Intel has unveiled the Core i9-13900KS, the fastest and most power-hungry PC chip yet. The chip comes with eight hyperthreaded p-cores and 16 single-threaded e-cores, for a total of 24 cores and 32 threads.
However, with a price tag of $699, it’s definitely not for the average consumer.
Intel’s Core i9-13900KS Processor
The 24-core Intel Core i9-13900KS Special Edition processor has a price tag of $699. It is the first consumer PC chip to run at 6 GHz without overclocking, extending Intel’s lead over AMD’s fastest Ryzen 7000 processors.
Power Consumption
However, with a 250W base power specification, this 13th-Gen Raptor Lake chip is also now officially the most power-hungry desktop CPU in history. Its power consumption even peaks at 320W in a new Extreme Power Delivery Profile.
Competition with AMD
Intel’s Raptor Lake processors have taken the lead in gaming, productivity, and value over AMD’s Zen 4 Ryzen 7000 processors, but the competition remains stiff.
AMD is preparing to launch three new Ryzen 7000X3D processors with its disruptive 3D V-Cache tech that delivers explosive gains in gaming performance.
AMD’s Ryzen 7000X3D
The 3D V-Cache tech’s first iteration, AMD’s Ryzen 7 5800X3D, overtook Intel’s Alder Lake as the best CPU for gaming, but Intel later retook the crown with Raptor Lake.
AMD’s Ryzen 7000X3D chips are poised to come to market in mere weeks, and the Core i9-13900KS is meant to keep Intel’s silicon entrenched at the top of the CPU benchmark charts when AMD’s new chips arrive.
Target Market
The $699 price tag for the Intel Core i9-13900KS Special Edition processor is aimed at a specific market. It is a pure speed play for those with deep pockets and not a consideration for most buyers.
Limited Production
The 13900KS is the fastest Intel desktop PC chip and even at stock settings, it drew up to 328W and ran at 100C to scrape out every last bit of performance. However, as it is a Special Edition, Intel will only produce a limited (but unspecified) number of these processors, hence the $699 price tag.
Pricing Comparison
Despite the high pricing, Intel has actually lowered the ceiling for access to its most premium silicone. The previous-gen 12900KS debuted at $739, but Intel later increased the pricing of all its 12th-Gen chips, bringing it to $823 today.
Silicon Selection
Intel selects its premium-binned 13900K silicon for the 13900KS, so it is guaranteed to be among the very best silicon the company has to offer.
This will make the chips very attractive to overclockers, as paying the extra $110 for the KS model improves your odds in the silicon lottery, essentially assuring you’re getting a cherry chip.
Performance
The Core i9-13900KS is the fastest Intel desktop PC chip, and even at stock settings, it drew up to 328W and ran at 100C to scrape out every last bit of performance. The KS model’s p-cores have a 3 GHz base clock and reach up to 6 GHz on two cores via Thermal Velocity Boost (TVB) tech.
This allows the processor to shift into slightly higher frequencies if it remains under a certain temperature threshold (70C for desktop chips). Meanwhile, the standard Turbo Boost 3.0 clock rates reach 5.8 GHz. We found that the chip easily peaks at 6 GHz, though the impact on workloads can vary.
Power Profile
As before, the LGA 1700 chip is compatible with 600-series motherboards, but you’ll want one of the best-equipped Z-series boards to quench the 13900KS’ thirst for power. However, selecting the right motherboard is a bit more complicated for the 13900KS due to the new 320W “Extreme Power Profile.”
Variables
Intel’s power profiles have a few key variables.
- The PL1 power spec quantifies extended use at base clocks and is also known as the Processor Base Power (PBP).
- PL2 power quantifies when the chip is under full load for short periods (boost) and is also known as the Maximum Turbo Power (MTP).
- ICCMax denotes the maximum current the chip can pull when under heavy load.
Availability
Because the 13900KS is a Special Edition, the company will only produce a limited (but unspecified) number of these processors — hence the $699 price tag.
Despite the high pricing, Intel has actually lowered the ceiling for access to its most premium silicon: The previous-gen 12900KS debuted at $739, but Intel later increased the pricing of all its 12th-Gen chips, bringing it to $823 today.
Conclusion
The Core i9-13900KS is built on the same architecture as the 13900K, just with a higher speed binning to accommodate 200 MHz faster clock rates. It comes with a hefty upcharge that destroys any hint of a value proposition for all but the extreme overclocking crowd.
The Ryzen 7000X3D chips look exceptionally promising due to their exotic performance-enhancing tech, making it difficult for the 13900KS to compete.