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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Core i5-10400F

2020

Why buy it

✅Costs $224 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $384 MSRP).
✅Delivers 12.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 81.4 vs 72.6 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $384 MSRP).
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i7-13700T.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-13700T across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (8,191 vs 11,611).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 30 MB).
❌85.7% higher power demand at 65W vs 35W.
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while Core i7-13700T moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Core i7-13700T

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +58.4% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+150% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Draws 35W instead of 65W, a 30W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.
✅25% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 72.6 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($384 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Core i5-10400F

2020

Core i7-13700T

2023

Why buy it

✅Costs $224 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $384 MSRP).
✅Delivers 12.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 81.4 vs 72.6 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $384 MSRP).
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i7-13700T.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +58.4% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+150% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Draws 35W instead of 65W, a 30W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.
✅25% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-13700T across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (8,191 vs 11,611).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 30 MB).
❌85.7% higher power demand at 65W vs 35W.
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while Core i7-13700T moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 72.6 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($384 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-13700T better than Core i5-10400F?

Yes. Core i7-13700T is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 58.4% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data, 41.8% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, 114.1% higher PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i7-13700T is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 58.4% more average FPS across 2 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-13700T is the better fit. You are getting 41.8% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 16 cores and 24 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 150% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 12 MB).

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

Core i7-13700T is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-10400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i7-13700T is 140.0% more expensive on MSRP at $384 MSRP versus $160 MSRP, and it gives you a 58.4% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-10400F is also 12.1% better value on MSRP (81.4 vs 72.6 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible LGA1200 + DDR4 setup, Core i5-10400F can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap.

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

Core i7-13700T is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2020), a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of LGA1200, 150% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 12 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 16 cores / 24 threads instead of 6/12. That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

Games Benchmarks

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Core i5-10400F Benchmark Check

Core i7-13700T Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-13700T
1080p
low	192 FPS	264 FPS
medium	152 FPS	254 FPS
high	123 FPS	210 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	181 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	225 FPS
medium	119 FPS	193 FPS
high	97 FPS	153 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	135 FPS
4K
low	82 FPS	154 FPS
medium	70 FPS	131 FPS
high	55 FPS	101 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	90 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i7-13700T

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-13700T
1080p
low	326 FPS	311 FPS
medium	318 FPS	266 FPS
high	290 FPS	223 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	205 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	258 FPS
medium	292 FPS	228 FPS
high	267 FPS	197 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	172 FPS
4K
low	309 FPS	160 FPS
medium	258 FPS	143 FPS
high	235 FPS	134 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	119 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i7-13700T

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-13700T
1080p
low	326 FPS	647 FPS
medium	326 FPS	526 FPS
high	326 FPS	465 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	404 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	588 FPS
medium	326 FPS	484 FPS
high	326 FPS	423 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	368 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	431 FPS
medium	326 FPS	370 FPS
high	289 FPS	332 FPS
ultra	229 FPS	283 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i7-13700T

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-13700T
1080p
low	326 FPS	697 FPS
medium	326 FPS	697 FPS
high	326 FPS	697 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	629 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	697 FPS
medium	326 FPS	685 FPS
high	326 FPS	592 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	516 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	543 FPS
medium	326 FPS	492 FPS
high	326 FPS	438 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	382 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i7-13700T

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-10400F and Core i7-13700T

Core i5-10400F

The Core i5-10400F is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 30 April 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.9 GHz, with boost up to 4.3 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 13,029 points. Launch price was $155.

Core i7-13700T

The Core i7-13700T 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 16 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 1.4 GHz, with boost up to 4.9 GHz. L3 cache: 30 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-5600, DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 27,890 points. Launch price was $384.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-10400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i7-13700T offers 16 cores / 24 threads — the Core i7-13700T has 10 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-10400F versus 4.9 GHz on the Core i7-13700T — a 13% clock advantage for the Core i7-13700T (base: 2.9 GHz vs 1.4 GHz). The Core i5-10400F uses the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i7-13700T uses Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-10400F scores 13,029 against the Core i7-13700T's 27,890 — a 72.6% lead for the Core i7-13700T. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 8,191 vs 11,611 (34.5% advantage for the Core i7-13700T). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,454 vs 2,537, a 54.3% lead for the Core i7-13700T that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 5,783 vs 15,020 (88.8% advantage for the Core i7-13700T). L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-10400F vs 30 MB (total) on the Core i7-13700T.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-13700T
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	16 / 24+167%
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz	4.9 GHz+14%
Base Clock	2.9 GHz+107%	1.4 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	30 MB (total)+150%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	2 MB (per core)+700%
Process	14 nm	Intel 7 nm-50%
Architecture	Comet Lake (2020−2025)	Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024)
PassMark	13,029	27,890+114%
Cinebench R23 Multi	8,191	11,611+42%
Geekbench 6 Single	1,454	2,537+74%
Geekbench 6 Multi	5,783	15,020+160%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-10400F uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-13700T uses LGA1700 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2666 on the Core i5-10400F versus DDR5-5600 on the Core i7-13700T — the Core i7-13700T supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i7-13700T supports up to 192 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 40% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i5-10400F) vs 20 (Core i7-13700T) — the Core i7-13700T offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H410,B460,H470,Z490,H510,B560,H570,Z590 (Core i5-10400F) and Z790,B760,H770,H710 (Core i7-13700T).

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-13700T
Socket	LGA1200	LGA1700
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	DDR5-5600+25%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	192 GB+50%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	16	20+25%

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. The Core i7-13700T includes integrated graphics (UHD 770), while the Core i5-10400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming, Core i7-13700T targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600; Core i7-13700T rivals Ryzen 7 7700.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-13700T
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	UHD 770
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	Gaming	Gaming

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-10400F launched at $160 MSRP, while the Core i7-13700T debuted at $384. On MSRP ($160 vs $384), the Core i5-10400F is $224 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-10400F delivers 81.4 pts/$ vs 72.6 pts/$ for the Core i7-13700T — making the Core i5-10400F the 11.4% better value option.