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With the release of the Intel Core i9 13980HX, Intel’s newest CPU, the company is pushing the envelope farther in the rapidly changing world of high-performance computing. This processor, positioned as a flagship model, is made to meet the needs of power users, content creators, and gamers in equal measure. We will explore the many aspects of the Intel Core i9 13980HX in this review, looking at its power efficiency, performance numbers, architecture, and overall user experience.

Two generations ago, the traditional wisdom around laptop shopping was still relevant. It makes sense to advise customers to purchase one generation back in order to save money. There was a performance gap, but it was never significant enough to worry about being pound-wise but foolish with pennies.

That way of thinking was challenged by Intel’s 12th generation Alder Lake CPUs, and the announcement by Team Blue of its brand-new flagship laptop processor, the Intel Core i9 13980HX, only served to solidify the new global order. It’s a monster of a CPU, with 24 cores, 32 threads, and a maximum turbo speed of 5.6GHz.

It has remarkable performance capabilities, just like its desktop equivalents. Though you would be sacrificing the best chip available right now for heavy workloads while on the go, you could purchase an Alder Lake notebook.

Intel Core i9 13980HX Specifications

Based on Intel’s state-of-the-art architecture, which combines cutting-edge technology and design ideas, is the Intel Core i9 13980HX. It has a strong design that combines high-performance cores, cutting-edge AI capabilities, and increased power efficiency, all while utilizing a refined 10nm SuperFin technology.

One of the Raptor Lake-HX series’ swiftest high-end mobile processors is the Intel Core i9 13980HX. Its base is the desktop Core i9-13000K, which has a total of 24 cores and 32 threads.

It was first unveiled in early 2023. Eight Raptor Cove performance cores (P-cores) with a base frequency of 2.2 GHz and a single core turbo frequency of 5.6 GHz are equipped with HyperThreading. The sixteen Gracemont cores are efficiency-optimized, slower, and smaller. Their clock speeds range from 4 GHz (Turbo) to 1.6 GHz (Base).

Raptor Lake provides more E-Cores (same as Gracemont micro-architecture) and better P-Cores (Raptor Cove micro-architecture) than Alder Lake. Moreover, faster DDR5 memory—up to 5600 MHz for the Intel Core i9 13980HX—is supported by the chip.

The Intel Core i9 13980HX is a powerful processor with an octa-core, sixteen-thread architecture. This corresponds to eight powerful cores that can effectively manage workloads in parallel. Support for hyper-threading guarantees best use of available resources, allowing for smooth multitasking and enhanced performance in threaded programs.

Intel Core i9 13980HX Performance

You can move on to your next assignment more quickly if you can tear through renders, encodes, and other heavy workloads quickly. Furthermore, the Intel Core i9 13980HX currently consumes its queue faster than any other mobile processor. 

Raptor Lake’s advantages over Alder Lake in laptops are nearly identical to those of desktops, with notable increases in performance. No civilized victory here; 13th generation has a sizable advantage over 12th generation. We observed a 32–40% improvement in our rendering tests using Cinebench R23, Blender, and V-Ray. The multithreaded test in Cinebench R23 showed the largest gain.

Handbrake tells a similar (though less spectacular) tale when we feed it a big 4K mov file to be compressed into a smaller H.265 file. Approximately 25% faster, the encode is completed with the Intel Core i9 13980HX.

As you increase the thread count, the performance gains also become more noticeable, as demonstrated by the thread scaling performance test conducted in Cinebench R23. Lower double-digit increases are seen in lightly threaded tasks, but as you move into strongly threaded region, the jumps become much larger.

The last unanswered question regarding the 13980HK is how it will stack up against the impending arrival of AMD’s finest mobile processor, the Ryzen 9 7945HX, which is also expected to be a formidable chip. When the two flagship mobile parts face off in the near future, drama is to be expected.

It might be challenging to gauge a laptop’s precise CPU performance in games, in contrast to desktop computers. It’s rare to find two notebooks with identical GPUs but different processor generations—much less from the same manufacturer and model range.

This also applied to the computers we used for benchmarking. Though not the same, they were comparable. A 12-generation Core i9-12900HX laptop with an Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti was one of the last-generation MSI Titan GT77 laptops. The other one? a modern MSI Titan GT77 equipped with an Nvidia RTX 4090 and a Intel Core i9 13980HX.

You probably already know that a CPU like the 13980HX is overkill for applications like Microsoft Office apps and web browsing if you routinely follow processor news and launches. Actually, ridiculous overkill for the vast majority of individuals.

Intel Core i9 13980HX General Information

Product Collection	13th Generation Intel® Core™ i9 Processors
Code Name	Products formerly RAPTOR LAKE
Vertical Segment	Mobile
Processor Number	i9-13980HX
Lithography	Intel 7
Recommended Customer Price	$668.00

Intel Core i9 13980HX CPU Information

Total Cores	24
# of Performance-cores	8
# of Efficient-cores	16
Total Threads	32
Max Turbo Frequency	5.60 GHz
Intel® Thermal Velocity Boost Frequency	5.60 GHz
Intel® Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 Frequency	5.50 GHz
Performance-core Max Turbo Frequency	5.60 GHz
Efficient-core Max Turbo Frequency	4.00 GHz
Cache	36 MB Intel® Smart Cache
Total L2 Cache	32 MB
Processor Base Power	55 W
Maximum Turbo Power	157 W
Minimum Assured Power	45 W

Intel Core i9 13980HX Conclusion

To sum up, the Intel Core i9 13980HX is a strong competitor in the field of high-performance computing. Its multi-core capabilities, remarkable clock speeds, and sophisticated architecture make it an adaptable option for a variety of users. Whether you’re a power user doing intricate multitasking, a content developer needing quick rendering times, or a gamer pushing the boundaries of graphical fidelity, the Intel Core i9 13980HX offers an impressive performance.

Even though the CPU is more expensive, those who require the highest level of processing capability will find that its capabilities make the purchase worthwhile. Like any high-end part, the i9-13980HX’s maximum potential depends on the entire system design, which includes the GPU selection and cooling methods.