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 i5-13500

2023

Why buy it

✅+1.7% higher PassMark.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Intel Laminar RM1), unlike Core i7-12850HX.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-12850HX across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Launch MSRP is still $242 MSRP, while Core i7-12850HX mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌18.2% higher power demand at 65W vs 55W.

Core i7-12850HX

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +3.2% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 55W instead of 65W, a 10W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (30,596 vs 31,109).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-13500.

Core i5-13500

2023

Core i7-12850HX

2022

Why buy it

✅+1.7% higher PassMark.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Intel Laminar RM1), unlike Core i7-12850HX.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +3.2% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 55W instead of 65W, a 10W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-12850HX across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Launch MSRP is still $242 MSRP, while Core i7-12850HX mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌18.2% higher power demand at 65W vs 55W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (30,596 vs 31,109).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-13500.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-13500 better than Core i7-12850HX?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core i7-12850HX is ahead with a 3.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-13500 pulls ahead with 1.7% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-13500 is the better fit. You are getting 1.7% better PassMark, backed by 14 cores and 20 threads.

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

Core i5-13500 is the smarter buy today. Core i5-13500 is at an unclear MSRP at $242 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you 1.7% better PassMark. The trade-off is that Core i7-12850HX is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 3.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (128.5 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 i5-13500 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2022) and more multi-core headroom with 14 cores / 20 threads instead of 16/24. 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 i5-13500 Benchmark Check

Core i7-12850HX Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-13500	Core i7-12850HX
1080p
low	260 FPS	269 FPS
medium	250 FPS	259 FPS
high	208 FPS	214 FPS
ultra	179 FPS	184 FPS
1440p
low	222 FPS	230 FPS
medium	191 FPS	198 FPS
high	153 FPS	159 FPS
ultra	135 FPS	140 FPS
4K
low	154 FPS	159 FPS
medium	131 FPS	136 FPS
high	101 FPS	106 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	93 FPS

Open Core i5-13500 Open Core i7-12850HX

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-13500	Core i7-12850HX
1080p
low	556 FPS	313 FPS
medium	471 FPS	265 FPS
high	400 FPS	224 FPS
ultra	368 FPS	205 FPS
1440p
low	458 FPS	258 FPS
medium	403 FPS	228 FPS
high	350 FPS	199 FPS
ultra	306 FPS	173 FPS
4K
low	281 FPS	159 FPS
medium	248 FPS	142 FPS
high	234 FPS	135 FPS
ultra	208 FPS	120 FPS

Open Core i5-13500 Open Core i7-12850HX

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-13500	Core i7-12850HX
1080p
low	648 FPS	765 FPS
medium	527 FPS	616 FPS
high	467 FPS	545 FPS
ultra	405 FPS	462 FPS
1440p
low	590 FPS	692 FPS
medium	486 FPS	554 FPS
high	425 FPS	485 FPS
ultra	370 FPS	416 FPS
4K
low	433 FPS	498 FPS
medium	372 FPS	416 FPS
high	333 FPS	373 FPS
ultra	285 FPS	314 FPS

Open Core i5-13500 Open Core i7-12850HX

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-13500	Core i7-12850HX
1080p
low	778 FPS	765 FPS
medium	778 FPS	765 FPS
high	726 FPS	672 FPS
ultra	644 FPS	597 FPS
1440p
low	778 FPS	742 FPS
medium	702 FPS	658 FPS
high	608 FPS	566 FPS
ultra	528 FPS	493 FPS
4K
low	555 FPS	522 FPS
medium	504 FPS	473 FPS
high	449 FPS	419 FPS
ultra	390 FPS	364 FPS

Open Core i5-13500 Open Core i7-12850HX

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-13500 and Core i7-12850HX

Core i5-13500

The Core i5-13500 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 14 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 24 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: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 31,109 points. Launch price was $242.

Core i7-12850HX

The Core i7-12850HX is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 10 May 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-HX (2022) architecture. It features 16 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 25 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1964. Thermal design power (TDP): 55 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 30,596 points. Launch price was $499.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-13500 packs 14 cores / 20 threads, while the Core i7-12850HX offers 16 cores / 24 threads — the Core i7-12850HX has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.8 GHz on the Core i5-13500 versus 4.8 GHz on the Core i7-12850HX — identical boost frequencies (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Core i5-13500 uses the Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core i7-12850HX uses Alder Lake-HX (2022) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-13500 scores 31,109 against the Core i7-12850HX's 30,596 — a 1.7% lead for the Core i5-13500. L3 cache: 24 MB (total) on the Core i5-13500 vs 25 MB (total) on the Core i7-12850HX.

Feature	Core i5-13500	Core i7-12850HX
Cores / Threads	14 / 20	16 / 24+14%
Boost Clock	4.8 GHz	4.8 GHz
Base Clock	2.5 GHz+19%	2.1 GHz
L3 Cache	24 MB (total)	25 MB (total)+4%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	1.25 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	Intel 7 nm
Architecture	Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024)	Alder Lake-HX (2022)
PassMark	31,109+2%	30,596
Cinebench R23 Multi	20,924	—
Geekbench 6 Single	2,419	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	12,160	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-13500 uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Core i7-12850HX uses FCBGA1964 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-4800 memory speed. The Core i5-13500 supports up to 192 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 40% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 20 PCIe lanes.

Feature	Core i5-13500	Core i7-12850HX
Socket	LGA1700	FCBGA1964
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800	DDR5-4800
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB+50%	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Core i7-12850HX has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Core i7-12850HX supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-13500) vs VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-12850HX). Both include integrated graphics — Intel UHD Graphics 770 (Core i5-13500) and UHD Graphics 770 (Core i7-12850HX) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-13500 targets High-end Productivity / Gaming, Core i7-12850HX targets Mobile Workstation. Direct competitor: Core i5-13500 rivals Ryzen 7 7700.

Feature	Core i5-13500	Core i7-12850HX
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	Intel UHD Graphics 770	UHD Graphics 770
Unlocked	No	Yes
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	High-end Productivity / Gaming	Mobile Workstation