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 i5-13600K

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +6.2% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $55 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $384 MSRP).
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 770, while Core i7-14700KF needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (37,655 vs 52,231).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (24 MB vs 33 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 114.5 vs 136.0 PassMark/$ ($329 MSRP vs $384 MSRP).

Core i7-14700KF

2023

Why buy it

✅+38.7% higher PassMark.
✅+37.5% larger total L3 cache (33 MB vs 24 MB).
✅Delivers 18.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 136.0 vs 114.5 PassMark/$ ($384 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-13600K across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌
16.7% HIGHER MSRP
$384 MSRPvs$329 MSRP
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-13600K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i5-13600K

2022

Core i7-14700KF

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +6.2% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $55 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $384 MSRP).
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 770, while Core i7-14700KF needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅+38.7% higher PassMark.
✅+37.5% larger total L3 cache (33 MB vs 24 MB).
✅Delivers 18.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 136.0 vs 114.5 PassMark/$ ($384 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (37,655 vs 52,231).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (24 MB vs 33 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 114.5 vs 136.0 PassMark/$ ($329 MSRP vs $384 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-13600K across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌
16.7% HIGHER MSRP
$384 MSRPvs$329 MSRP
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-13600K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-14700KF better than Core i5-13600K?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core i5-13600K is ahead with a 6.2% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-14700KF pulls ahead with 38.7% better PassMark. Core i7-14700KF also has the bigger cache pool with 37.5% larger total L3 cache (33 MB vs 24 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-14700KF is the better fit. You are getting 38.7% better PassMark, backed by 20 cores and 28 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 37.5% larger total L3 cache (33 MB vs 24 MB).

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

Core i7-14700KF is the smarter buy today. Core i7-14700KF is 16.7% more expensive on MSRP at $384 MSRP versus $329 MSRP, and it gives you 38.7% better PassMark. The trade-off is that Core i5-13600K is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 6.2% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 18.8% better value on MSRP (136.0 vs 114.5 PassMark/$), 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 i7-14700KF is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2022), 37.5% larger total L3 cache (33 MB vs 24 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 20 cores / 28 threads instead of 14/20. 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 i5-13600K Benchmark Check

Core i7-14700KF Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-13600K	Core i7-14700KF
1080p
low	281 FPS	349 FPS
medium	264 FPS	332 FPS
high	220 FPS	266 FPS
ultra	188 FPS	223 FPS
1440p
low	235 FPS	291 FPS
medium	198 FPS	246 FPS
high	158 FPS	185 FPS
ultra	138 FPS	162 FPS
4K
low	159 FPS	195 FPS
medium	133 FPS	164 FPS
high	102 FPS	123 FPS
ultra	90 FPS	111 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open Core i7-14700KF

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-13600K	Core i7-14700KF
1080p
low	632 FPS	687 FPS
medium	533 FPS	581 FPS
high	450 FPS	485 FPS
ultra	416 FPS	440 FPS
1440p
low	540 FPS	594 FPS
medium	474 FPS	525 FPS
high	403 FPS	441 FPS
ultra	351 FPS	378 FPS
4K
low	316 FPS	347 FPS
medium	282 FPS	314 FPS
high	269 FPS	295 FPS
ultra	238 FPS	261 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open Core i7-14700KF

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-13600K	Core i7-14700KF
1080p
low	663 FPS	647 FPS
medium	543 FPS	530 FPS
high	477 FPS	467 FPS
ultra	414 FPS	404 FPS
1440p
low	600 FPS	591 FPS
medium	499 FPS	492 FPS
high	434 FPS	427 FPS
ultra	376 FPS	372 FPS
4K
low	441 FPS	437 FPS
medium	381 FPS	382 FPS
high	344 FPS	346 FPS
ultra	295 FPS	295 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open Core i7-14700KF

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-13600K	Core i7-14700KF
1080p
low	941 FPS	951 FPS
medium	941 FPS	865 FPS
high	923 FPS	750 FPS
ultra	831 FPS	674 FPS
1440p
low	941 FPS	802 FPS
medium	850 FPS	716 FPS
high	738 FPS	620 FPS
ultra	651 FPS	547 FPS
4K
low	651 FPS	565 FPS
medium	588 FPS	513 FPS
high	529 FPS	460 FPS
ultra	437 FPS	402 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open Core i7-14700KF

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-13600K and Core i7-14700KF

Core i5-13600K

The Core i5-13600K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 27 September 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022) architecture. It features 14 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 5.1 GHz. L3 cache: 24 MB. L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 37,655 points. Launch price was $319.

Core i7-14700KF

The Core i7-14700KF is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 17 October 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-R (2023−2025) architecture. It features 20 cores and 28 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 5.6 GHz. L3 cache: 33 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-5600, DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 52,231 points. Launch price was $384.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-13600K packs 14 cores / 20 threads, while the Core i7-14700KF offers 20 cores / 28 threads — the Core i7-14700KF has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.1 GHz on the Core i5-13600K versus 5.6 GHz on the Core i7-14700KF — a 9.3% clock advantage for the Core i7-14700KF (base: 3.5 GHz vs 3.4 GHz). The Core i5-13600K uses the Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core i7-14700KF uses Raptor Lake-R (2023−2025) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-13600K scores 37,655 against the Core i7-14700KF's 52,231 — a 32.4% lead for the Core i7-14700KF. L3 cache: 24 MB on the Core i5-13600K vs 33 MB (total) on the Core i7-14700KF.

Feature	Core i5-13600K	Core i7-14700KF
Cores / Threads	14 / 20	20 / 28+43%
Boost Clock	5.1 GHz	5.6 GHz+10%
Base Clock	3.5 GHz+3%	3.4 GHz
L3 Cache	24 MB	33 MB (total)+38%
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)	2 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	Intel 7 nm
Architecture	Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022)	Raptor Lake-R (2023−2025)
PassMark	37,655	52,231+39%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	36,245
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,921
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	19,560

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the LGA1700 socket with PCIe 5.0. Both support up to DDR5-5600 memory speed. Both support up to 192 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 20 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: Intel 600 series,Intel 700 series (Core i5-13600K) and LGA1700 (Core i7-14700KF).

Feature	Core i5-13600K	Core i7-14700KF
Socket	LGA1700	LGA1700
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-5600	DDR5-5600
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB	192 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Only the Core i7-14700KF supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. The Core i5-13600K includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 770), while the Core i7-14700KF requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-13600K targets Desktop.

Feature	Core i5-13600K	Core i7-14700KF
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 770	—
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	Desktop	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-13600K launched at $329 MSRP, while the Core i7-14700KF debuted at $384. On MSRP ($329 vs $384), the Core i5-13600K is $55 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-13600K delivers 114.5 pts/$ vs 136.0 pts/$ for the Core i7-14700KF — making the Core i7-14700KF the 17.2% better value option.