Core i3-13100T vs Ryzen 5 5500U

Core i3-13100T vs Ryzen 5 5500U Performance Spectrum

Core i3-13100T

4 / 8

12,798

+0.5%

12,736

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

About PassMark

PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Core i3-13100T vs Ryzen 5 5500U FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Core i3-13100T vs Ryzen 5 5500U: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Core i3-13100T

2023

Why buy it

✅+0.5% higher PassMark.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB).
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of FP6 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 5500U across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Launch MSRP is still $134 MSRP, while Ryzen 5 5500U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌133.3% higher power demand at 35W vs 15W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 5 5500U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Ryzen 5 5500U

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +6.0% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 15W instead of 35W, a 20W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (12 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with AMD Radeon Graphics (Vega 7), while Core i3-13100T needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (12,736 vs 12,798).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 12 MB).
❌Older platform position on FP6 with DDR4, while Core i3-13100T moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i3-13100T better than Ryzen 5 5500U?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Ryzen 5 5500U is ahead with a 6.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i3-13100T pulls ahead with 0.5% better PassMark. Core i3-13100T also has the bigger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB).

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i3-13100T is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.5% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 8 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB).

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Core i3-13100T is the better buy right now. Core i3-13100T comes in at an unclear MSRP at $134 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.5% better PassMark. The compromise is that Ryzen 5 5500U is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 6.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (95.5 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Core i3-13100T makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2021), a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of FP6, 50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 8 threads instead of 6/12. That gives you a healthier platform runway for motherboard, RAM, and later CPU upgrades.

Core i3-13100T vs Ryzen 5 5500U Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Core i3-13100T

The Core i3-13100T is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 12,798 points. Launch price was $134.

Ryzen 5 5500U

The Ryzen 5 5500U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 12 January 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Lucienne-U (Zen 2) (2021) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 25 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 12,736 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i3-13100T packs 4 cores / 8 threads, while the Ryzen 5 5500U offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Ryzen 5 5500U has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.2 GHz on the Core i3-13100T versus 4 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5500U — a 4.9% clock advantage for the Core i3-13100T (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Core i3-13100T uses the Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen 5 5500U uses Lucienne-U (Zen 2) (2021) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-13100T scores 12,798 against the Ryzen 5 5500U's 12,736 — a 0.5% lead for the Core i3-13100T. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i3-13100T vs 8 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 5500U.

Feature	Core i3-13100T	Ryzen 5 5500U
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	6 / 12+50%
Boost Clock	4.2 GHz+5%	4 GHz
Base Clock	2.5 GHz+19%	2.1 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)+50%	8 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	512K (per core)+40860%
Process	Intel 7 nm	7 nm
Architecture	Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024)	Lucienne-U (Zen 2) (2021)
PassMark	12,798	12,736
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	6,900
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,100
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	5,200

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i3-13100T uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 5 5500U uses FP6 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i3-13100T	Ryzen 5 5500U
Socket	LGA1700	FP6
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+67%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR4 3200 MHz
Max RAM Capacity	—	64 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	No
PCIe Lanes	—	12

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core i3-13100T) / true (Ryzen 5 5500U). The Ryzen 5 5500U includes integrated graphics (AMD Radeon Graphics (Vega 7)), while the Core i3-13100T requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 5 5500U targets Mobile.