Core i5-13400F vs M4 Max (16 cores)

CPU

GPU

Core i5-13400F

10 Cores16 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.6 GHz2023

Popular choices:

•••••••••

M4 Max (16 cores)

16 Cores16 Thrd4 WWMax: 4.51 GHz2024

Popular choices:

••••i5-13400F•••••

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i5-13400F

10 / 16

25,029

0.0%

43,985

+75.7%

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

✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike M4 Max (16 cores).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than M4 Max (16 cores) across 8 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (11,408 vs 26,675).
❌Launch MSRP is still $196 MSRP, while M4 Max (16 cores) mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌1525% higher power demand at 65W vs 4W.
❌No integrated graphics, while M4 Max (16 cores) can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

M4 Max (16 cores)

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +10.1% higher average FPS across 8 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 4W instead of 65W, a 61W reduction.
✅100% more PCIe lanes (40 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Apple 40-core GPU, while Core i5-13400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-13400F.

Core i5-13400F

2023

M4 Max (16 cores)

2024

Why buy it

✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike M4 Max (16 cores).

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +10.1% higher average FPS across 8 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 4W instead of 65W, a 61W reduction.
✅100% more PCIe lanes (40 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Apple 40-core GPU, while Core i5-13400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than M4 Max (16 cores) across 8 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (11,408 vs 26,675).
❌Launch MSRP is still $196 MSRP, while M4 Max (16 cores) mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌1525% higher power demand at 65W vs 4W.
❌No integrated graphics, while M4 Max (16 cores) can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-13400F.

Quick Answers

So, is M4 Max (16 cores) better than Core i5-13400F?

Yes. M4 Max (16 cores) is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 10.1% average FPS lead across 8 shared CPU game tests in our data, 133.8% better Geekbench multi-core, 75.7% higher PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, M4 Max (16 cores) is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 10.1% more average FPS across 8 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, M4 Max (16 cores) is the better fit. You are getting 133.8% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 16 cores and 16 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

M4 Max (16 cores) is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-13400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. M4 Max (16 cores) is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $196 MSRP, and it gives you a 10.1% average FPS lead across 8 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-13400F is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (127.7 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible LGA1700 + DDR5 setup, Core i5-13400F can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap, but on MSRP alone you would want to find it meaningfully cheaper in real-world listings before that path becomes easy to justify.

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

M4 Max (16 cores) is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2023) and more multi-core headroom with 16 cores / 16 threads instead of 10/16. 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

M4 Max (16 cores) Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-13400F	M4 Max (16 cores)
1080p
low	171 FPS	180 FPS
medium	158 FPS	145 FPS
high	132 FPS	119 FPS
ultra	112 FPS	97 FPS
1440p
low	143 FPS	146 FPS
medium	123 FPS	115 FPS
high	99 FPS	95 FPS
ultra	84 FPS	78 FPS
4K
low	81 FPS	80 FPS
medium	74 FPS	69 FPS
high	59 FPS	55 FPS
ultra	46 FPS	43 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open M4 Max (16 cores)

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-13400F	M4 Max (16 cores)
1080p
low	545 FPS	465 FPS
medium	464 FPS	383 FPS
high	389 FPS	327 FPS
ultra	356 FPS	288 FPS
1440p
low	458 FPS	400 FPS
medium	403 FPS	343 FPS
high	345 FPS	299 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	254 FPS
4K
low	280 FPS	278 FPS
medium	247 FPS	245 FPS
high	231 FPS	226 FPS
ultra	204 FPS	196 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open M4 Max (16 cores)

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-13400F	M4 Max (16 cores)
1080p
low	530 FPS	812 FPS
medium	449 FPS	655 FPS
high	415 FPS	593 FPS
ultra	375 FPS	518 FPS
1440p
low	490 FPS	632 FPS
medium	422 FPS	516 FPS
high	382 FPS	468 FPS
ultra	343 FPS	404 FPS
4K
low	393 FPS	466 FPS
medium	331 FPS	368 FPS
high	296 FPS	331 FPS
ultra	246 FPS	264 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open M4 Max (16 cores)

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-13400F	M4 Max (16 cores)
1080p
low	626 FPS	1026 FPS
medium	626 FPS	924 FPS
high	626 FPS	809 FPS
ultra	626 FPS	718 FPS
1440p
low	626 FPS	817 FPS
medium	626 FPS	718 FPS
high	598 FPS	629 FPS
ultra	521 FPS	553 FPS
4K
low	535 FPS	562 FPS
medium	492 FPS	503 FPS
high	439 FPS	453 FPS
ultra	382 FPS	399 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open M4 Max (16 cores)

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-13400F and M4 Max (16 cores)

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.

M4 Max (16 cores)

The M4 Max (16 cores) is manufactured by Apple. It was released in 30 October 2024 (1 year ago). It features 16 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.75 GHz, with boost up to 4.51 GHz. Built on 3 nm process technology. Socket: none. Thermal design power (TDP): 4 MB. Memory support: LPDDR5X. Passmark benchmark score: 43,985 points. Launch price was $499.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-13400F packs 10 cores / 16 threads, while the M4 Max (16 cores) offers 16 cores / 16 threads — the M4 Max (16 cores) has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Core i5-13400F versus 4.51 GHz on the M4 Max (16 cores) — a 2% clock advantage for the Core i5-13400F (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2.75 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 M4 Max (16 cores)'s 43,985 — a 54.9% lead for the M4 Max (16 cores). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,407 vs 4,060, a 51.1% lead for the M4 Max (16 cores) that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 11,408 vs 26,675 (80.2% advantage for the M4 Max (16 cores)).

Feature	Core i5-13400F	M4 Max (16 cores)
Cores / Threads	10 / 16	16 / 16+60%
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz+2%	4.51 GHz
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	2.75 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	43,985+76%
Cinebench R23 Multi	16,211	—
Geekbench 6 Single	2,407	4,060+69%
Geekbench 6 Multi	11,408	26,675+134%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-13400F uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the M4 Max (16 cores) 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 128 GB — 40% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i5-13400F) vs 8 (M4 Max (16 cores)). PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-13400F) vs 40 (M4 Max (16 cores)) — the M4 Max (16 cores) 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 (M4 Max (16 cores)).

Feature	Core i5-13400F	M4 Max (16 cores)
Socket	LGA1700	none
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200	Unified Memory
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB+50%	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	8+300%
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	40+100%

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-13400F) vs Apple Virtualization (M4 Max (16 cores)). The M4 Max (16 cores) includes integrated graphics (Apple 40-core GPU), while the Core i5-13400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-13400F targets Gaming, M4 Max (16 cores) targets Professional Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i5-13400F rivals Ryzen 5 7600; M4 Max (16 cores) rivals Ryzen AI Max PRO 390.

Feature	Core i5-13400F	M4 Max (16 cores)
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	Apple 40-core GPU
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	Apple Virtualization
Target Use	Gaming	Professional Laptop