Core i5-13400F vs M2 Pro

CPU

GPU

Core i5-13400F

10 Cores16 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.6 GHz2023

Popular choices:

•••••••••

M2 Pro

12 Cores12 Thrd36 WWMax: 3.5 GHz2023

Popular choices:

••••i5-13400F•••••

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i5-13400F

10 / 16

25,029

+14.1%

21,939

0.0%

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: +4.3% higher average FPS across 10 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike M2 Pro.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (11,408 vs 14,450).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (20 MB vs 24 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $196 MSRP, while M2 Pro mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌80.6% higher power demand at 65W vs 36W.
❌No integrated graphics, while M2 Pro can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

M2 Pro

2023

Why buy it

✅+26.7% higher Geekbench multi-core.
✅+20% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 20 MB).
✅Draws 36W instead of 65W, a 29W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Apple M2 Pro GPU, while Core i5-13400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-13400F across 10 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-13400F.

Core i5-13400F

2023

M2 Pro

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +4.3% higher average FPS across 10 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike M2 Pro.

Why buy it

✅+26.7% higher Geekbench multi-core.
✅+20% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 20 MB).
✅Draws 36W instead of 65W, a 29W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Apple M2 Pro GPU, while Core i5-13400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (11,408 vs 14,450).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (20 MB vs 24 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $196 MSRP, while M2 Pro mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌80.6% higher power demand at 65W vs 36W.
❌No integrated graphics, while M2 Pro can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-13400F across 10 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-13400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-13400F better than M2 Pro?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core i5-13400F is ahead with a 4.3% average FPS lead across 10 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, M2 Pro pulls ahead with 26.7% better Geekbench multi-core. M2 Pro also has the bigger cache pool with 20% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 20 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, M2 Pro is the better fit. You are getting 26.7% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 12 cores and 12 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 i5-13400F is the smarter buy today. Core i5-13400F is at an unclear MSRP at $196 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 4.3% average FPS lead across 10 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that M2 Pro is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 26.7% better Geekbench multi-core. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (127.7 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible none + DDR5 setup, M2 Pro can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

M2 Pro 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

M2 Pro Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-13400F	M2 Pro
1080p
low	171 FPS	176 FPS
medium	158 FPS	142 FPS
high	132 FPS	115 FPS
ultra	112 FPS	91 FPS
1440p
low	143 FPS	141 FPS
medium	123 FPS	111 FPS
high	99 FPS	88 FPS
ultra	84 FPS	70 FPS
4K
low	81 FPS	66 FPS
medium	74 FPS	56 FPS
high	59 FPS	44 FPS
ultra	46 FPS	35 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open M2 Pro

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-13400F	M2 Pro
1080p
low	545 FPS	380 FPS
medium	464 FPS	327 FPS
high	389 FPS	269 FPS
ultra	356 FPS	216 FPS
1440p
low	458 FPS	324 FPS
medium	403 FPS	289 FPS
high	345 FPS	243 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	192 FPS
4K
low	280 FPS	208 FPS
medium	247 FPS	188 FPS
high	231 FPS	161 FPS
ultra	204 FPS	128 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open M2 Pro

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-13400F	M2 Pro
1080p
low	530 FPS	548 FPS
medium	449 FPS	548 FPS
high	415 FPS	548 FPS
ultra	375 FPS	545 FPS
1440p
low	490 FPS	548 FPS
medium	422 FPS	478 FPS
high	382 FPS	439 FPS
ultra	343 FPS	382 FPS
4K
low	393 FPS	420 FPS
medium	331 FPS	326 FPS
high	296 FPS	289 FPS
ultra	246 FPS	231 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open M2 Pro

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-13400F	M2 Pro
1080p
low	626 FPS	548 FPS
medium	626 FPS	548 FPS
high	626 FPS	548 FPS
ultra	626 FPS	548 FPS
1440p
low	626 FPS	548 FPS
medium	626 FPS	548 FPS
high	598 FPS	525 FPS
ultra	521 FPS	451 FPS
4K
low	535 FPS	476 FPS
medium	492 FPS	426 FPS
high	439 FPS	380 FPS
ultra	382 FPS	332 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open M2 Pro

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-13400F and M2 Pro

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.

M2 Pro

The M2 Pro is manufactured by Apple. It was released in 17 January 2023 (2 years ago). It features 12 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.42 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 24 MB. L2 cache: 36 MB. Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: none. Thermal design power (TDP): 36 MB + 24 MB. Memory support: LPDDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 21,939 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-13400F packs 10 cores / 16 threads, while the M2 Pro offers 12 cores / 12 threads — the M2 Pro has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Core i5-13400F versus 3.5 GHz on the M2 Pro — a 27.2% clock advantage for the Core i5-13400F (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2.42 GHz). The Core i5-13400F is built on the Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024) architecture. In PassMark, the Core i5-13400F scores 25,029 against the M2 Pro's 21,939 — a 13.2% lead for the Core i5-13400F. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,407 vs 2,650, a 9.6% lead for the M2 Pro that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 11,408 vs 14,450 (23.5% advantage for the M2 Pro). L3 cache: 20 MB (total) on the Core i5-13400F vs 24 MB on the M2 Pro.

Feature	Core i5-13400F	M2 Pro
Cores / Threads	10 / 16	12 / 12+20%
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz+31%	3.5 GHz
Base Clock	2.5 GHz+3%	2.42 GHz
L3 Cache	20 MB (total)	24 MB+20%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	36 MB+2780%
Process	Intel 7 nm	5 nm-29%
Architecture	Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024)	—
PassMark	25,029+14%	21,939
Cinebench R23 Multi	16,211	—
Geekbench 6 Single	2,407	2,650+10%
Geekbench 6 Multi	11,408	14,450+27%

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Memory & Platform

The Core i5-13400F uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the M2 Pro uses none (PCIe 4.0) — 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 32 GB — 142.9% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-13400F) vs 0 (M2 Pro) — the Core i5-13400F offers 20 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-13400F) and Apple Silicon (M2 Pro).

Feature	Core i5-13400F	M2 Pro
Socket	LGA1700	none
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200	LPDDR5-6400
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB+500%	32 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	20	0

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-13400F) vs ARM Virtualization (M2 Pro). The M2 Pro includes integrated graphics (Apple M2 Pro GPU), while the Core i5-13400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-13400F targets Gaming, M2 Pro targets Professional Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i5-13400F rivals Ryzen 5 7600.