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 i5-13400F

2023

Why buy it

✅+9.1% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i5-13600H.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-13600H across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Launch MSRP is still $196 MSRP, while Core i5-13600H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌44.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 45W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-13600H can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i5-13600H

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +19.4% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 45W instead of 65W, a 20W reduction.
✅40% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Iris Xe Graphics 80EU, while Core i5-13400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (14,857 vs 16,211).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-13400F.

Core i5-13400F

2023

Core i5-13600H

2023

Why buy it

✅+9.1% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i5-13600H.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +19.4% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 45W instead of 65W, a 20W reduction.
✅40% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Iris Xe Graphics 80EU, while Core i5-13400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-13600H across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Launch MSRP is still $196 MSRP, while Core i5-13600H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌44.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 45W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-13600H can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (14,857 vs 16,211).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-13400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-13400F better than Core i5-13600H?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core i5-13600H is ahead with a 19.4% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-13400F pulls ahead with 9.1% better Cinebench R23 multi-core.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-13400F is the better fit. You are getting 9.1% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 10 cores and 16 threads.

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

Core i5-13400F is the smarter buy today. Core i5-13400F is at an unclear MSRP at $196 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you 9.1% better Cinebench R23 multi-core. The trade-off is that Core i5-13600H is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 19.4% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (127.7 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 i5-13600H is the safer long-term CPU choice because it gives you more overall headroom and a better platform outlook.

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 i5-13400F Benchmark Check

Core i5-13600H Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Core i5-13600H
1080p
low	171 FPS	291 FPS
medium	158 FPS	259 FPS
high	132 FPS	218 FPS
ultra	112 FPS	188 FPS
1440p
low	143 FPS	239 FPS
medium	123 FPS	191 FPS
high	99 FPS	157 FPS
ultra	84 FPS	138 FPS
4K
low	81 FPS	166 FPS
medium	74 FPS	135 FPS
high	59 FPS	104 FPS
ultra	46 FPS	91 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Core i5-13600H

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Core i5-13600H
1080p
low	545 FPS	582 FPS
medium	464 FPS	544 FPS
high	389 FPS	446 FPS
ultra	356 FPS	402 FPS
1440p
low	458 FPS	555 FPS
medium	403 FPS	469 FPS
high	345 FPS	393 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	337 FPS
4K
low	280 FPS	341 FPS
medium	247 FPS	291 FPS
high	231 FPS	267 FPS
ultra	204 FPS	235 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Core i5-13600H

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Core i5-13600H
1080p
low	530 FPS	582 FPS
medium	449 FPS	582 FPS
high	415 FPS	582 FPS
ultra	375 FPS	582 FPS
1440p
low	490 FPS	582 FPS
medium	422 FPS	582 FPS
high	382 FPS	582 FPS
ultra	343 FPS	507 FPS
4K
low	393 FPS	582 FPS
medium	331 FPS	499 FPS
high	296 FPS	445 FPS
ultra	246 FPS	376 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Core i5-13600H

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Core i5-13600H
1080p
low	626 FPS	582 FPS
medium	626 FPS	582 FPS
high	626 FPS	582 FPS
ultra	626 FPS	582 FPS
1440p
low	626 FPS	582 FPS
medium	626 FPS	582 FPS
high	598 FPS	582 FPS
ultra	521 FPS	582 FPS
4K
low	535 FPS	582 FPS
medium	492 FPS	558 FPS
high	439 FPS	502 FPS
ultra	382 FPS	433 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Core i5-13600H

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-13400F and Core i5-13600H

Core i5-13400F

The Core i5-13400F 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, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 25,029 points. Launch price was $196.

Core i5-13600H

The Core i5-13600H is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-H (2023−2024) architecture. It features 12 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 18 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1744. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-5200, DDR4-3200, LPDDR4x-4267. Passmark benchmark score: 23,291 points. Launch price was $311.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-13400F packs 10 cores / 16 threads, while the Core i5-13600H offers 12 cores / 16 threads — the Core i5-13600H has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Core i5-13400F versus 4.8 GHz on the Core i5-13600H — a 4.3% clock advantage for the Core i5-13600H (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The Core i5-13400F uses the Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core i5-13600H uses Raptor Lake-H (2023−2024) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-13400F scores 25,029 against the Core i5-13600H's 23,291 — a 7.2% lead for the Core i5-13400F. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 16,211 vs 14,857 (8.7% advantage for the Core i5-13400F). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,407 vs 2,423, a 0.7% lead for the Core i5-13600H that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 11,408 vs 9,684 (16.3% advantage for the Core i5-13400F). L3 cache: 20 MB (total) on the Core i5-13400F vs 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-13600H.

Feature	Core i5-13400F	Core i5-13600H
Cores / Threads	10 / 16	12 / 16+20%
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz	4.8 GHz+4%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	2.8 GHz+12%
L3 Cache	20 MB (total)+11%	18 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	2 MB (per core)+60%
Process	Intel 7 nm	Intel 7 nm
Architecture	Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024)	Raptor Lake-H (2023−2024)
PassMark	25,029+7%	23,291
Cinebench R23 Multi	16,211+9%	14,857
Geekbench 6 Single	2,407	2,423
Geekbench 6 Multi	11,408+18%	9,684

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-13400F uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Core i5-13600H uses FCBGA1744 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 memory speed. The Core i5-13400F supports up to 192 GB of RAM compared to 96 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-13400F) vs 28 (Core i5-13600H) — the Core i5-13600H offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	Core i5-13400F	Core i5-13600H
Socket	LGA1700	FCBGA1744
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200	DDR5-5200, DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB+100%	96 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	20	28+40%

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-13400F) vs VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-13600H). The Core i5-13600H includes integrated graphics (Iris Xe Graphics 80EU), while the Core i5-13400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-13400F targets Gaming, Core i5-13600H targets High performance laptop. Direct competitor: Core i5-13400F rivals Ryzen 5 7600; Core i5-13600H rivals Ryzen 7 7840HS.

Feature	Core i5-13400F	Core i5-13600H
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	Iris Xe Graphics 80EU
Unlocked	No	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d, EPT
Target Use	Gaming	High performance laptop