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ASUS’s overclocking team reached 9.008 GHz on an Intel Core i9-13900K using liquid helium and an ROG Maximus Z790 Apex motherboard. Announced on December 21, 2022, the result was an extreme-cooling frequency record—not evidence that a retail 13900K can run at 9 GHz in an ordinary PC.
What was the 9 GHz record?
ASUS said its team pushed the 13th-generation Intel Core i9-13900K to 9.008 GHz with an ROG Maximus Z790 Apex motherboard. Intel’s December 21, 2022 newsroom summary confirms the 9.008 GHz figure and identifies the same processor, board and liquid-helium cooling combination. ASUS’s announcement and Intel’s summary describe it as a world-record overclock.
HWBOT’s result discussion lists an elmor submission at 9008.82 MHz, dated December 21, 2022. That more precise submission figure is consistent with the rounded 9.008 GHz reported by ASUS and Intel. HWBOT’s submission discussion provides the result-level reference.
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How did ASUS reach that frequency?
Liquid helium cooling
The attempt relied on liquid helium, not a conventional air cooler, all-in-one liquid cooler or custom water loop. ASUS said the processor could remain consistent at temperatures as low as approximately -250°C during the session. That figure describes the extreme conditions ASUS reported for the record attempt; it is not a recommended operating temperature for a consumer system.
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Motherboard and supporting equipment
The platform used the ROG Maximus Z790 Apex, an enthusiast motherboard intended for overclocking. ASUS also named a ROG Thor 1600W Titanium power supply and ThermalRight TFX thermal compound as supporting equipment. These components formed part of the record setup, but ASUS’s announcement does not establish that any one of them alone produced the result.
Benchmark results
Intel reported two accompanying benchmark times: 6.85 seconds in PIFAST and 3.822 seconds in SUPERPI 1M. These are separate benchmark results, not sustained operating speeds or evidence of everyday performance at 9 GHz.
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- 24 cores (8 P-cores + 16 E-cores) and 32 threads. Integrated Intel UHD Graphics 770 included
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- Up to 6.0 GHz unlocked. 36M Cache
- Compatible with Intel 600 series and 700 series chipset-based motherboards
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Can a normal Core i9-13900K run at 9 GHz?
The cited record announcements do not claim that a retail i9-13900K can safely or reliably sustain 9 GHz in gaming, productivity work or a typical air- or water-cooled PC. The reported frequency came from a specialist session using liquid helium and an enthusiast overclocking board. It should be understood as an extreme, record-focused demonstration rather than a practical setting for a normal computer.
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Quick Recap
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- Stream, create, and compete at the highest levels with industry leading features and the latest hybrid architecture
- 24 cores (8 P-cores + 16 E-cores) and 32 threads
- Up to 5.8 GHz unlocked. 36M Cache
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- Compatible with Intel 600 series (might need BIOS update) and 700 series chipset-based motherboards
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