Core i5-13600
VS
Core i5-12400F

Core i5-13600 vs Core i5-12400F

Intel

Core i5-13600

14 Cores20 Thrd65 WWMax: 5 GHz2023
VS
Intel

Core i5-12400F

6 Cores12 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.4 GHz2022

Performance Spectrum - CPU

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.

Value Upgrade Path

This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Core i5-13600

#106
Ryzen 7 5800XT
MSRP: $249|Avg: $219
103%
#107
Core i5-10400F
MSRP: $160|Avg: $102
103%
#108
Core i9-12900KF
MSRP: $564|Avg: $320
103%
#109
Ryzen 5 PRO 4650GE
MSRP: $209|Avg: $120
103%
#110
Ryzen 5 4600GE
MSRP: $200|Avg: $125
103%
#111
Core i5-10500T
MSRP: $226|Avg: $80
103%
#112
Core i5-14600
MSRP: $255|Avg: $255
103%
#113
Core i7-14700F
MSRP: $359|Avg: $330
102%
#114
Ryzen 3 PRO 3200G
MSRP: $89|Avg: $52
101%
#115
Core i9-14900K
MSRP: $589|Avg: $469
101%
#116
Ryzen 5 PRO 5655GE
MSRP: $146|Avg: $146
101%
#117
Core i7-13790F
MSRP: $392|Avg: $350
101%
#118
Core i5-14500
MSRP: $239|Avg: $251
101%
#119
Core i5-11600KF
MSRP: $237|Avg: $157
100%
#120
Ryzen 5 5600XT
MSRP: $192|Avg: $180
100%
#121
Core i5-13600
MSRP: $255|Avg: $255
100%
#122
Core i3-13100F
MSRP: $109|Avg: $119
100%
#123
Ryzen 5 5600G
MSRP: $259|Avg: $160
100%
#124
Core Ultra 9 285K
MSRP: $589|Avg: $550
99%
#125
Core i5-13400E
MSRP: $221|Avg: $221
99%
#126
Ryzen 7 8700F
MSRP: $270|Avg: $257
98%
#127
Core i9-14900KF
MSRP: $564|Avg: $480
98%
#128
Core i7-12700K
MSRP: $409|Avg: $285
98%
#129
Core i9-13900KF
MSRP: $599|Avg: $480
97%
#130
Core i7-12700
MSRP: $250|Avg: $250
97%
#131
Core Ultra 5 245T
MSRP: $270|Avg: $270
97%
#132
Core i5-8500
MSRP: $192|Avg: $80
96%
#133
Core i5-9400F
MSRP: $182|Avg: $80
96%
#134
Core i5-11400
MSRP: $182|Avg: $141
96%
#135
Core i5-13600K
MSRP: $329|Avg: $319
96%
#136
Core i5-13500
MSRP: $242|Avg: $264
95%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i5-12400F

#15
Core i3-8300T
MSRP: $138|Avg: $25
121%
#16
Core Ultra 5 225F
MSRP: $231|Avg: $150
118%
#17
Core Ultra 7 265K
MSRP: $309|Avg: $285
116%
#18
Ryzen 9 3900
MSRP: $499|Avg: $150
115%
#19
Ryzen 5 3600X
MSRP: $249|Avg: $90
113%
#20
Core i7-14700KF
MSRP: $384|Avg: $260
113%
#21
Core i7-14700K
MSRP: $409|Avg: $270
109%
#22
Ryzen 5 4500
MSRP: $129|Avg: $85
106%
#23
Ryzen 5 5600
MSRP: $199|Avg: $115
106%
#24
Celeron G5925
MSRP: $62|Avg: $15
105%
#25
Ryzen 5 7500F
MSRP: $179|Avg: $145
104%
#26
Core Ultra 5 245
MSRP: $319|Avg: $220
103%
#27
Ryzen 7 2700
MSRP: $299|Avg: $86
102%
#28
Core Ultra 7 265KF
MSRP: $379|Avg: $323
102%
#29
Core Ultra 7 265F
MSRP: $369|Avg: $276
100%
#30
Core i5-12400F
MSRP: $174|Avg: $110
100%
#31
Ryzen 3 PRO 5355G
MSRP: $130|Avg: $80
99%
#32
Ryzen 7 2700X
MSRP: $329|Avg: $100
98%
#33
Core i3-10100F
MSRP: $88|Avg: $50
98%
#34
Ryzen 5 7400F
MSRP: $150|Avg: $147
98%
#35
Ryzen 5 9600X
MSRP: $279|Avg: $178
95%
#36
Ryzen 7 3800X
MSRP: $399|Avg: $140
93%
#37
Ryzen 3 5300G
MSRP: $130|Avg: $80
92%
#38
Ryzen 9 7900X
MSRP: $549|Avg: $316
91%
#39
Ryzen 5 5600X
MSRP: $299|Avg: $135
91%
#40
Core i5-14600KF
MSRP: $304|Avg: $239
91%
#41
Ryzen 7 5800
MSRP: $349|Avg: $160
91%
#42
Core i3-14100F
MSRP: $109|Avg: $96
90%
#43
Ryzen 7 3700X
MSRP: $329|Avg: $140
90%
#44
Ryzen 5 7600X
MSRP: $299|Avg: $178
90%
#45
Ryzen 3 3100
MSRP: $99|Avg: $75
90%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core i5-13600 delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core i5-12400F in both compute-intensive tasks (46.9% faster) and gaming workloads.
InsightCore i5-13600Core i5-12400F
Gaming
Superior gaming performance
Lower gaming performance
Workstation
Better multi-core power
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price
⚠️ Higher cost ($255)
More affordable ($110)
Longevity
✨ Modern (Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024) / Intel 7 nm)
✨ Modern (Alder Lake-S (2022) / Intel 7 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Value Proposition: The Core i5-12400F offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. Priced at $110 (vs $255), it costs 57% less. While offering lower overall performance, it results in a 44% higher cost efficiency score compared to the Core i5-13600.
InsightCore i5-13600Core i5-12400F
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Better overall value (+44%)
Upfront Cost
⚠️ Higher cost ($255)
More affordable ($110)

