In a fall crammed with hardware releases, Intel’s new 13th-generation Raptor Lake CPUs may be the most feral of the lot. Raw, unapologetic power is one aspect of it—chipmakers are now shooting as much juice possible through processors to make them scream during tasks, and Intel fully embraces this approach.
But performance isn’t what makes Raptor Lake borderline savage. Certainly, Intel’s latest is impressive, as demonstrated by the top-end Core i9-13900K. The way it posts benchmark numbers brings to mind loud, ferocious American muscle cars.
No, it’s the timing of its arrival. AMD and Intel’s fight for superiority is no longer a genteel, scripted affair. Instead, we’ve moved into blood sport. Several weeks ago, Intel cast a shadow over the launch of AMD’s juggernaut Ryzen 7000 chips by announcing details of its 13th generation. Today, its flagship processor now slips into the lead on multiple fronts—leaving AMD with barely any time to savor the triumph of its Zen 4 release.
A HUGE UPGRADE, GEN ON GEN
Intel’s fresh edge on AMD is a product of substantial improvements on its , which were already
