Core i5-13400F vs Core i7-9750H

Intel

Core i5-13400F

10 Cores16 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.6 GHz2023

Popular choices:

VS
Intel

Core i7-9750H

6 Cores12 Thrd0 WWMax: 4.5 GHz2019

Popular choices:

i5-13400F

Performance Spectrum - CPU

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.

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

  • Better for gaming: +25.7% higher average FPS across 48 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • +66.7% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 12 MB).
  • Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of BGA1440 and DDR4.
  • 100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
  • Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i7-9750H.

Trade-offs

  • Launch MSRP is still $196 MSRP, while Core i7-9750H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Core i7-9750H

2019

Why buy it

    Trade-offs

    • Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-13400F across 48 shared CPU benchmark tests.
    • Lower PassMark (10,611 vs 25,029).
    • Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 20 MB).
    • Older platform position on BGA1440 with DDR4, while Core i5-13400F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
    • No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-13400F.

    Quick Answers

    So, is Core i5-13400F better than Core i7-9750H?
    Yes. Core i5-13400F is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 25.7% average FPS lead across 48 shared CPU game tests in our data, 135.9% 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 i5-13400F is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 25.7% more average FPS across 48 shared CPU game tests.
    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 135.9% better PassMark, backed by 10 cores and 16 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 66.7% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 12 MB).
    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 $196 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 25.7% average FPS lead across 48 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (127.7 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 i5-13400F is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2019), a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of BGA1440, 66.7% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 12 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 10 cores / 16 threads instead of 6/12. That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

    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.

    Path of Exile 2

    Path of Exile 2

    PresetCore i5-13400FCore i7-9750H
    1080p
    low171 FPS179 FPS
    medium158 FPS147 FPS
    high132 FPS119 FPS
    ultra112 FPS97 FPS
    1440p
    low143 FPS152 FPS
    medium123 FPS124 FPS
    high99 FPS100 FPS
    ultra84 FPS82 FPS
    4K
    low81 FPS85 FPS
    medium74 FPS75 FPS
    high59 FPS60 FPS
    ultra46 FPS46 FPS
    Counter-Strike 2

    Counter-Strike 2

    PresetCore i5-13400FCore i7-9750H
    1080p
    low545 FPS265 FPS
    medium464 FPS265 FPS
    high389 FPS265 FPS
    ultra356 FPS265 FPS
    1440p
    low458 FPS265 FPS
    medium403 FPS265 FPS
    high345 FPS265 FPS
    ultra301 FPS241 FPS
    4K
    low280 FPS265 FPS
    medium247 FPS259 FPS
    high231 FPS236 FPS
    ultra204 FPS197 FPS
    League of Legends

    League of Legends

    PresetCore i5-13400FCore i7-9750H
    1080p
    low530 FPS265 FPS
    medium449 FPS265 FPS
    high415 FPS265 FPS
    ultra375 FPS265 FPS
    1440p
    low490 FPS265 FPS
    medium422 FPS265 FPS
    high382 FPS265 FPS
    ultra343 FPS265 FPS
    4K
    low393 FPS265 FPS
    medium331 FPS265 FPS
    high296 FPS265 FPS
    ultra246 FPS239 FPS
    Valorant

    Valorant

    PresetCore i5-13400FCore i7-9750H
    1080p
    low626 FPS265 FPS
    medium626 FPS265 FPS
    high626 FPS265 FPS
    ultra626 FPS265 FPS
    1440p
    low626 FPS265 FPS
    medium626 FPS265 FPS
    high598 FPS265 FPS
    ultra521 FPS265 FPS
    4K
    low535 FPS265 FPS
    medium492 FPS265 FPS
    high439 FPS265 FPS
    ultra382 FPS265 FPS

    Technical Specifications

    Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-13400F and Core i7-9750H

    Intel

    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.

    Intel

    Core i7-9750H

    The Core i7-9750H is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 23 April 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-HR (2019) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1440. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 10,611 points. Launch price was $149.

    Processing Power

    The Core i5-13400F packs 10 cores / 16 threads, while the Core i7-9750H offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Core i5-13400F has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Core i5-13400F versus 4.5 GHz on the Core i7-9750H — a 2.2% clock advantage for the Core i5-13400F (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). The Core i5-13400F uses the Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core i7-9750H uses Coffee Lake-HR (2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-13400F scores 25,029 against the Core i7-9750H's 10,611 — a 80.9% lead for the Core i5-13400F. L3 cache: 20 MB (total) on the Core i5-13400F vs 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-9750H.

    FeatureCore i5-13400FCore i7-9750H
    Cores / Threads
    10 / 16+67%
    6 / 12
    Boost Clock
    4.6 GHz+2%
    4.5 GHz
    Base Clock
    2.5 GHz
    2.6 GHz+4%
    L3 Cache
    20 MB (total)+67%
    12 MB (total)
    L2 Cache
    1.25 MB (per core)+400%
    256K (per core)
    Process
    Intel 7 nm-50%
    14 nm
    Architecture
    Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024)
    Coffee Lake-HR (2019)
    PassMark
    25,029+136%
    10,611
    Cinebench R23 Multi
    16,211
    Geekbench 6 Single
    2,407
    Geekbench 6 Multi
    11,408
    🧠

    Memory & Platform

    The Core i5-13400F uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Core i7-9750H uses BGA1440 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

    FeatureCore i5-13400FCore i7-9750H
    Socket
    LGA1700
    BGA1440
    PCIe Generation
    PCIe 5.0+67%
    PCIe 3.0
    Max RAM Speed
    DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200
    Max RAM Capacity
    192 GB
    RAM Channels
    2
    ECC Support
    No
    PCIe Lanes
    20
    🔧

    Advanced Features

    Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-13400F) / not specified (Core i7-9750H). Primary use case: Core i5-13400F targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-13400F rivals Ryzen 5 7600.

    FeatureCore i5-13400FCore i7-9750H
    Integrated GPU
    No
    Unlocked
    No
    AVX-512
    No
    Virtualization
    VT-x, VT-d
    Target Use
    Gaming