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

✅+53.2% higher PassMark.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 16 MB).
✅Costs $184 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $513 MSRP).
✅Delivers 138.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 114.5 vs 47.9 PassMark/$ ($329 MSRP vs $513 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Core i9-11900KF

2021

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (24,585 vs 37,655).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 24 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 47.9 vs 114.5 PassMark/$ ($513 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while Core i5-13600K moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-13600K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i5-13600K

2022

Core i9-11900KF

2021

Why buy it

✅+53.2% higher PassMark.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 16 MB).
✅Costs $184 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $513 MSRP).
✅Delivers 138.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 114.5 vs 47.9 PassMark/$ ($329 MSRP vs $513 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (24,585 vs 37,655).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 24 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 47.9 vs 114.5 PassMark/$ ($513 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while Core i5-13600K moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-13600K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-13600K better than Core i9-11900KF?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core i9-11900KF is ahead with a 1.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-13600K pulls ahead with 53.2% better PassMark. Core i5-13600K also has the bigger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 16 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-13600K is the better fit. You are getting 53.2% better PassMark, backed by 14 cores and 20 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 16 MB).

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

Core i5-13600K is the smarter buy today. Core i5-13600K is $184 cheaper on MSRP at $329 MSRP versus $513 MSRP, and it gives you 53.2% better PassMark. The trade-off is that Core i9-11900KF is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 1.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 138.8% better value on MSRP (114.5 vs 47.9 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible LGA1200 + DDR4 setup, Core i9-11900KF can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap, but on MSRP alone you would want to find it meaningfully cheaper in real-world listings before that path becomes easy to justify.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Core i5-13600K is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2021), a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of LGA1200, 50% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 16 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 14 cores / 20 threads instead of 8/16. 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 i5-13600K Benchmark Check

Core i9-11900KF Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-13600K	Core i9-11900KF
1080p
low	281 FPS	295 FPS
medium	264 FPS	261 FPS
high	220 FPS	220 FPS
ultra	188 FPS	189 FPS
1440p
low	235 FPS	242 FPS
medium	198 FPS	192 FPS
high	158 FPS	157 FPS
ultra	138 FPS	139 FPS
4K
low	159 FPS	167 FPS
medium	133 FPS	135 FPS
high	102 FPS	104 FPS
ultra	90 FPS	91 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open Core i9-11900KF

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-13600K	Core i9-11900KF
1080p
low	632 FPS	615 FPS
medium	533 FPS	527 FPS
high	450 FPS	457 FPS
ultra	416 FPS	407 FPS
1440p
low	540 FPS	601 FPS
medium	474 FPS	490 FPS
high	403 FPS	422 FPS
ultra	351 FPS	362 FPS
4K
low	316 FPS	401 FPS
medium	282 FPS	339 FPS
high	269 FPS	320 FPS
ultra	238 FPS	275 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open Core i9-11900KF

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-13600K	Core i9-11900KF
1080p
low	663 FPS	615 FPS
medium	543 FPS	615 FPS
high	477 FPS	615 FPS
ultra	414 FPS	563 FPS
1440p
low	600 FPS	615 FPS
medium	499 FPS	615 FPS
high	434 FPS	543 FPS
ultra	376 FPS	464 FPS
4K
low	441 FPS	577 FPS
medium	381 FPS	480 FPS
high	344 FPS	427 FPS
ultra	295 FPS	357 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open Core i9-11900KF

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-13600K	Core i9-11900KF
1080p
low	941 FPS	615 FPS
medium	941 FPS	615 FPS
high	923 FPS	615 FPS
ultra	831 FPS	615 FPS
1440p
low	941 FPS	615 FPS
medium	850 FPS	615 FPS
high	738 FPS	615 FPS
ultra	651 FPS	615 FPS
4K
low	651 FPS	615 FPS
medium	588 FPS	565 FPS
high	529 FPS	512 FPS
ultra	437 FPS	437 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open Core i9-11900KF

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-13600K and Core i9-11900KF

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 i9-11900KF

The Core i9-11900KF is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 16 March 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Rocket Lake (2021) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 5.2 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 24,585 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-13600K packs 14 cores / 20 threads, while the Core i9-11900KF offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Core i5-13600K has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.1 GHz on the Core i5-13600K versus 5.2 GHz on the Core i9-11900KF — a 1.9% clock advantage for the Core i9-11900KF (base: 3.5 GHz vs 3.5 GHz). The Core i5-13600K uses the Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core i9-11900KF uses Rocket Lake (2021) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-13600K scores 37,655 against the Core i9-11900KF's 24,585 — a 42% lead for the Core i5-13600K. L3 cache: 24 MB on the Core i5-13600K vs 16 MB (total) on the Core i9-11900KF.

Feature	Core i5-13600K	Core i9-11900KF
Cores / Threads	14 / 20+75%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	5.1 GHz	5.2 GHz+2%
Base Clock	3.5 GHz	3.5 GHz
L3 Cache	24 MB+50%	16 MB (total)
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)+700%	256K (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm-50%	14 nm
Architecture	Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022)	Rocket Lake (2021)
PassMark	37,655+53%	24,585
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	15,500

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-13600K uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Core i9-11900KF uses LGA1200 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-5600 on the Core i5-13600K versus DDR4-3200 on the Core i9-11900KF — the Core i5-13600K supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i5-13600K 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: Intel 600 series,Intel 700 series (Core i5-13600K) and Z590,B560 (Core i9-11900KF).

Feature	Core i5-13600K	Core i9-11900KF
Socket	LGA1700	LGA1200
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-5600+25%	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB+50%	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	No
PCIe Lanes	20	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Only the Core i9-11900KF 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 i9-11900KF requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-13600K targets Desktop.

Feature	Core i5-13600K	Core i9-11900KF
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 i9-11900KF debuted at $513. On MSRP ($329 vs $513), the Core i5-13600K is $184 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-13600K delivers 114.5 pts/$ vs 47.9 pts/$ for the Core i9-11900KF — making the Core i5-13600K the 81.9% better value option.