Core i5-13400 vs M4 (10 cores)

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 i5-13400 vs M4 (10 cores) 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 i5-13400 vs M4 (10 cores): Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Core i5-13400

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +4.2% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (23,769 vs 23,784).
❌Launch MSRP is still $221 MSRP, while M4 (10 cores) mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌1525% higher power demand at 65W vs 4W.

M4 (10 cores)

2024

Why buy it

✅+0.1% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 4W instead of 65W, a 61W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-13400 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Quick Answers

So, is M4 (10 cores) better than Core i5-13400?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Core i5-13400 is ahead with a 4.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, M4 (10 cores) pulls ahead with 0.1% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, M4 (10 cores) is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.1% better PassMark, backed by 10 cores and 10 threads.

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

M4 (10 cores) is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-13400 is easier to justify if budget matters more than peak performance. M4 (10 cores) comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $221 MSRP, and it still gives you 0.1% better PassMark. The compromise is that Core i5-13400 is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 4.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-13400 is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (107.6 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it can still make sense for tighter-budget builds on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible LGA1700 + DDR5 setup, Core i5-13400 can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap, but on MSRP alone you would want to find it meaningfully cheaper in real-world listings before that path becomes easy to justify.

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

M4 (10 cores) makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2023) and more multi-core headroom with 10 cores / 10 threads instead of 10/16. That gives you a healthier platform runway for motherboard, RAM, and later CPU upgrades.

Core i5-13400 vs M4 (10 cores) Technical Specifications

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

Core i5-13400

The Core i5-13400 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 10 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 20 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: 23,769 points. Launch price was $221.

M4 (10 cores)

The M4 (10 cores) is manufactured by Apple. It was released in 7 May 2024 (1 year ago). It features 10 cores and 10 threads. Base frequency is 2.89 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L2 cache: 4 MB. Built on 3 nm process technology. Socket: none. Thermal design power (TDP): 4 MB. Memory support: LPDDR5x. Passmark benchmark score: 23,784 points. Launch price was $299.

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Processing Power

The Core i5-13400 packs 10 cores / 16 threads, matching the M4 (10 cores)'s 10 cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Core i5-13400 versus 4.4 GHz on the M4 (10 cores) — a 4.4% clock advantage for the Core i5-13400 (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2.89 GHz). The Core i5-13400 is built on the Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024) architecture. In PassMark, the Core i5-13400 scores 23,769 against the M4 (10 cores)'s 23,784 — a 0.1% lead for the M4 (10 cores).

Feature	Core i5-13400	M4 (10 cores)
Cores / Threads	10 / 16	10 / 10
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz+5%	4.4 GHz
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	2.89 GHz+16%
L3 Cache	20 MB (total)	—
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	4 MB+220%
Process	Intel 7 nm	3 nm-57%
Architecture	Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024)	—
PassMark	23,769	23,784

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Memory & Platform

The Core i5-13400 uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the M4 (10 cores) uses none (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.