Intel Core i9-13900KS Posts 5% Single-Thread Performance Uplift Over i9-13900K

Intel’s upcoming flagship Core i9-13900KS “Raptor Lake” processor posts a 5% single-threaded performance lead over the company’s current top-chip, the i9-13900K. The i9-13900KS is shown in leaked benchmarks scoring 2366 points in the Cinebench R23 single-thread, compared to 2243 points of the i9-13900K, 1948 points of the upcoming i9-13900 (non-K), and 2057 points of the AMD flagship Ryzen 9 7950X. This works out to a 5.43% gain for the i9-13900KS in comparison to the i9-13900K, and an impressive 15% gain over the 7950X. The multi-threaded score is 3.3% higher between the i9-13900KS and the i9-13900K.

The Core i9-13900KS wins on account of higher frequency, with its P-cores boosting up to 6.00 GHz, compared to 5.80 GHz of its predecessor, and its 150 W processor base power providing better boost state residency. The locked Core i9-13900 is held back by lower clock speeds of up to 5.60 GHz P-core boost, and power limits of just 65 W PBP and 221 W MTP. What’s interesting in these numbers, though, is that even the i9-13900 is shown beating the 7950X in the multi-threaded test, scoring about 1.6% higher. Its single-threaded performance is marginally lower than the 7950X. Intel is expected to announce the i9-13900KS alongside locked 65 W 13th Gen Core processors, and 13th Gen Core mobile processors, in its 2023 International CES Keynote address, with product availability expected later in the month.