Core i5-13400F vs M3 Pro 11-Core

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

✅+0.7% higher PassMark.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike M3 Pro 11-Core.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than M3 Pro 11-Core across 8 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Launch MSRP is still $196 MSRP, while M3 Pro 11-Core mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

M3 Pro 11-Core

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +4.4% higher average FPS across 8 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (24,861 vs 25,029).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-13400F.

Core i5-13400F

2023

M3 Pro 11-Core

2023

Why buy it

✅+0.7% higher PassMark.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike M3 Pro 11-Core.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +4.4% higher average FPS across 8 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than M3 Pro 11-Core across 8 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Launch MSRP is still $196 MSRP, while M3 Pro 11-Core mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (24,861 vs 25,029).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-13400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-13400F better than M3 Pro 11-Core?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, M3 Pro 11-Core is ahead with a 4.4% average FPS lead across 8 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-13400F pulls ahead with 0.7% 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 0.7% 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 $196 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you 0.7% better PassMark. The trade-off is that M3 Pro 11-Core is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 4.4% average FPS lead across 8 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (127.7 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible none + DDR5 setup, M3 Pro 11-Core 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?

M3 Pro 11-Core 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

M3 Pro 11-Core Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-13400F	M3 Pro 11-Core
1080p
low	171 FPS	182 FPS
medium	158 FPS	146 FPS
high	132 FPS	119 FPS
ultra	112 FPS	94 FPS
1440p
low	143 FPS	146 FPS
medium	123 FPS	115 FPS
high	99 FPS	92 FPS
ultra	84 FPS	72 FPS
4K
low	81 FPS	67 FPS
medium	74 FPS	56 FPS
high	59 FPS	45 FPS
ultra	46 FPS	35 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open M3 Pro 11-Core

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-13400F	M3 Pro 11-Core
1080p
low	545 FPS	399 FPS
medium	464 FPS	339 FPS
high	389 FPS	293 FPS
ultra	356 FPS	256 FPS
1440p
low	458 FPS	352 FPS
medium	403 FPS	309 FPS
high	345 FPS	270 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	230 FPS
4K
low	280 FPS	255 FPS
medium	247 FPS	229 FPS
high	231 FPS	210 FPS
ultra	204 FPS	184 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open M3 Pro 11-Core

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-13400F	M3 Pro 11-Core
1080p
low	530 FPS	622 FPS
medium	449 FPS	622 FPS
high	415 FPS	622 FPS
ultra	375 FPS	593 FPS
1440p
low	490 FPS	622 FPS
medium	422 FPS	515 FPS
high	382 FPS	458 FPS
ultra	343 FPS	400 FPS
4K
low	393 FPS	452 FPS
medium	331 FPS	356 FPS
high	296 FPS	310 FPS
ultra	246 FPS	248 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open M3 Pro 11-Core

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-13400F	M3 Pro 11-Core
1080p
low	626 FPS	622 FPS
medium	626 FPS	622 FPS
high	626 FPS	622 FPS
ultra	626 FPS	621 FPS
1440p
low	626 FPS	622 FPS
medium	626 FPS	622 FPS
high	598 FPS	540 FPS
ultra	521 FPS	469 FPS
4K
low	535 FPS	494 FPS
medium	492 FPS	443 FPS
high	439 FPS	396 FPS
ultra	382 FPS	342 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open M3 Pro 11-Core

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-13400F and M3 Pro 11-Core

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.

M3 Pro 11-Core

The M3 Pro 11-Core is manufactured by Apple. It was released in 30 October 2023 (2 years ago). It features 11 cores and 11 threads. Base frequency is 2.748 GHz, with boost up to 4.06 GHz. Built on 3 nm process technology. Socket: none. Memory support: LPDDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 24,861 points. Launch price was $299.

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Processing Power

The Core i5-13400F packs 10 cores / 16 threads, while the M3 Pro 11-Core offers 11 cores / 11 threads — the M3 Pro 11-Core has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Core i5-13400F versus 4.06 GHz on the M3 Pro 11-Core — a 12.5% clock advantage for the Core i5-13400F (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2.748 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 M3 Pro 11-Core's 24,861 — a 0.7% lead for the Core i5-13400F.

Feature	Core i5-13400F	M3 Pro 11-Core
Cores / Threads	10 / 16	11 / 11+10%
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz+13%	4.06 GHz
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	2.748 GHz+10%
L3 Cache	20 MB (total)	—
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	—
Process	Intel 7 nm	3 nm-57%
Architecture	Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024)	—
PassMark	25,029	24,861
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 M3 Pro 11-Core uses none (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-13400F	M3 Pro 11-Core
Socket	LGA1700	none
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
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 (M3 Pro 11-Core). Primary use case: Core i5-13400F targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-13400F rivals Ryzen 5 7600.