At the top of the 13th generation of Core processors, Intel has just unveiled a monster: the Core i9-13900 KS. The first mainstream x86 CPU that runs at 6 GHz out of the box. A dream for gamers, overclockers… and (wealthy) show-offs!
In the game of which one will have the biggest… frequency, Intel has just marked the occasion with the official announcement of the 6 GHz processor that the company had promised when announcing its Core 13e generation last September. The champion’s name is Core i9-13900 KS and it’s the beefiest of all processors in the new “Raptor Lake” processor family. The animal in question is a chip with 8 high-performance cores (P-Cores) and 16 so-called “efficient” cores (E-Cores) for a total of 32 tasks (or threads in the jargon) simultaneous. Suffice to say that it will move, especially in applications able to manage a very large number of cores – we think of modeling and 3D rendering in particular.
But in addition to having a large number of cores, this chip has an asset that is highly appreciated by players: the ability to go up to very high frequencies… depending on the cores. The heterogeneity of CPU cores, provided by the 12e generation of Intel chips (and maintained since), makes the cores not equal. While the small E-Cores of the Core i9-13900 KS are limited to frequencies oscillating between 2.4 GHz (base) and 4.3 GHz (Turbo mode), the powerful P-Cores can go from 3.2 GHz to 5.4GHz. Of these, a core can effectively and guaranteed go up to 6 GHz. And with technology Thermal Velocity Boost Frequency (catch your breath), another core can also potentially reach this frequency depending on the temperature of the chip.
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In summary: the Core i9-13900 KS has only one core (and possibly a second) capable of reaching and maintaining this frequency. A record frequency of 6 GHz which guarantees a small performance gain in certain tasks, especially in video games. But that has a financial cost. And energetic.
Euros and Watts
Of course, crazy testers will have to pit this monster against the AMD champion to find out who is the most powerful processor on the market. But for years, it is the Intel champion who always wins the competition. There is therefore little doubt that this i9-13900 KS deviates from the rule. To have the most powerful processor of its generation, it will still cost you 920 euros. Which is good for showing off, but not very profitable when you see that in a test carried out by HardwareUnboxed on several games, it only proves to be 15% faster in games than the Core i5-13600K. Which is a little less than half the price (430 €)!
Read also : Raptor Lake Architects Reveal the Secrets of Intel’s Future Processors (Oct 2022)
Nothing new under the sun: “Ferrari” chips like this Core i9 have always had poor value for money, but it’s always good to remember what you’re paying for – a few percent more performance at stake. professional applications however, the higher number of cores/tasks (32 against only 20 for the Core i5), as well as the maximum frequencies (only 5.1 GHz on the side of the Core i5), should produce a greater difference, making the smarter purchase.
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Finally comes the time to talk about energy consumption. And like its ancestors, the Core i9-13900 KS is greedy, with a basic consumption of 150 W (i.e. 20% more than the Core i9-13900 K!) and 253 W maximum, this high-end processor has what effectively warm a small studio, and does not display the best rate of performance per Watt. It will therefore be necessary to choose it for what it is: the most powerful. And that’s all.
AnandTech
