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

✅Costs $59 less on MSRP ($196 MSRP vs $255 MSRP).
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i5-14600.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-14600 across 8 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (25,029 vs 32,319).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (20 MB vs 24 MB).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-14600 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i5-14600

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +10.2% higher average FPS across 8 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+20% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 20 MB).
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 770, while Core i5-13400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌
30.1% HIGHER MSRP
$255 MSRPvs$196 MSRP
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-13400F.

Core i5-13400F

2023

Core i5-14600

2024

Why buy it

✅Costs $59 less on MSRP ($196 MSRP vs $255 MSRP).
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i5-14600.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +10.2% higher average FPS across 8 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+20% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 20 MB).
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 770, while Core i5-13400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-14600 across 8 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (25,029 vs 32,319).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (20 MB vs 24 MB).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-14600 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌
30.1% HIGHER MSRP
$255 MSRPvs$196 MSRP
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-13400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-14600 better than Core i5-13400F?

Yes. Core i5-14600 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 10.2% average FPS lead across 8 shared CPU game tests in our data, 29.1% better 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 i5-14600 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 10.2% more average FPS across 8 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-14600 is the better fit. You are getting 29.1% better PassMark, backed by 14 cores and 20 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 20% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 20 MB).

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

Core i5-14600 is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-13400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i5-14600 is 30.1% more expensive on MSRP at $255 MSRP versus $196 MSRP, and it gives you a 10.2% average FPS lead across 8 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-13400F is also 0.8% better value on MSRP (127.7 vs 126.7 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

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

Core i5-14600 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2023), 20% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 20 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 14 cores / 20 threads instead of 10/16. 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 i5-13400F Benchmark Check

Core i5-14600 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Core i5-14600
1080p
low	171 FPS	259 FPS
medium	158 FPS	249 FPS
high	132 FPS	207 FPS
ultra	112 FPS	177 FPS
1440p
low	143 FPS	221 FPS
medium	123 FPS	190 FPS
high	99 FPS	151 FPS
ultra	84 FPS	132 FPS
4K
low	81 FPS	152 FPS
medium	74 FPS	130 FPS
high	59 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	46 FPS	88 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Core i5-14600

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Core i5-14600
1080p
low	545 FPS	615 FPS
medium	464 FPS	522 FPS
high	389 FPS	444 FPS
ultra	356 FPS	406 FPS
1440p
low	458 FPS	531 FPS
medium	403 FPS	467 FPS
high	345 FPS	398 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	343 FPS
4K
low	280 FPS	312 FPS
medium	247 FPS	280 FPS
high	231 FPS	267 FPS
ultra	204 FPS	234 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Core i5-14600

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Core i5-14600
1080p
low	530 FPS	647 FPS
medium	449 FPS	530 FPS
high	415 FPS	466 FPS
ultra	375 FPS	404 FPS
1440p
low	490 FPS	590 FPS
medium	422 FPS	490 FPS
high	382 FPS	426 FPS
ultra	343 FPS	370 FPS
4K
low	393 FPS	433 FPS
medium	331 FPS	374 FPS
high	296 FPS	339 FPS
ultra	246 FPS	290 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Core i5-14600

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Core i5-14600
1080p
low	626 FPS	808 FPS
medium	626 FPS	808 FPS
high	626 FPS	726 FPS
ultra	626 FPS	652 FPS
1440p
low	626 FPS	788 FPS
medium	626 FPS	703 FPS
high	598 FPS	608 FPS
ultra	521 FPS	536 FPS
4K
low	535 FPS	539 FPS
medium	492 FPS	490 FPS
high	439 FPS	438 FPS
ultra	382 FPS	382 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Core i5-14600

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-13400F and Core i5-14600

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 i5-14600

The Core i5-14600 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 8 January 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-R (2023−2025) architecture. It features 14 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 5.2 GHz. L3 cache: 24 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-5600, DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 32,319 points. Launch price was $255.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-13400F packs 10 cores / 16 threads, while the Core i5-14600 offers 14 cores / 20 threads — the Core i5-14600 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Core i5-13400F versus 5.2 GHz on the Core i5-14600 — a 12.2% clock advantage for the Core i5-14600 (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2.7 GHz). The Core i5-13400F uses the Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core i5-14600 uses Raptor Lake-R (2023−2025) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-13400F scores 25,029 against the Core i5-14600's 32,319 — a 25.4% lead for the Core i5-14600. L3 cache: 20 MB (total) on the Core i5-13400F vs 24 MB (total) on the Core i5-14600.

Feature	Core i5-13400F	Core i5-14600
Cores / Threads	10 / 16	14 / 20+40%
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz	5.2 GHz+13%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	2.7 GHz+8%
L3 Cache	20 MB (total)	24 MB (total)+20%
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-R (2023−2025)
PassMark	25,029	32,319+29%
Cinebench R23 Multi	16,211	—
Geekbench 6 Single	2,407	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	11,408	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the LGA1700 socket with PCIe 5.0. Both support up to DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 memory speed. Both support up to 192 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 20 PCIe lanes.

Feature	Core i5-13400F	Core i5-14600
Socket	LGA1700	LGA1700
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200	DDR5-5600
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB	192 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. The Core i5-14600 includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 770), while the Core i5-13400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-13400F targets Gaming, Core i5-14600 targets Desktop. Direct competitor: Core i5-13400F rivals Ryzen 5 7600.

Feature	Core i5-13400F	Core i5-14600
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	UHD Graphics 770
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	Gaming	Desktop

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-13400F launched at $196 MSRP, while the Core i5-14600 debuted at $255. On MSRP ($196 vs $255), the Core i5-13400F is $59 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-13400F delivers 127.7 pts/$ vs 126.7 pts/$ for the Core i5-14600 — making the Core i5-13400F the 0.8% better value option.