Question Help me decide i7 12700k or 13700k?

[Majcric]

I usually do all my research but decided to get some thoughts from other forum members. I guess my biggest concern is the temps regarding the two processors. From what I gathered so far both chips run hot, but the i7 12700k can be cooled much easier with a decent air cooler. I have a NOCTUA D-15S. The biggest workload on the CPU's will be gaming.

I like to run Prime95 to test CPU's for stability. Are those days gone with these newer hotter chips?

 

[IEC]

Primary workload is gaming? 13700K, no contest. For typical gaming workloads the D-15S should be more than sufficient.

If you're worried about temps you can always set a lower temp limit or a lower power limit. Neither should significantly impact gaming performance though would obviously limit 100% all core workload performance.

 

[Tech Junky]

12700k

When I stress all cores at 125w it hits about 50-55C using a se226xt cooler with dual fans attached and using a graphite pad instead of paste.

I don't think there's much design change with RPL other than more e cores.

I'm also not running a GPU in this system which proves to keep things under control easier without the added heat being tossed at it. The temps all depend on the overall build from size of case to what's around it.

 

[Majcric]

Primary workload is gaming? 13700K, no contest. For typical gaming workloads the D-15S should be more than sufficient.

If you're worried about temps you can always set a lower temp limit or a lower power limit. Neither should significantly impact gaming performance though would obviously limit 100% all core workload performance.

That is the concerning part. If the i7 13700k has to be undervolted or set to any kind of predetermined limit that hinders performance (as a result of temps) it feels like you're not getting your money's worth.

Maybe I'm overthinking it and the i7 13700k can easily be cooled but some of the reviews I've seen show it very toasty running cinebench, I can't imagine what prime 95 would do.

 

[Tech Junky]

Here's a thought....

Benching the CPU isn't real world use. It's just a good test before you button things up to make sure you don't melt it under a normal load. Checking to make sure your cooler / pad / paste / fans are in working order.

My real world use keeps temps in the mid 20's most of the time until it starts processing video files for Plex and then it jumps for a short period and then drops back down. On my Laptop 12700H even while running a game the CPU isn't hitting 100% most of the time because the GPU is doing the heavy lifting. Laptop runs higher temps by nature of tighter casing around things and less room to passively dissipate heat but, still not bad under a typical load.

 

[BoomerD]

I went back and forth between the i7-12700k and the i5-13600K. Both had very similar numbers in the various gaming benchmarks, prices were VERY comparable, (within about $30) and have more-or-less the same cooling requirements.
In the end, I went with the i5-13600K. Opted for an Arctic Cooling Liquid Freezer II 280mm AIO CLC cooler. So far, even in the stress testing/benchmark programs, the highest temps I've seen on any one core has been 84-85...and only for a split second. <knock on wood>
Haven't really done much gaming since I got the system built...a bit of the Castle Wolfenstein series, a bit of Half-Life2 update...there's one part that caused my i7-9700k to stutter...so far, no problems, no heat issues.

 

[Kocicak]

That is the concerning part. If the i7 13700k has to be undervolted or set to any kind of predetermined limit that hinders performance (as a result of temps) it feels like you're not getting your money's worth.

The only concerning part is how this CPU is sold - completely unrestrained. You need to dial in the power limit yourself. Preferably so that you avoid overheating with your cooling solution.

You get a lot of performance from these CPUs even at some moderate power limit as 160-180W.

 

[Shmee]

This is a good question, and may depend on price, but also if you are willing to tweak UEFI settings, such as OCing / undervolting P cores, and maybe turning off E cores. All of these tweaks are options.

My understanding is that hardware wise, 13700k and 12700k are the same on P cores, which are what matter for gaming. The 13700k will boost to higher clocks out of the box though, but as you know, this can make it run hotter.

If I were to get an Alder Lake or Raptor Lake CPU, I would probably buy the cheapest unlocked CPU I could find with 8 P cores, and tweak from there.

 

[igor_kavinski]

You are never going to see CBR23 temps in gaming. Go with whichever CPU you like. I have the 12700K. 23C ambient temp and so far haven't seen it reach 60C.

I'm using this cooler: https://www.anandtech.com/show/17608/the-iceberg-thermal-icesleet-g6-stealth-review

It was VERY annoying to install and made me curse a lot. The graphite pad is awesome! (Thanks, TechJunky! )

Fan speed is below 800 RPM. The whole system is whisper quiet. I'm still trying to get used to the sudden silence in my room coz my previous system (i7-5775C) would be about 35 to 40dB ALL the time (I hadn't bothered to change any fan settings). With the 12700K+Z790 mobo, the default fan settings didn't need any tinkering. Even 20 minutes of CBR23 didn't cause the fan noise to go up to audible levels.

 

[Majcric]

My current CPU is a (non-delidded) i7 6700k. At stock settings it runs roughly 75C in prime95 small FFT. When overclocked to 4.5 @1.296V it will settle around 85c in prime. I would never allow it to reach anything above 90c as that was thought to be degrading territory.

Hardware unboxed state their i7 13700k will peak at 100 Tjmax in less than 3 mins with full load. Have the newer chips changed regarding degradation and thermals?

@Kocicak I don't ever remembering dialing in the power limit on older chips. Maybe that's what I'm missing.

 

[Kocicak]

@Kocicak I don't ever remembering dialing in the power limit on older chips. Maybe that's what I'm missing.

Older chips did not run 330W out of the box as 13900K does. This is insane.

YOU NEED TO SET THE POWER LIMIT YOURSELF!!!!

 

[coercitiv]

I usually do all my research but decided to get some thoughts from other forum members. I guess my biggest concern is the temps regarding the two processors. From what I gathered so far both chips run hot, but the i7 12700k can be cooled much easier with a decent air cooler. I have a NOCTUA D-15S. The biggest workload on the CPU's will be gaming.

