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: +6.7% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $1,503 less on MSRP ($196 MSRP vs $1,699 MSRP).
✅Delivers 674.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 127.7 vs 16.5 PassMark/$ ($196 MSRP vs $1,699 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 165W, a 100W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA2066 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (16,211 vs 22,189).

Core i9-7960X

2017

Why buy it

✅+36.9% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅120% more PCIe lanes (44 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-13400F across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 16.5 vs 127.7 PassMark/$ ($1,699 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 i9-7960X

2017

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +6.7% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $1,503 less on MSRP ($196 MSRP vs $1,699 MSRP).
✅Delivers 674.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 127.7 vs 16.5 PassMark/$ ($196 MSRP vs $1,699 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 165W, a 100W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA2066 and DDR4.

Why buy it

✅+36.9% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅120% more PCIe lanes (44 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (16,211 vs 22,189).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-13400F across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 16.5 vs 127.7 PassMark/$ ($1,699 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 i9-7960X?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core i5-13400F is ahead with a 6.7% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-7960X pulls ahead with 36.9% better Cinebench R23 multi-core.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-7960X is the better fit. You are getting 36.9% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 16 cores and 32 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 $1,503 cheaper on MSRP at $196 MSRP versus $1,699 MSRP, and it gives you a 6.7% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Core i9-7960X is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 36.9% better Cinebench R23 multi-core. It is also 674.3% better value on MSRP (127.7 vs 16.5 PassMark/$), 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 2017) and a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of LGA2066. 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 i9-7960X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Core i9-7960X
1080p
low	171 FPS	168 FPS
medium	158 FPS	148 FPS
high	132 FPS	116 FPS
ultra	112 FPS	97 FPS
1440p
low	143 FPS	141 FPS
medium	123 FPS	121 FPS
high	99 FPS	95 FPS
ultra	84 FPS	80 FPS
4K
low	81 FPS	80 FPS
medium	74 FPS	73 FPS
high	59 FPS	57 FPS
ultra	46 FPS	44 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Core i9-7960X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Core i9-7960X
1080p
low	545 FPS	446 FPS
medium	464 FPS	383 FPS
high	389 FPS	331 FPS
ultra	356 FPS	303 FPS
1440p
low	458 FPS	389 FPS
medium	403 FPS	342 FPS
high	345 FPS	296 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	260 FPS
4K
low	280 FPS	249 FPS
medium	247 FPS	218 FPS
high	231 FPS	204 FPS
ultra	204 FPS	178 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Core i9-7960X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Core i9-7960X
1080p
low	530 FPS	541 FPS
medium	449 FPS	457 FPS
high	415 FPS	413 FPS
ultra	375 FPS	367 FPS
1440p
low	490 FPS	488 FPS
medium	422 FPS	419 FPS
high	382 FPS	377 FPS
ultra	343 FPS	336 FPS
4K
low	393 FPS	382 FPS
medium	331 FPS	321 FPS
high	296 FPS	284 FPS
ultra	246 FPS	234 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Core i9-7960X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Core i9-7960X
1080p
low	626 FPS	700 FPS
medium	626 FPS	700 FPS
high	626 FPS	690 FPS
ultra	626 FPS	610 FPS
1440p
low	626 FPS	700 FPS
medium	626 FPS	675 FPS
high	598 FPS	573 FPS
ultra	521 FPS	499 FPS
4K
low	535 FPS	523 FPS
medium	492 FPS	474 FPS
high	439 FPS	418 FPS
ultra	382 FPS	364 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Core i9-7960X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-13400F and Core i9-7960X

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 i9-7960X

The Core i9-7960X is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture. It features 16 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 22 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2066. Thermal design power (TDP): 165 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 28,020 points. Launch price was $1,699.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-13400F packs 10 cores / 16 threads, while the Core i9-7960X offers 16 cores / 32 threads — the Core i9-7960X has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Core i5-13400F versus 4.4 GHz on the Core i9-7960X — a 4.4% clock advantage for the Core i5-13400F (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 i9-7960X uses Skylake (server) (2017−2018) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-13400F scores 25,029 against the Core i9-7960X's 28,020 — a 11.3% lead for the Core i9-7960X. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 16,211 vs 22,189 (31.1% advantage for the Core i9-7960X). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,407 vs 1,394, a 53.3% lead for the Core i5-13400F that directly translates to higher frame rates. L3 cache: 20 MB (total) on the Core i5-13400F vs 22 MB (total) on the Core i9-7960X.

Feature	Core i5-13400F	Core i9-7960X
Cores / Threads	10 / 16	16 / 32+60%
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz+5%	4.4 GHz
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	2.8 GHz+12%
L3 Cache	20 MB (total)	22 MB (total)+10%
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)	Skylake (server) (2017−2018)
PassMark	25,029	28,020+12%
Cinebench R23 Multi	16,211	22,189+37%
Geekbench 6 Single	2,407+73%	1,394
Geekbench 6 Multi	11,408	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-13400F uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Core i9-7960X uses LGA2066 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 on the Core i5-13400F versus 2666 on the Core i9-7960X — the Core i9-7960X supports 199.3% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i5-13400F supports up to 192 GB of RAM compared to 128 — 40% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i5-13400F) vs 4 (Core i9-7960X). PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-13400F) vs 44 (Core i9-7960X) — the Core i9-7960X offers 24 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-13400F) and X299 (Core i9-7960X).

Feature	Core i5-13400F	Core i9-7960X
Socket	LGA1700	LGA2066
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+67%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200	2666+53220%
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB+157286300%	128
RAM Channels	2	4+100%
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	20	44+120%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Core i9-7960X has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Core i9-7960X supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-13400F) vs true (Core i9-7960X). Primary use case: Core i5-13400F targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-13400F rivals Ryzen 5 7600.

Feature	Core i5-13400F	Core i9-7960X
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	No	Yes
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	true
Target Use	Gaming	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-13400F launched at $196 MSRP, while the Core i9-7960X debuted at $1699. On MSRP ($196 vs $1699), the Core i5-13400F is $1503 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-13400F delivers 127.7 pts/$ vs 16.5 pts/$ for the Core i9-7960X — making the Core i5-13400F the 154.2% better value option.