Core i5-13400F vs Core Ultra 5 125H

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

✅+20.6% higher PassMark.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core Ultra 5 125H.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core Ultra 5 125H across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Launch MSRP is still $196 MSRP, while Core Ultra 5 125H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Core Ultra 5 125H

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +9.1% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (20,754 vs 25,029).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-13400F.

Core i5-13400F

2023

Core Ultra 5 125H

2023

Why buy it

✅+20.6% higher PassMark.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core Ultra 5 125H.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +9.1% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core Ultra 5 125H across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Launch MSRP is still $196 MSRP, while Core Ultra 5 125H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (20,754 vs 25,029).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-13400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-13400F better than Core Ultra 5 125H?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core Ultra 5 125H is ahead with a 9.1% 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 20.6% 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 20.6% 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 at an unclear MSRP at $196 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you 20.6% better PassMark. The trade-off is that Core Ultra 5 125H is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 9.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (127.7 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 Ultra 5 125H is the safer long-term CPU choice because it gives you more overall headroom and a better platform outlook.

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 Ultra 5 125H Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Core Ultra 5 125H
1080p
low	171 FPS	192 FPS
medium	158 FPS	153 FPS
high	132 FPS	123 FPS
ultra	112 FPS	101 FPS
1440p
low	143 FPS	155 FPS
medium	123 FPS	121 FPS
high	99 FPS	98 FPS
ultra	84 FPS	81 FPS
4K
low	81 FPS	86 FPS
medium	74 FPS	73 FPS
high	59 FPS	58 FPS
ultra	46 FPS	45 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Core Ultra 5 125H

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Core Ultra 5 125H
1080p
low	545 FPS	519 FPS
medium	464 FPS	517 FPS
high	389 FPS	419 FPS
ultra	356 FPS	375 FPS
1440p
low	458 FPS	519 FPS
medium	403 FPS	453 FPS
high	345 FPS	376 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	321 FPS
4K
low	280 FPS	335 FPS
medium	247 FPS	281 FPS
high	231 FPS	256 FPS
ultra	204 FPS	224 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Core Ultra 5 125H

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Core Ultra 5 125H
1080p
low	530 FPS	519 FPS
medium	449 FPS	519 FPS
high	415 FPS	519 FPS
ultra	375 FPS	519 FPS
1440p
low	490 FPS	519 FPS
medium	422 FPS	519 FPS
high	382 FPS	519 FPS
ultra	343 FPS	494 FPS
4K
low	393 FPS	519 FPS
medium	331 FPS	441 FPS
high	296 FPS	400 FPS
ultra	246 FPS	321 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Core Ultra 5 125H

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Core Ultra 5 125H
1080p
low	626 FPS	519 FPS
medium	626 FPS	519 FPS
high	626 FPS	519 FPS
ultra	626 FPS	519 FPS
1440p
low	626 FPS	519 FPS
medium	626 FPS	519 FPS
high	598 FPS	519 FPS
ultra	521 FPS	519 FPS
4K
low	535 FPS	519 FPS
medium	492 FPS	519 FPS
high	439 FPS	473 FPS
ultra	382 FPS	413 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Core Ultra 5 125H

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-13400F and Core Ultra 5 125H

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 Ultra 5 125H

The Core Ultra 5 125H is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 December 2023 (1 year ago). It is based on the Meteor Lake-H (2023) architecture. It features 14 cores and 18 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 GHz. L3 cache: 18 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA2049. Thermal design power (TDP): + 18 MB. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 20,754 points. Launch price was $375.

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Processing Power

The Core i5-13400F packs 10 cores / 16 threads, while the Core Ultra 5 125H offers 14 cores / 18 threads — the Core Ultra 5 125H has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Core i5-13400F versus 4.5 GHz on the Core Ultra 5 125H — a 2.2% clock advantage for the Core i5-13400F (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 Ultra 5 125H uses Meteor Lake-H (2023) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-13400F scores 25,029 against the Core Ultra 5 125H's 20,754 — a 18.7% lead for the Core i5-13400F. L3 cache: 20 MB (total) on the Core i5-13400F vs 18 MB (total) on the Core Ultra 5 125H.

Feature	Core i5-13400F	Core Ultra 5 125H
Cores / Threads	10 / 16	14 / 18+40%
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz+2%	4.5 GHz
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	3.6 GHz+44%
L3 Cache	20 MB (total)+11%	18 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	2 MB (per core)+60%
Process	Intel 7 nm	7 nm
Architecture	Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024)	Meteor Lake-H (2023)
PassMark	25,029+21%	20,754
Cinebench R23 Multi	16,211	—
Geekbench 6 Single	2,407	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	11,408	—

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Memory & Platform

The Core i5-13400F uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Core Ultra 5 125H uses FCBGA2049 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-13400F	Core Ultra 5 125H
Socket	LGA1700	FCBGA2049
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200	—
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	20	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-13400F) / not specified (Core Ultra 5 125H). Primary use case: Core i5-13400F targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-13400F rivals Ryzen 5 7600.