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

✅+11.9% higher PassMark.
✅Costs $394 less on MSRP ($196 MSRP vs $590 MSRP).
✅Delivers 236.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 127.7 vs 37.9 PassMark/$ ($196 MSRP vs $590 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 165W, a 100W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA2066 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-10900X across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Core i9-10900X

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +8.7% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (22,377 vs 25,029).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 37.9 vs 127.7 PassMark/$ ($590 MSRP vs $196 MSRP).
❌153.8% higher power demand at 165W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on LGA2066 with DDR4, while Core i5-13400F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-13400F.

Core i5-13400F

2023

Core i9-10900X

2019

Why buy it

✅+11.9% higher PassMark.
✅Costs $394 less on MSRP ($196 MSRP vs $590 MSRP).
✅Delivers 236.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 127.7 vs 37.9 PassMark/$ ($196 MSRP vs $590 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 165W, a 100W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA2066 and DDR4.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +8.7% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-10900X across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (22,377 vs 25,029).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 37.9 vs 127.7 PassMark/$ ($590 MSRP vs $196 MSRP).
❌153.8% higher power demand at 165W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on LGA2066 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 i9-10900X?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core i9-10900X is ahead with a 8.7% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-13400F pulls ahead with 11.9% better PassMark.

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 11.9% better PassMark, 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 $394 cheaper on MSRP at $196 MSRP versus $590 MSRP, and it gives you 11.9% better PassMark. The trade-off is that Core i9-10900X is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 8.7% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 236.7% better value on MSRP (127.7 vs 37.9 PassMark/$), 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 LGA2066, and more multi-core headroom with 10 cores / 16 threads instead of 10/20. 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.

Core i5-13400F Benchmark Check

Core i9-10900X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Core i9-10900X
1080p
low	171 FPS	186 FPS
medium	158 FPS	147 FPS
high	132 FPS	121 FPS
ultra	112 FPS	98 FPS
1440p
low	143 FPS	155 FPS
medium	123 FPS	120 FPS
high	99 FPS	98 FPS
ultra	84 FPS	80 FPS
4K
low	81 FPS	84 FPS
medium	74 FPS	71 FPS
high	59 FPS	57 FPS
ultra	46 FPS	45 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Core i9-10900X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Core i9-10900X
1080p
low	545 FPS	539 FPS
medium	464 FPS	447 FPS
high	389 FPS	371 FPS
ultra	356 FPS	335 FPS
1440p
low	458 FPS	467 FPS
medium	403 FPS	399 FPS
high	345 FPS	334 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	290 FPS
4K
low	280 FPS	290 FPS
medium	247 FPS	249 FPS
high	231 FPS	228 FPS
ultra	204 FPS	200 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Core i9-10900X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Core i9-10900X
1080p
low	530 FPS	559 FPS
medium	449 FPS	559 FPS
high	415 FPS	559 FPS
ultra	375 FPS	529 FPS
1440p
low	490 FPS	559 FPS
medium	422 FPS	559 FPS
high	382 FPS	514 FPS
ultra	343 FPS	438 FPS
4K
low	393 FPS	529 FPS
medium	331 FPS	437 FPS
high	296 FPS	390 FPS
ultra	246 FPS	325 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Core i9-10900X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Core i9-10900X
1080p
low	626 FPS	559 FPS
medium	626 FPS	559 FPS
high	626 FPS	559 FPS
ultra	626 FPS	559 FPS
1440p
low	626 FPS	559 FPS
medium	626 FPS	559 FPS
high	598 FPS	559 FPS
ultra	521 FPS	559 FPS
4K
low	535 FPS	559 FPS
medium	492 FPS	545 FPS
high	439 FPS	489 FPS
ultra	382 FPS	426 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Core i9-10900X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-13400F and Core i9-10900X

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 i9-10900X

The Core i9-10900X is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 October 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Cascade Lake-X (2019) architecture. It features 10 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.7 GHz. L3 cache: 19.25 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2066. Thermal design power (TDP): 165 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2933. Passmark benchmark score: 22,377 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-13400F packs 10 cores / 16 threads, matching the Core i9-10900X's 10 cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Core i5-13400F versus 4.7 GHz on the Core i9-10900X — a 2.2% clock advantage for the Core i9-10900X (base: 2.5 GHz vs 3.7 GHz). The Core i5-13400F uses the Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core i9-10900X uses Cascade Lake-X (2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-13400F scores 25,029 against the Core i9-10900X's 22,377 — a 11.2% lead for the Core i5-13400F. L3 cache: 20 MB (total) on the Core i5-13400F vs 19.25 MB (total) on the Core i9-10900X.

Feature	Core i5-13400F	Core i9-10900X
Cores / Threads	10 / 16	10 / 20
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz	4.7 GHz+2%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	3.7 GHz+48%
L3 Cache	20 MB (total)+4%	19.25 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+25%	1 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm-50%	14 nm
Architecture	Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024)	Cascade Lake-X (2019)
PassMark	25,029+12%	22,377
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 i9-10900X uses LGA2066 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-13400F	Core i9-10900X
Socket	LGA1700	LGA2066
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 i9-10900X). Primary use case: Core i5-13400F targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-13400F rivals Ryzen 5 7600.

Feature	Core i5-13400F	Core i9-10900X
Integrated GPU	No	—
Unlocked	No	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	—
Target Use	Gaming	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-13400F launched at $196 MSRP, while the Core i9-10900X debuted at $590. On MSRP ($196 vs $590), the Core i5-13400F is $394 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-13400F delivers 127.7 pts/$ vs 37.9 pts/$ for the Core i9-10900X — making the Core i5-13400F the 108.4% better value option.