Core i5-13400F vs Steam Deck OLED APU

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: +120.1% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+400% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 4 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Steam Deck OLED APU.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $196 MSRP, while Steam Deck OLED APU mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌3150% higher power demand at 65W vs 2W.

Steam Deck OLED APU

2023

Why buy it

✅Draws 2W instead of 65W, a 63W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-13400F across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (4,457 vs 25,029).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 20 MB).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-13400F.

Core i5-13400F

2023

Steam Deck OLED APU

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +120.1% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+400% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 4 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Steam Deck OLED APU.

Why buy it

✅Draws 2W instead of 65W, a 63W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $196 MSRP, while Steam Deck OLED APU mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌3150% higher power demand at 65W vs 2W.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-13400F across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (4,457 vs 25,029).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 20 MB).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-13400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-13400F better than Steam Deck OLED APU?

Yes. Core i5-13400F is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 120.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 461.6% better 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, Core i5-13400F is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 120.1% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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 461.6% better PassMark, backed by 10 cores and 16 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 400% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 4 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 $196 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 120.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (127.7 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 i5-13400F is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of the older platform, 400% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 4 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 10 cores / 16 threads instead of 4/8. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

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

Steam Deck OLED APU Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Steam Deck OLED APU
1080p
low	171 FPS	111 FPS
medium	158 FPS	111 FPS
high	132 FPS	107 FPS
ultra	112 FPS	83 FPS
1440p
low	143 FPS	111 FPS
medium	123 FPS	109 FPS
high	99 FPS	86 FPS
ultra	84 FPS	67 FPS
4K
low	81 FPS	66 FPS
medium	74 FPS	55 FPS
high	59 FPS	43 FPS
ultra	46 FPS	34 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Steam Deck OLED APU

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Steam Deck OLED APU
1080p
low	545 FPS	111 FPS
medium	464 FPS	111 FPS
high	389 FPS	111 FPS
ultra	356 FPS	111 FPS
1440p
low	458 FPS	111 FPS
medium	403 FPS	111 FPS
high	345 FPS	111 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	104 FPS
4K
low	280 FPS	111 FPS
medium	247 FPS	111 FPS
high	231 FPS	86 FPS
ultra	204 FPS	64 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Steam Deck OLED APU

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Steam Deck OLED APU
1080p
low	530 FPS	111 FPS
medium	449 FPS	111 FPS
high	415 FPS	111 FPS
ultra	375 FPS	111 FPS
1440p
low	490 FPS	111 FPS
medium	422 FPS	111 FPS
high	382 FPS	111 FPS
ultra	343 FPS	111 FPS
4K
low	393 FPS	111 FPS
medium	331 FPS	111 FPS
high	296 FPS	111 FPS
ultra	246 FPS	111 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Steam Deck OLED APU

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Steam Deck OLED APU
1080p
low	626 FPS	111 FPS
medium	626 FPS	111 FPS
high	626 FPS	111 FPS
ultra	626 FPS	111 FPS
1440p
low	626 FPS	111 FPS
medium	626 FPS	111 FPS
high	598 FPS	111 FPS
ultra	521 FPS	111 FPS
4K
low	535 FPS	111 FPS
medium	492 FPS	111 FPS
high	439 FPS	111 FPS
ultra	382 FPS	111 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Steam Deck OLED APU

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-13400F and Steam Deck OLED APU

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.

Steam Deck OLED APU

The Steam Deck OLED APU is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 9 November 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Van Gogh (Custom) (2023) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 6 nm process technology. Thermal design power (TDP): 2 MB + 4 MB. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 4,457 points. Launch price was $69.

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Processing Power

The Core i5-13400F packs 10 cores / 16 threads, while the Steam Deck OLED APU offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Core i5-13400F has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Core i5-13400F versus 3.5 GHz on the Steam Deck OLED APU — a 27.2% clock advantage for the Core i5-13400F (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Core i5-13400F uses the Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Steam Deck OLED APU uses Van Gogh (Custom) (2023) (6 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-13400F scores 25,029 against the Steam Deck OLED APU's 4,457 — a 139.5% lead for the Core i5-13400F. L3 cache: 20 MB (total) on the Core i5-13400F vs 4 MB on the Steam Deck OLED APU.

Feature	Core i5-13400F	Steam Deck OLED APU
Cores / Threads	10 / 16+150%	4 / 8
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz+31%	3.5 GHz
Base Clock	2.5 GHz+4%	2.4 GHz
L3 Cache	20 MB (total)+400%	4 MB
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	2 MB+60%
Process	Intel 7 nm	6 nm-14%
Architecture	Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024)	Van Gogh (Custom) (2023)
PassMark	25,029+462%	4,457
Cinebench R23 Multi	16,211	—
Geekbench 6 Single	2,407	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	11,408	—

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Advanced Features

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