Performance Check

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.

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-13600 and Core i5-12400F

Intel

Core i5-13600

The Core i5-13600 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 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 5 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: DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 31,499 points. Launch price was $255.

Intel

Core i5-12400F

The Core i5-12400F is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 January 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 18 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: DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 19,532 points. Launch price was $180.

Processing Power

The Core i5-13600 packs 14 cores / 20 threads, while the Core i5-12400F offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Core i5-13600 has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5 GHz on the Core i5-13600 versus 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F — a 12.8% clock advantage for the Core i5-13600 (base: 2.7 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Core i5-13600 uses the Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core i5-12400F uses Alder Lake-S (2022) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-13600 scores 31,499 against the Core i5-12400F's 19,532 — a 46.9% lead for the Core i5-13600. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 21,000 vs 12,380 (51.6% advantage for the Core i5-13600). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,900 vs 1,700, a 11.1% lead for the Core i5-13600 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 12,000 vs 657 (179.2% advantage for the Core i5-13600). L3 cache: 24 MB (total) on the Core i5-13600 vs 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F.

FeatureCore i5-13600Core i5-12400F
Cores / Threads
14 / 20+133%
6 / 12
Boost Clock
5 GHz+14%
4.4 GHz
Base Clock
2.7 GHz+8%
2.5 GHz
L3 Cache
24 MB (total)+33%
18 MB (total)
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-S (2022)
PassMark
31,499+61%
19,532
Cinebench R23 Multi
21,000+70%
12,380
Geekbench 6 Single
1,900+12%
1,700
Geekbench 6 Multi
12,000+1726%
657
🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the LGA1700 socket with PCIe 4.0. Both support up to DDR5-4800 memory speed. The Core i5-13600 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. Chipset compatibility: Z790,B760,Z690,B660 (Core i5-13600) and H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-12400F).

FeatureCore i5-13600Core i5-12400F
Socket
LGA1700
LGA1700
PCIe Generation
PCIe 4.0+33%
PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR5-4800
DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity
192 GB+50%
128 GB
RAM Channels
2
2
ECC Support
PCIe Lanes
20
20
🔧

Advanced Features

Both support VT-x, VT-d, EPT virtualization. The Core i5-13600 includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics 770), while the Core i5-12400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-13600 targets High-end Productivity Desktop, Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value. Direct competitor: Core i5-13600 rivals Ryzen 7 7700; Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600.

FeatureCore i5-13600Core i5-12400F
Integrated GPU
Yes
No
IGPU Model
Intel UHD Graphics 770
Unlocked
No
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
VT-x, VT-d, EPT
VT-x, VT-d, EPT
Target Use
High-end Productivity Desktop
Gaming Performance/Value
💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-13600 launched at $255 MSRP, while the Core i5-12400F debuted at $174. At current prices ($255 vs $110), the Core i5-12400F is $145 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-13600 delivers 123.5 pts/$ vs 177.6 pts/$ for the Core i5-12400F — making the Core i5-12400F the 35.9% better value option.

FeatureCore i5-13600Core i5-12400F
MSRP
$255
$174-32%
Avg Price (30d)
$255
$110-57%
Performance per Dollar
123.5
177.6+44%
Release Date
2023
2022