 100-120 FPS | 105-125 FPS |
| Atomic Heart | RTX 3060 Ti | 50-60 FPS | 55-65 FPS |
| Atomic Heart | RTX 4070 Ti | 80-100 FPS | 85-105 FPS |
| Sons of the Forest | RTX 3060 Ti | 40-50 FPS | 45-55 FPS |
| Sons of the Forest | RTX 4070 Ti | 60-80 FPS | 65-85 FPS |
| Kerbal Space Program 2 | RTX 3060 Ti | 40-50 FPS | 45-55 FPS |
| Kerbal Space Program 2 | RTX 4070 Ti | 60-80 FPS | 65-85 FPS |
| Forspoken | RTX 3060 Ti | 40-50 FPS | 45-55 FPS |
| Forspoken | RTX 4070 Ti | 70-90 FPS | 75-95 FPS |
Once again, from the data, we can interpret that when it comes to games that are popular among gamers in the USA, both i5-13600K and i7-13700K offer similar performance with marginal difference in FPS. However, the deciding factor is the GPU.
Having seen the performance of both these CPUs in various games, let’s also analyze
Power consumption: i5-13600K vs. i7-13700K
The following calculations provide an estimate based on the CPU’s Thermal Design Power (TDP).
Actual power consumption can vary depending on factors like specific workload, system configuration, and individual game optimization and your location
1. Average Power Consumption:
i5-13600K: 125 Watts (TDP)
i7-13700K: 125 Watts (TDP)
2. Daily Power Consumption during Gaming (Estimation):
Daily watt-hours (Wh) = Power (Watts) * Gaming duration (hours)
Assuming constant power draw during gameplay:
Daily Wh consumption (i5-13600K) = 125 Watts * 6 hours = 750 Wh
Daily Wh consumption (i7-13700K) = 125 Watts * 6 hours = 750 Wh
3. Conversion to Kilowatt-hours (kWh):
Conversion factor: 1 Wh / 1000 Wh = 1 kWh
Daily kWh consumption (i5-13600K & i7-13700K) = 750 Wh / 1000 Wh = 0.75 kWh
Based on TDP ratings, both the i5-13600K and i7-13700K are expected to have a daily power consumption of around 0.75 kWh if used for gaming for six hours straight.
Conclusion:
We hope you got enough clarity on our primary question, “is i5 or i7 better for gaming?” Both these CPUs are good when it comes to gaming, the deciding factor would be the GPU. As per the USA online platform, the price for i5-13600K is $320 for i7-13700K is $420. Though there is only $90 price difference, between both the CPUs. However, the real question should we spend that extra amount for the marginal difference in the performance. Opt for i713700K only if you are looking for future proofing.
Hence, while deciding between Intel i5 and i7 for gaming, both these GPUs are good enough, but the deciding factors for gaming would be opting for higher version of GPU like RTX 4070 Ti over standard GPU RTX 3060 Ti.
We hope this article provided the required information. Kindly share your thoughts and feedback on the comments section.
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