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 i5-12400F

2022

Why buy it

✅Costs $68 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $242 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-13500 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (12,380 vs 20,924).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 24 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 112.3 vs 128.5 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $242 MSRP).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-13500 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i5-13500

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +4.0% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 18 MB).
✅Delivers 14.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 128.5 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($242 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics 770, while Core i5-12400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌
39.1% HIGHER MSRP
$242 MSRPvs$174 MSRP

Core i5-12400F

2022

Core i5-13500

2023

Why buy it

✅Costs $68 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $242 MSRP).

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +4.0% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 18 MB).
✅Delivers 14.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 128.5 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($242 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics 770, while Core i5-12400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-13500 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (12,380 vs 20,924).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 24 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 112.3 vs 128.5 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $242 MSRP).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-13500 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌
39.1% HIGHER MSRP
$242 MSRPvs$174 MSRP

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-13500 better than Core i5-12400F?

Yes. Core i5-13500 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 4.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 69% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, 59.3% 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 i5-13500 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 4.0% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-13500 is the better fit. You are getting 69% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 14 cores and 20 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 33.3% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 18 MB).

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

Core i5-13500 is the smarter buy today. Core i5-13500 is 39.1% more expensive on MSRP at $242 MSRP versus $174 MSRP, and it gives you a 4.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 14.5% better value on MSRP (128.5 vs 112.3 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

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

Core i5-13500 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2022), 33.3% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 18 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 14 cores / 20 threads instead of 6/12. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

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 i5-12400F Benchmark Check

Core i5-13500 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i5-13500
1080p
low	183 FPS	260 FPS
medium	168 FPS	250 FPS
high	139 FPS	208 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	179 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	222 FPS
medium	132 FPS	191 FPS
high	106 FPS	153 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	135 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	154 FPS
medium	81 FPS	131 FPS
high	64 FPS	101 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	89 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i5-13500

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i5-13500
1080p
low	471 FPS	556 FPS
medium	397 FPS	471 FPS
high	341 FPS	400 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	368 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	458 FPS
medium	351 FPS	403 FPS
high	309 FPS	350 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	306 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	281 FPS
medium	248 FPS	248 FPS
high	229 FPS	234 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	208 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i5-13500

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i5-13500
1080p
low	488 FPS	648 FPS
medium	488 FPS	527 FPS
high	488 FPS	467 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	405 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	590 FPS
medium	488 FPS	486 FPS
high	485 FPS	425 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	370 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	433 FPS
medium	389 FPS	372 FPS
high	337 FPS	333 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	285 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i5-13500

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i5-13500
1080p
low	488 FPS	778 FPS
medium	488 FPS	778 FPS
high	488 FPS	726 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	644 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	778 FPS
medium	488 FPS	702 FPS
high	488 FPS	608 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	528 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	555 FPS
medium	450 FPS	504 FPS
high	391 FPS	449 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	390 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i5-13500

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Core i5-13500

Core i5-12400F

The Core i5-12400F is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 January 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 18 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 19,532 points. Launch price was $180.

Core i5-13500

The Core i5-13500 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 14 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 24 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 31,109 points. Launch price was $242.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i5-13500 offers 14 cores / 20 threads — the Core i5-13500 has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 4.8 GHz on the Core i5-13500 — a 8.7% clock advantage for the Core i5-13500 (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Core i5-12400F uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core i5-13500 uses Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Core i5-13500's 31,109 — a 45.7% lead for the Core i5-13500. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 12,380 vs 20,924 (51.3% advantage for the Core i5-13500). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,700 vs 2,419, a 34.9% lead for the Core i5-13500 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 657 vs 12,160 (179.5% advantage for the Core i5-13500). L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 24 MB (total) on the Core i5-13500.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i5-13500
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	14 / 20+133%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	4.8 GHz+9%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	2.5 GHz
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)	24 MB (total)+33%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	1.25 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	Intel 7 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024)
PassMark	19,532	31,109+59%
Cinebench R23 Multi	12,380	20,924+69%
Geekbench 6 Single	1,700	2,419+42%
Geekbench 6 Multi	657	12,160+1751%

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the LGA1700 socket with PCIe 3.0. Both support up to DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 memory speed. The Core i5-13500 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. Both provide 20 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-12400F) and Z790,B760,Z690,B660 (Core i5-13500).

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i5-13500
Socket	LGA1700	LGA1700
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200	DDR5-4800
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	192 GB+50%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Both support VT-x, VT-d, EPT virtualization. The Core i5-13500 includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics 770), while the Core i5-12400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value, Core i5-13500 targets High-end Productivity / Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600; Core i5-13500 rivals Ryzen 7 7700.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i5-13500
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	Intel UHD Graphics 770
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	VT-x, VT-d, EPT
Target Use	Gaming Performance/Value	High-end Productivity / Gaming

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-12400F launched at $174 MSRP, while the Core i5-13500 debuted at $242. On MSRP ($174 vs $242), the Core i5-12400F is $68 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-12400F delivers 112.3 pts/$ vs 128.5 pts/$ for the Core i5-13500 — making the Core i5-13500 the 13.5% better value option.