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

✅+38.2% higher PassMark.
✅+25% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 16 MB).
✅Costs $292 less on MSRP ($196 MSRP vs $488 MSRP).
✅Delivers 244.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 127.7 vs 37.1 PassMark/$ ($196 MSRP vs $488 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 95W, a 30W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-9900K across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i9-9900K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i9-9900K

2018

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +17.5% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics 630, while Core i5-13400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (18,109 vs 25,029).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 20 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 37.1 vs 127.7 PassMark/$ ($488 MSRP vs $196 MSRP).
❌46.2% higher power demand at 95W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on LGA1151 with DDR4, while Core i5-13400F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Core i5-13400F

2023

Core i9-9900K

2018

Why buy it

✅+38.2% higher PassMark.
✅+25% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 16 MB).
✅Costs $292 less on MSRP ($196 MSRP vs $488 MSRP).
✅Delivers 244.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 127.7 vs 37.1 PassMark/$ ($196 MSRP vs $488 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 95W, a 30W reduction.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +17.5% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics 630, while Core i5-13400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-9900K across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i9-9900K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (18,109 vs 25,029).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 20 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 37.1 vs 127.7 PassMark/$ ($488 MSRP vs $196 MSRP).
❌46.2% higher power demand at 95W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on LGA1151 with DDR4, while Core i5-13400F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-13400F better than Core i9-9900K?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core i9-9900K is ahead with a 17.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-13400F pulls ahead with 38.2% better PassMark. Core i5-13400F also has the bigger cache pool with 25% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 16 MB).

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 38.2% better PassMark, backed by 10 cores and 16 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 25% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 16 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 $292 cheaper on MSRP at $196 MSRP versus $488 MSRP, and it gives you 38.2% better PassMark. The trade-off is that Core i9-9900K is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 17.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 244.1% better value on MSRP (127.7 vs 37.1 PassMark/$), 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 2018), a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of LGA1151, 25% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 16 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 10 cores / 16 threads instead of 8/16. 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 i9-9900K Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Core i9-9900K
1080p
low	171 FPS	274 FPS
medium	158 FPS	248 FPS
high	132 FPS	208 FPS
ultra	112 FPS	179 FPS
1440p
low	143 FPS	238 FPS
medium	123 FPS	195 FPS
high	99 FPS	159 FPS
ultra	84 FPS	139 FPS
4K
low	81 FPS	165 FPS
medium	74 FPS	136 FPS
high	59 FPS	106 FPS
ultra	46 FPS	93 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Core i9-9900K

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Core i9-9900K
1080p
low	545 FPS	453 FPS
medium	464 FPS	404 FPS
high	389 FPS	355 FPS
ultra	356 FPS	318 FPS
1440p
low	458 FPS	429 FPS
medium	403 FPS	376 FPS
high	345 FPS	329 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	284 FPS
4K
low	280 FPS	288 FPS
medium	247 FPS	260 FPS
high	231 FPS	249 FPS
ultra	204 FPS	213 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Core i9-9900K

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Core i9-9900K
1080p
low	530 FPS	453 FPS
medium	449 FPS	453 FPS
high	415 FPS	453 FPS
ultra	375 FPS	453 FPS
1440p
low	490 FPS	453 FPS
medium	422 FPS	453 FPS
high	382 FPS	453 FPS
ultra	343 FPS	435 FPS
4K
low	393 FPS	453 FPS
medium	331 FPS	447 FPS
high	296 FPS	392 FPS
ultra	246 FPS	330 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Core i9-9900K

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Core i9-9900K
1080p
low	626 FPS	453 FPS
medium	626 FPS	453 FPS
high	626 FPS	453 FPS
ultra	626 FPS	453 FPS
1440p
low	626 FPS	453 FPS
medium	626 FPS	453 FPS
high	598 FPS	453 FPS
ultra	521 FPS	453 FPS
4K
low	535 FPS	453 FPS
medium	492 FPS	453 FPS
high	439 FPS	453 FPS
ultra	382 FPS	391 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Core i9-9900K

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-13400F and Core i9-9900K

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 i9-9900K

The Core i9-9900K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 October 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 18,109 points. Launch price was $488.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-13400F packs 10 cores / 16 threads, while the Core i9-9900K offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Core i5-13400F has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Core i5-13400F versus 5 GHz on the Core i9-9900K — a 8.3% clock advantage for the Core i9-9900K (base: 2.5 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Core i5-13400F uses the Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core i9-9900K uses Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-13400F scores 25,029 against the Core i9-9900K's 18,109 — a 32.1% lead for the Core i5-13400F. L3 cache: 20 MB (total) on the Core i5-13400F vs 16 MB (total) on the Core i9-9900K.

Feature	Core i5-13400F	Core i9-9900K
Cores / Threads	10 / 16+25%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz	5 GHz+9%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	3.6 GHz+44%
L3 Cache	20 MB (total)+25%	16 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-R (2018−2019)
PassMark	25,029+38%	18,109
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 i9-9900K uses LGA1151 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 on the Core i5-13400F versus DDR4-2666 on the Core i9-9900K — the Core i5-13400F supports 22.2% 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 GB — 40% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-13400F) vs 16 (Core i9-9900K) — the Core i5-13400F offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-13400F) and Intel 300 series (Core i9-9900K).

Feature	Core i5-13400F	Core i9-9900K
Socket	LGA1700	LGA1151
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+67%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200+25%	DDR4-2666
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB+50%	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	20+25%	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-13400F) / not specified (Core i9-9900K). The Core i9-9900K includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics 630), 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 i9-9900K
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	Intel UHD Graphics 630
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 i9-9900K debuted at $488. On MSRP ($196 vs $488), the Core i5-13400F is $292 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-13400F delivers 127.7 pts/$ vs 37.1 pts/$ for the Core i9-9900K — making the Core i5-13400F the 109.9% better value option.