Core i5-13400 vs Ryzen 9 5980HX

Core i5-13400 vs Ryzen 9 5980HX Performance Spectrum

Core i5-13400

10 / 16

23,769

+2.0%

23,300

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5975WX

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 i5-13400 vs Ryzen 9 5980HX 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 Ryzen 9 5980HX: 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

✅+2% higher PassMark.
✅+25% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 16 MB).
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of FP6 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 5980HX across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Launch MSRP is still $221 MSRP, while Ryzen 9 5980HX mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌44.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 45W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 9 5980HX can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Ryzen 9 5980HX

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +5.5% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 45W instead of 65W, a 20W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon Graphics (8CU), while Core i5-13400 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (23,300 vs 23,769).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 20 MB).
❌Older platform position on FP6 with DDR4, while Core i5-13400 moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-13400 better than Ryzen 9 5980HX?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Ryzen 9 5980HX is ahead with a 5.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-13400 pulls ahead with 2% better PassMark. Core i5-13400 also has the bigger cache pool with 25% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 16 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-13400 is the stronger fit. You are getting 2% better PassMark, backed by 10 cores and 16 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 25% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 16 MB).

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

Core i5-13400 is the better buy right now. Core i5-13400 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $221 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 2% better PassMark. The compromise is that Ryzen 9 5980HX is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 5.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (107.6 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 i5-13400 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, 25% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 16 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 10 cores / 16 threads instead of 8/16. That gives you a healthier platform runway for motherboard, RAM, and later CPU upgrades.

Core i5-13400 vs Ryzen 9 5980HX 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.

Ryzen 9 5980HX

The Ryzen 9 5980HX is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 12 January 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Cezanne-HX (Zen 3) (2021) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 23,300 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-13400 packs 10 cores / 16 threads, while the Ryzen 9 5980HX offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Core i5-13400 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Core i5-13400 versus 4.8 GHz on the Ryzen 9 5980HX — a 4.3% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 5980HX (base: 2.5 GHz vs 3.3 GHz). The Core i5-13400 uses the Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen 9 5980HX uses Cezanne-HX (Zen 3) (2021) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-13400 scores 23,769 against the Ryzen 9 5980HX's 23,300 — a 2% lead for the Core i5-13400. L3 cache: 20 MB (total) on the Core i5-13400 vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 9 5980HX.

Feature	Core i5-13400	Ryzen 9 5980HX
Cores / Threads	10 / 16+25%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz	4.8 GHz+4%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	3.3 GHz+32%
L3 Cache	20 MB (total)+25%	16 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+150%	512 kB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	7 nm
Architecture	Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024)	Cezanne-HX (Zen 3) (2021)
PassMark	23,769+2%	23,300

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Memory & Platform

The Core i5-13400 uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 9 5980HX uses FP6 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-13400	Ryzen 9 5980HX
Socket	LGA1700	FP6
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+67%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	—	LPDDR4-4266
Max RAM Capacity	—	64 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	No
PCIe Lanes	—	16

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core i5-13400) / AMD-V (Ryzen 9 5980HX). The Ryzen 9 5980HX includes integrated graphics (Radeon Graphics (8CU)), while the Core i5-13400 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 9 5980HX targets Mobile High-End.