Is the 13th gen still worth it in 2024?
Is the Raptor Lake Refresh worth waiting for or should you buy the plain old Raptor Lake?
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Is the 13th gen still worth it in 2024? We saw the Intel 14th gen release date hit on the 17th of October, 2023. Intel 14th gen pre order listings have been popping up across the web, but it’s probably advisable to hold fire on picking on of these up immediately, as it could be that the original Raptor Lake line (i.e. the Intel 13th gen) will offer you better value. Read below for all the details.
If you’re looking for a proper breakdown of the new desktop CPUs, check out our Intel Core i5-14600K review and Intel Core i9-14900K review that have just gone live!
Intel 14th gen: is it any better?
There were plenty of leaks and rumors circulating from reputable sources including Techpowerup regarding the Intel 14th gen, much of which turned out to be true – now that Intel have officially launched it. The Intel 14th gen of desktop processors have the same architecture as the preceding generation of Raptor Lake CPUs, but have higher clock speeds and a few other enhancements to increase performance, nothing too major though. These are known as the Raptor Lake Refresh desktop CPUs.
This ultimately means that there isn’t a massive increase in power between the generations, which makes the (almost certainly) cheaper Intel 13th gen line a better buy. Especially now that we can see many 13th gen deals and discounts as the 14th gen launch is closely followed by the build up to the holiday season.
Is the 13th gen still worth it in 2024 or should you get Intel 14th gen?
We think for most people, it will make sense that you stick with the Intel 13th gen CPU range. However, you should still to see how the Intel 14th gen is affected by sales events towards the end in 2024, if at all. Since the newest generation is also sticking with the LGA 1700 socket, there isn’t a massive jump for this refreshed line-up, as we’d expect from a refresh. Many people are still reluctant to upgrade until the 15th gen, though an increased interest in 13th gen options is here thanks to price drops. If you really want the latest tech though, then there obviously is no better option than the 14th gen, but we can’t say it’s worth an upgrade for current 12th or 13th gen users.
Price reductions happens with almost every release of new tech hardware, including processors, and it’s what we’ve seen in this case as well. Keep an eye on our best CPU deals page so you don’t miss out on the offers as they come through, and also have a read of our Intel 14th gen price guide to understand what the latest Raptor Lake refresh is going to cost you.
Is Intel 13th gen worth it? FAQs
is Intel 13th gen worth it?
Yes, there have been vast reported improvements over the previous generation (Alder Lake). By Intel’s projections, you can expect a 15% increase in single-core performance and a 41% increase in multi-core performance over Alder Lake.
What motherboard do I need for 13th gen?
You can use any motherboard that belongs to socket LGA 1700, that’s any motherboard that can house the 12th generation Alder Lake CPUs (600 series). And any motherboard designed for the 13th generation CPUs (700 series)