As a 12700K /w NH-D14 owner I can tell you that your good choices are 13600K and 13700K. Both of them will run cooler than the 12700K at the same clocks, or faster at the same power limit. Assuming you buy the 13700k, all you need to do is enter BIOS and set PL1=PL2=150W. This will get you a great gaming CPU with decent temps under stress.

Hardware unboxed state their i7 13700k will peak at 100 Tjmax in less than 3 mins with full load. Have the newer chips changed regarding degradation and thermals?

With a sensible power limit like 150W you won't see 100C. Even so, on modern boards you can lower the temperature threshold for throttling. I have mine set to 90C for example. When hitting this limit, the CPU gradually lowers clocks until it hits thermal equilibrium under that load.

So bottom line, go with Raptor Lake, you get lower voltage at ISO frequency and better gaming performance too. If you'd rather spend $300 instead of $400+, take the 13600K over the 12700K.

 

[Majcric]

You are never going to see CBR23 temps in gaming. Go with whichever CPU you like. I have the 12700K. 23C ambient temp and so far haven't seen it reach 60C.

I'm using this cooler: https://www.anandtech.com/show/17608/the-iceberg-thermal-icesleet-g6-stealth-review

It was VERY annoying to install and made me curse a lot. The graphite pad is awesome! (Thanks, TechJunky! )

Fan speed is below 800 RPM. The whole system is whisper quiet. I'm still trying to get used to the sudden silence in my room coz my previous system (i7-5775C) would be about 35 to 40dB ALL the time (I hadn't bothered to change any fan settings). With the 12700K+Z790 mobo, the default fan settings didn't need any tinkering. Even 20 minutes of CBR23 didn't cause the fan noise to go up to audible levels.

Correct I will never see high temps in gaming with either chip. But when I first put a system together It's all about stability hence the stress tests.

As a 12700K /w NH-D14 owner I can tell you that your good choices are 13600K and 13700K. Both of them will run cooler than the 12700K at the same clocks, or faster at the same power limit. Assuming you buy the 13700k, all you need to do is enter BIOS and set PL1=PL2=150W. This will get you a great gaming CPU with decent temps under stress.


With a sensible power limit like 150W you won't see 100C. Even so, on modern boards you can lower the temperature threshold for throttling. I have mine set to 90C for example. When hitting this limit, the CPU gradually lowers clocks until it hits thermal equilibrium under that load.

So bottom line, go with Raptor Lake, you get lower voltage at ISO frequency and better gaming performance too. If you'd rather spend $300 instead of $400+, take the 13600K over the 12700K.

Thanks, I appreciate the input. I wasn't familiar with power limits on CPU's, only GPU's. it's been 2015 since I bought a new CPU.

 

[IEC]

Hardware Canucks came out with a high-end air cooler review for 13th gen Intel on their youtube channel just an hour or so ago:

As expected of a giant heatsink like the Noctua D15, it is still very relevant today:


If you take away all the limits and let the chip thermal throttle at 100°C, accept no substitutes (other than maybe Thermalright):


Gaming will obviously be less intense than rendering workloads. Spoiler: D15 still wins there:


You can buy a 13700K with confidence given your D15 is still very relevant today. Even if you let it run "unlimited"

 

[lopri]

Worried about temp and power, why not 13600K?

 

[Just Benching]

Since I went from a 12900k to a 13900k, i have to tell you, go for the 12700k, or even better the 12700f. 12th gen is way easier to daily drive and since your main usage is games, the difference isn't really there between the 2 cpus.

As much as i like my 13900k, we are not there yet for 5+ ghz cpus.

 

[Just Benching]

Hardware Canucks came out with a high-end air cooler review for 13th gen Intel on their youtube channel just an hour or so ago:

As expected of a giant heatsink like the Noctua D15, it is still very relevant today:
View attachment 75549

If you take away all the limits and let the chip thermal throttle at 100°C, accept no substitutes (other than maybe Thermalright):
View attachment 75551

Gaming will obviously be less intense than rendering workloads. Spoiler: D15 still wins there:
View attachment 75552

You can buy a 13700K with confidence given your D15 is still very relevant today. Even if you let it run "unlimited"

Hwcanucks is my favorite cooler / fan reviewer. Guy that does the reviews is insane

 

[Carfax83]

Hwcanucks is my favorite cooler / fan reviewer. Guy that does the reviews is insane

I guess we bought the wrong cooler, because according to that review, Noctua NH-U12A sucks!

 

[Just Benching]

I guess we bought the wrong cooler, because according to that review, Noctua NH-U12A sucks!

Nah, you have yo realize he is comparing it against the best coolers on the market and it does fine. Its the only single tower in the review as well

 

[Racan]

Hardware Canucks came out with a high-end air cooler review for 13th gen Intel on their youtube channel just an hour or so ago:

Thermalright has some impressive engineering, the Peerless Assassin 120 SE isn't even their best and it's close to the NH-D15 at an incredible price.

And the PA 120 SE is much more compact, you can fit it in SFF cases like the Cooler Master NR200

Their bigger 140mm fan dual tower coolers probably can beat the D15 outright.

 

[Just Benching]

Thermalright has some impressive engineering, the Peerless Assassin 120 SE isn't even their best and it's close to the NH-D15 at an incredible price.

And the PA 120 SE is much more compact, you can fit it in SFF cases like the Cooler Master NR200

Their bigger 140mm fan dual tower coolers probably can beat the D15 outright.

Yes. the FC140 probably beats the d15, but you have to realize these are newer heatsinks, probably designed to play nice with newer cpus. The D15 still being where it is, is absolutely incredible to me. Especially considering where the newer -be quite is.