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 $501 less on MSRP ($196 MSRP vs $697 MSRP).
✅Delivers 227.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 127.7 vs 39.0 PassMark/$ ($196 MSRP vs $697 MSRP).
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i9-13900HK.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-13900HK across 10 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (25,029 vs 27,217).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (20 MB vs 24 MB).
❌44.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 45W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i9-13900HK can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i9-13900HK

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +16.2% higher average FPS across 10 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+20% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 20 MB).
✅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 96EU, while Core i5-13400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 39.0 vs 127.7 PassMark/$ ($697 MSRP vs $196 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-13400F.

Core i5-13400F

2023

Core i9-13900HK

2023

Why buy it

✅Costs $501 less on MSRP ($196 MSRP vs $697 MSRP).
✅Delivers 227.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 127.7 vs 39.0 PassMark/$ ($196 MSRP vs $697 MSRP).
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i9-13900HK.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +16.2% higher average FPS across 10 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+20% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 20 MB).
✅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 96EU, while Core i5-13400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-13900HK across 10 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (25,029 vs 27,217).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (20 MB vs 24 MB).
❌44.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 45W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i9-13900HK can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 39.0 vs 127.7 PassMark/$ ($697 MSRP vs $196 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-13400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i9-13900HK better than Core i5-13400F?

Yes. Core i9-13900HK is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 16.2% average FPS lead across 10 shared CPU game tests in our data, 8.7% 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 i9-13900HK is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 16.2% more average FPS across 10 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-13900HK is the better fit. You are getting 8.7% 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 i9-13900HK is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-13400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i9-13900HK is 255.6% more expensive on MSRP at $697 MSRP versus $196 MSRP, and it gives you a 16.2% average FPS lead across 10 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-13400F is also 227.0% better value on MSRP (127.7 vs 39.0 PassMark/$), 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 i9-13900HK is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting 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 i9-13900HK Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Core i9-13900HK
1080p
low	171 FPS	262 FPS
medium	158 FPS	253 FPS
high	132 FPS	210 FPS
ultra	112 FPS	180 FPS
1440p
low	143 FPS	223 FPS
medium	123 FPS	192 FPS
high	99 FPS	154 FPS
ultra	84 FPS	135 FPS
4K
low	81 FPS	154 FPS
medium	74 FPS	132 FPS
high	59 FPS	101 FPS
ultra	46 FPS	90 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Core i9-13900HK

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Core i9-13900HK
1080p
low	545 FPS	636 FPS
medium	464 FPS	543 FPS
high	389 FPS	458 FPS
ultra	356 FPS	417 FPS
1440p
low	458 FPS	554 FPS
medium	403 FPS	492 FPS
high	345 FPS	416 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	357 FPS
4K
low	280 FPS	325 FPS
medium	247 FPS	296 FPS
high	231 FPS	279 FPS
ultra	204 FPS	246 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Core i9-13900HK

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Core i9-13900HK
1080p
low	530 FPS	648 FPS
medium	449 FPS	530 FPS
high	415 FPS	467 FPS
ultra	375 FPS	405 FPS
1440p
low	490 FPS	591 FPS
medium	422 FPS	491 FPS
high	382 FPS	427 FPS
ultra	343 FPS	370 FPS
4K
low	393 FPS	434 FPS
medium	331 FPS	374 FPS
high	296 FPS	339 FPS
ultra	246 FPS	290 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Core i9-13900HK

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Core i9-13900HK
1080p
low	626 FPS	680 FPS
medium	626 FPS	680 FPS
high	626 FPS	680 FPS
ultra	626 FPS	672 FPS
1440p
low	626 FPS	680 FPS
medium	626 FPS	680 FPS
high	598 FPS	626 FPS
ultra	521 FPS	552 FPS
4K
low	535 FPS	555 FPS
medium	492 FPS	504 FPS
high	439 FPS	451 FPS
ultra	382 FPS	394 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Core i9-13900HK

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-13400F and Core i9-13900HK

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 i9-13900HK

The Core i9-13900HK 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 14 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 5.4 GHz. L3 cache: 24 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: 27,217 points. Launch price was $697.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-13400F packs 10 cores / 16 threads, while the Core i9-13900HK offers 14 cores / 20 threads — the Core i9-13900HK has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Core i5-13400F versus 5.4 GHz on the Core i9-13900HK — a 16% clock advantage for the Core i9-13900HK (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 i9-13900HK uses Raptor Lake-H (2023−2024) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-13400F scores 25,029 against the Core i9-13900HK's 27,217 — a 8.4% lead for the Core i9-13900HK. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,407 vs 2,629, a 8.8% lead for the Core i9-13900HK that directly translates to higher frame rates. L3 cache: 20 MB (total) on the Core i5-13400F vs 24 MB (total) on the Core i9-13900HK.

Feature	Core i5-13400F	Core i9-13900HK
Cores / Threads	10 / 16	14 / 20+40%
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz	5.4 GHz+17%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	2.6 GHz+4%
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-H (2023−2024)
PassMark	25,029	27,217+9%
Cinebench R23 Multi	16,211	—
Geekbench 6 Single	2,407	2,629+9%
Geekbench 6 Multi	11,408	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-13400F uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Core i9-13900HK 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 i9-13900HK) — the Core i9-13900HK offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-13400F) and Mobile (Core i9-13900HK).

Feature	Core i5-13400F	Core i9-13900HK
Socket	LGA1700	FCBGA1744
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200	DDR5-5200
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB+100%	96 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	20	28+40%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Core i9-13900HK has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Core i9-13900HK supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. The Core i9-13900HK includes integrated graphics (Iris Xe Graphics 96EU), while the Core i5-13400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-13400F targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-13400F rivals Ryzen 5 7600.

Feature	Core i5-13400F	Core i9-13900HK
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	Iris Xe Graphics 96EU
Unlocked	No	Yes
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	Gaming	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-13400F launched at $196 MSRP, while the Core i9-13900HK debuted at $697. On MSRP ($196 vs $697), the Core i5-13400F is $501 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-13400F delivers 127.7 pts/$ vs 39.0 pts/$ for the Core i9-13900HK — making the Core i5-13400F the 106.3% better value option.