Anyone looking to build a PC in the near future knows it’s going to be expensive. Between the advancements to PCIe 5.0 and ATX 3.0 for motherboards and power supplies, respectively, and the newly announced expensive new AMD processors and Nvidia GPUs, the next generation is looking like a tough time for bargain hunters. Enter Intel, releasing new Core CPUs that have barely changed in price and new Arc GPUs that look incredibly competitive. Gordon Mah Ung and HotHardware’s special guest Dave Altavilla examine this news in our latest YouTube video.
If you’re looking for cores, Intel has really stepped up their game. At the top end, the Core i9-13900K jumped from 16 to 24 total cores, handily outperforming the top-of-the-line Ryzen 9 7950X. Even in the mid-range, the new Core i5-13600K includes 14 cores (6 performance, 8 efficiency) for the 6 “big” cores of the Ryzen 5 7600X. And despite previously claiming that its chips will be more expensive, the only one that gets a price bump is the low-end i5 for just $30 more. It seems that after a few years of letting AMD win the value game, Intel is ready to move forward.
Of course, all these comparisons are before we get direct benchmarks for Intel Core versus AMD Ryzen this generation. In Dave’s words, “It’s going to be a duel.”
Now, how about those graphics cards? After a much-delayed launch, Intel has announced that the flagship Arc A770 desktop GPU will arrive on October 12 for $329. With Intel targeting the more budget-minded gamer, even its most powerful card is only being compared to Nvidia. RTX 3060 or AMD RX 6600 XT (around the mid-low range of AMD and Nvidia). But that said, the retail price is dropping below its rivals by a solid $50.
Intel has a lot to prove as a newcomer to a duopoly that has been going strong for decades. As Dave says, “They’re competing with the juggernauts.” It makes sense for Intel to compete on price, especially as its game drivers can make it difficult to outperform established players on performance.
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