Core i5-13400F vs EPYC 7402

Intel

Core i5-13400F

10 Cores16 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.6 GHz2023

Popular choices:

VS
AMD

EPYC 7402

24 Cores48 Thrd180 WWMax: 3.35 GHz2019

Popular choices:

i5-13400F

Performance Spectrum - CPU

About PassMark

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: +7.5% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • Costs $1,587 less on MSRP ($196 MSRP vs $1,783 MSRP).
  • Delivers 394.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 127.7 vs 25.8 PassMark/$ ($196 MSRP vs $1,783 MSRP).
  • Draws 65W instead of 180W, a 115W reduction.
  • Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of SP3 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

  • Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (16,211 vs 28,546).
  • Smaller total L3 cache (20 MB vs 32 MB).
  • Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 7402, which brings 24 cores / 48 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.

EPYC 7402

2019

Why buy it

  • +76.1% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
  • +60% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 20 MB).
  • Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 24 cores / 48 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 20.
  • 540% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

  • Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-13400F across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • Lower PassMark per dollar, at 25.8 vs 127.7 PassMark/$ ($1,783 MSRP vs $196 MSRP).
  • 176.9% higher power demand at 180W vs 65W.
  • Older platform position on SP3 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 EPYC 7402?
Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. EPYC 7402 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Core i5-13400F is the better mainstream desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and day-to-day practicality.
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 7402 is the better fit. You are getting 76.1% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 24 cores and 48 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 60% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 20 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 $1,587 cheaper on MSRP at $196 MSRP versus $1,783 MSRP, and it gives you a 7.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that EPYC 7402 is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 76.1% better Cinebench R23 multi-core. It is also 394.8% better value on MSRP (127.7 vs 25.8 PassMark/$), 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) and a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of SP3. 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.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

PresetCore i5-13400FEPYC 7402
1080p
low171 FPS158 FPS
medium158 FPS131 FPS
high132 FPS110 FPS
ultra112 FPS87 FPS
1440p
low143 FPS132 FPS
medium123 FPS107 FPS
high99 FPS87 FPS
ultra84 FPS69 FPS
4K
low81 FPS64 FPS
medium74 FPS55 FPS
high59 FPS43 FPS
ultra46 FPS34 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetCore i5-13400FEPYC 7402
1080p
low545 FPS358 FPS
medium464 FPS315 FPS
high389 FPS263 FPS
ultra356 FPS213 FPS
1440p
low458 FPS303 FPS
medium403 FPS276 FPS
high345 FPS236 FPS
ultra301 FPS188 FPS
4K
low280 FPS195 FPS
medium247 FPS179 FPS
high231 FPS153 FPS
ultra204 FPS123 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetCore i5-13400FEPYC 7402
1080p
low530 FPS645 FPS
medium449 FPS526 FPS
high415 FPS468 FPS
ultra375 FPS410 FPS
1440p
low490 FPS499 FPS
medium422 FPS406 FPS
high382 FPS355 FPS
ultra343 FPS307 FPS
4K
low393 FPS369 FPS
medium331 FPS287 FPS
high296 FPS245 FPS
ultra246 FPS196 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetCore i5-13400FEPYC 7402
1080p
low626 FPS820 FPS
medium626 FPS746 FPS
high626 FPS646 FPS
ultra626 FPS568 FPS
1440p
low626 FPS657 FPS
medium626 FPS572 FPS
high598 FPS492 FPS
ultra521 FPS422 FPS
4K
low535 FPS448 FPS
medium492 FPS402 FPS
high439 FPS359 FPS
ultra382 FPS312 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-13400F and EPYC 7402

Intel

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.

AMD

EPYC 7402

The EPYC 7402 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 August 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Zen 2 (2017−2020) architecture. It features 24 cores and 48 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 3.35 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm, 14 nm process technology. Socket: SP3. Thermal design power (TDP): 180 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Eight-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 46,012 points. Launch price was $1,783.

Processing Power

The Core i5-13400F packs 10 cores / 16 threads, while the EPYC 7402 offers 24 cores / 48 threads — the EPYC 7402 has 14 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Core i5-13400F versus 3.35 GHz on the EPYC 7402 — a 31.4% 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 EPYC 7402 uses Zen 2 (2017−2020) (7 nm, 14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-13400F scores 25,029 against the EPYC 7402's 46,012 — a 59.1% lead for the EPYC 7402. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 16,211 vs 28,546 (55.1% advantage for the EPYC 7402). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,407 vs 1,299, a 59.8% lead for the Core i5-13400F that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 11,408 vs 12,622 (10.1% advantage for the EPYC 7402). L3 cache: 20 MB (total) on the Core i5-13400F vs 32 MB (total) on the EPYC 7402.

FeatureCore i5-13400FEPYC 7402
Cores / Threads
10 / 16
24 / 48+140%
Boost Clock
4.6 GHz+37%
3.35 GHz
Base Clock
2.5 GHz
2.8 GHz+12%
L3 Cache
20 MB (total)
32 MB (total)+60%
L2 Cache
1.25 MB (per core)+150%
512 kB (per core)
Process
Intel 7 nm
7 nm, 14 nm
Architecture
Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024)
Zen 2 (2017−2020)
PassMark
25,029
46,012+84%
Cinebench R23 Multi
16,211
28,546+76%
Geekbench 6 Single
2,407+85%
1,299
Geekbench 6 Multi
11,408
12,622+11%
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-13400F uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the EPYC 7402 uses SP3 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 on the Core i5-13400F versus DDR4-3200 on the EPYC 7402 — the Core i5-13400F supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The EPYC 7402 supports up to 4096 GB of RAM compared to 192 GB 182.1% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i5-13400F) vs 8 (EPYC 7402). PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-13400F) vs 128 (EPYC 7402) — the EPYC 7402 offers 108 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-13400F) and SP3,Rome (EPYC 7402).

FeatureCore i5-13400FEPYC 7402
Socket
LGA1700
SP3
PCIe Generation
PCIe 5.0+25%
PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200+25%
DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity
192 GB
4096 GB+2033%
RAM Channels
2
8+300%
ECC Support
No
Yes
PCIe Lanes
20
128+540%
🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-13400F) vs AMD-V, SEV, IOMMU (EPYC 7402). Primary use case: Core i5-13400F targets Gaming, EPYC 7402 targets Server / Workstation. Direct competitor: Core i5-13400F rivals Ryzen 5 7600; EPYC 7402 rivals Xeon Gold 6242.

FeatureCore i5-13400FEPYC 7402
Integrated GPU
No
No
Unlocked
No
No
AVX-512
No
No
Virtualization
VT-x, VT-d
AMD-V, SEV, IOMMU
Target Use
Gaming
Server / Workstation
💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-13400F launched at $196 MSRP, while the EPYC 7402 debuted at $1783. On MSRP ($196 vs $1783), the Core i5-13400F is $1587 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-13400F delivers 127.7 pts/$ vs 25.8 pts/$ for the EPYC 7402 — making the Core i5-13400F the 132.8% better value option.

FeatureCore i5-13400FEPYC 7402
MSRP
$196-89%
$1783
Performance per Dollar
127.7+395%
25.8
Release Date
2023
2019