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: +8.0% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $1,304 less on MSRP ($196 MSRP vs $1,500 MSRP).
✅Delivers 955.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 127.7 vs 12.1 PassMark/$ ($196 MSRP vs $1,500 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 120W, a 55W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA2011-3 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (20 MB vs 45 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E5-2686 V3, which brings 18 cores / 36 threads and 40 PCIe lanes.

Xeon E5-2686 V3

2014

Why buy it

✅+125% larger total L3 cache (45 MB vs 20 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 18 cores / 36 threads, plus 40 PCIe lanes vs 20.
✅100% more PCIe lanes (40 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 Cinebench R23 multi-core (10,000 vs 16,211).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 12.1 vs 127.7 PassMark/$ ($1,500 MSRP vs $196 MSRP).
❌84.6% higher power demand at 120W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on LGA2011-3 with DDR4, while Core i5-13400F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Core i5-13400F

2023

Xeon E5-2686 V3

2014

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +8.0% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $1,304 less on MSRP ($196 MSRP vs $1,500 MSRP).
✅Delivers 955.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 127.7 vs 12.1 PassMark/$ ($196 MSRP vs $1,500 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 120W, a 55W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA2011-3 and DDR4.

Why buy it

✅+125% larger total L3 cache (45 MB vs 20 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 18 cores / 36 threads, plus 40 PCIe lanes vs 20.
✅100% more PCIe lanes (40 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (20 MB vs 45 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E5-2686 V3, which brings 18 cores / 36 threads and 40 PCIe lanes.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-13400F across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (10,000 vs 16,211).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 12.1 vs 127.7 PassMark/$ ($1,500 MSRP vs $196 MSRP).
❌84.6% higher power demand at 120W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on LGA2011-3 with DDR4, while Core i5-13400F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-13400F better than Xeon E5-2686 V3?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon E5-2686 V3 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 gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i5-13400F is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 8.0% 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 62.1% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, 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 $1,304 cheaper on MSRP at $196 MSRP versus $1,500 MSRP, and it gives you a 8.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 955.5% better value on MSRP (127.7 vs 12.1 PassMark/$), 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 2014), a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of LGA2011-3, and more multi-core headroom with 10 cores / 16 threads instead of 18/36. 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

Xeon E5-2686 V3 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Xeon E5-2686 V3
1080p
low	171 FPS	177 FPS
medium	158 FPS	154 FPS
high	132 FPS	121 FPS
ultra	112 FPS	97 FPS
1440p
low	143 FPS	148 FPS
medium	123 FPS	125 FPS
high	99 FPS	96 FPS
ultra	84 FPS	78 FPS
4K
low	81 FPS	69 FPS
medium	74 FPS	62 FPS
high	59 FPS	47 FPS
ultra	46 FPS	39 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Xeon E5-2686 V3

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Xeon E5-2686 V3
1080p
low	545 FPS	212 FPS
medium	464 FPS	193 FPS
high	389 FPS	164 FPS
ultra	356 FPS	132 FPS
1440p
low	458 FPS	183 FPS
medium	403 FPS	166 FPS
high	345 FPS	143 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	112 FPS
4K
low	280 FPS	115 FPS
medium	247 FPS	106 FPS
high	231 FPS	94 FPS
ultra	204 FPS	74 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Xeon E5-2686 V3

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Xeon E5-2686 V3
1080p
low	530 FPS	454 FPS
medium	449 FPS	454 FPS
high	415 FPS	454 FPS
ultra	375 FPS	454 FPS
1440p
low	490 FPS	454 FPS
medium	422 FPS	454 FPS
high	382 FPS	454 FPS
ultra	343 FPS	454 FPS
4K
low	393 FPS	443 FPS
medium	331 FPS	360 FPS
high	296 FPS	327 FPS
ultra	246 FPS	272 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Xeon E5-2686 V3

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Xeon E5-2686 V3
1080p
low	626 FPS	454 FPS
medium	626 FPS	454 FPS
high	626 FPS	454 FPS
ultra	626 FPS	454 FPS
1440p
low	626 FPS	454 FPS
medium	626 FPS	454 FPS
high	598 FPS	454 FPS
ultra	521 FPS	454 FPS
4K
low	535 FPS	454 FPS
medium	492 FPS	454 FPS
high	439 FPS	419 FPS
ultra	382 FPS	361 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Xeon E5-2686 V3

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-13400F and Xeon E5-2686 V3

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.

Xeon E5-2686 V3

The Xeon E5-2686 V3 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture. It features 18 cores and 36 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 45 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011-3. Thermal design power (TDP): 120 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4 2133 MHz Quad-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 18,148 points. Launch price was $800.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-13400F packs 10 cores / 16 threads, while the Xeon E5-2686 V3 offers 18 cores / 36 threads — the Xeon E5-2686 V3 has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Core i5-13400F versus 3.5 GHz on the Xeon E5-2686 V3 — a 27.2% clock advantage for the Core i5-13400F (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Core i5-13400F uses the Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Xeon E5-2686 V3 uses Haswell-EP (2014−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-13400F scores 25,029 against the Xeon E5-2686 V3's 18,148 — a 31.9% lead for the Core i5-13400F. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 16,211 vs 10,000 (47.4% advantage for the Core i5-13400F). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,407 vs 1,033, a 79.9% lead for the Core i5-13400F that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 11,408 vs 8,649 (27.5% advantage for the Core i5-13400F). L3 cache: 20 MB (total) on the Core i5-13400F vs 45 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-2686 V3.

Feature	Core i5-13400F	Xeon E5-2686 V3
Cores / Threads	10 / 16	18 / 36+80%
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz+31%	3.5 GHz
Base Clock	2.5 GHz+25%	2 GHz
L3 Cache	20 MB (total)	45 MB (total)+125%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+400%	256K (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm-68%	22 nm
Architecture	Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024)	Haswell-EP (2014−2015)
PassMark	25,029+38%	18,148
Cinebench R23 Multi	16,211+62%	10,000
Geekbench 6 Single	2,407+133%	1,033
Geekbench 6 Multi	11,408+32%	8,649

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-13400F uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Xeon E5-2686 V3 uses LGA2011-3 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 on the Core i5-13400F versus DDR4-2133 on the Xeon E5-2686 V3 — the Core i5-13400F supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Xeon E5-2686 V3 supports up to 768 GB of RAM compared to 192 GB — 120% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i5-13400F) vs 4 (Xeon E5-2686 V3). PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-13400F) vs 40 (Xeon E5-2686 V3) — the Xeon E5-2686 V3 offers 20 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-13400F) and C612,X99 (Xeon E5-2686 V3).

Feature	Core i5-13400F	Xeon E5-2686 V3
Socket	LGA1700	LGA2011-3
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+67%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200+25%	DDR4-2133
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB	768 GB+300%
RAM Channels	2	4+100%
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	40+100%

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-13400F) vs Yes (Xeon E5-2686 V3). Primary use case: Core i5-13400F targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-13400F rivals Ryzen 5 7600.

Feature	Core i5-13400F	Xeon E5-2686 V3
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	No	—
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	Yes
Target Use	Gaming	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-13400F launched at $196 MSRP, while the Xeon E5-2686 V3 debuted at $1500. On MSRP ($196 vs $1500), the Core i5-13400F is $1304 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-13400F delivers 127.7 pts/$ vs 12.1 pts/$ for the Xeon E5-2686 V3 — making the Core i5-13400F the 165.4% better value option.