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: +4.4% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (37,655 vs 39,605).
❌Launch MSRP is still $329 MSRP, while Core Ultra 5 245HX mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌127.3% higher power demand at 125W vs 55W.

Core Ultra 5 245HX

2025

Why buy it

✅+5.2% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 55W instead of 125W, a 70W reduction.
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-13600K across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Core i5-13600K

2022

Core Ultra 5 245HX

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +4.4% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Why buy it

✅+5.2% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 55W instead of 125W, a 70W reduction.
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (37,655 vs 39,605).
❌Launch MSRP is still $329 MSRP, while Core Ultra 5 245HX mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌127.3% higher power demand at 125W vs 55W.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-13600K across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Quick Answers

So, is Core Ultra 5 245HX better than Core i5-13600K?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core i5-13600K is ahead with a 4.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core Ultra 5 245HX pulls ahead with 5.2% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core Ultra 5 245HX is the better fit. You are getting 5.2% better PassMark, backed by 14 cores and 14 threads.

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

Core Ultra 5 245HX is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-13600K makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core Ultra 5 245HX is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $329 MSRP, and it gives you 5.2% better PassMark. The trade-off is that Core i5-13600K is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 4.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-13600K is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (114.5 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

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

Core Ultra 5 245HX is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2022) and more multi-core headroom with 14 cores / 14 threads instead of 14/20. 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 Ultra 5 245HX Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-13600K	Core Ultra 5 245HX
1080p
low	281 FPS	264 FPS
medium	264 FPS	252 FPS
high	220 FPS	213 FPS
ultra	188 FPS	181 FPS
1440p
low	235 FPS	222 FPS
medium	198 FPS	189 FPS
high	158 FPS	154 FPS
ultra	138 FPS	134 FPS
4K
low	159 FPS	150 FPS
medium	133 FPS	127 FPS
high	102 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	90 FPS	87 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open Core Ultra 5 245HX

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-13600K	Core Ultra 5 245HX
1080p
low	632 FPS	663 FPS
medium	533 FPS	560 FPS
high	450 FPS	465 FPS
ultra	416 FPS	427 FPS
1440p
low	540 FPS	575 FPS
medium	474 FPS	505 FPS
high	403 FPS	423 FPS
ultra	351 FPS	367 FPS
4K
low	316 FPS	339 FPS
medium	282 FPS	304 FPS
high	269 FPS	289 FPS
ultra	238 FPS	255 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open Core Ultra 5 245HX

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-13600K	Core Ultra 5 245HX
1080p
low	663 FPS	839 FPS
medium	543 FPS	685 FPS
high	477 FPS	610 FPS
ultra	414 FPS	522 FPS
1440p
low	600 FPS	727 FPS
medium	499 FPS	596 FPS
high	434 FPS	519 FPS
ultra	376 FPS	441 FPS
4K
low	441 FPS	504 FPS
medium	381 FPS	425 FPS
high	344 FPS	382 FPS
ultra	295 FPS	323 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open Core Ultra 5 245HX

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-13600K	Core Ultra 5 245HX
1080p
low	941 FPS	990 FPS
medium	941 FPS	906 FPS
high	923 FPS	786 FPS
ultra	831 FPS	714 FPS
1440p
low	941 FPS	820 FPS
medium	850 FPS	729 FPS
high	738 FPS	631 FPS
ultra	651 FPS	560 FPS
4K
low	651 FPS	559 FPS
medium	588 FPS	505 FPS
high	529 FPS	452 FPS
ultra	437 FPS	399 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open Core Ultra 5 245HX

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-13600K and Core Ultra 5 245HX

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 Ultra 5 245HX

The Core Ultra 5 245HX is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 13 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Arrow Lake-HX (2025) architecture. It features 14 cores and 14 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 5.1 GHz. L3 cache: 24 MB (total). L2 cache: 3 MB (per core). Built on 3 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA2114. Thermal design power (TDP): 55 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-6400. Passmark benchmark score: 39,605 points. Launch price was $499.

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Processing Power

The Core i5-13600K packs 14 cores / 20 threads, matching the Core Ultra 5 245HX's 14 cores. Boost clocks reach 5.1 GHz on the Core i5-13600K versus 5.1 GHz on the Core Ultra 5 245HX — identical boost frequencies (base: 3.5 GHz vs 3.1 GHz). The Core i5-13600K uses the Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core Ultra 5 245HX uses Arrow Lake-HX (2025) (3 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-13600K scores 37,655 against the Core Ultra 5 245HX's 39,605 — a 5% lead for the Core Ultra 5 245HX. L3 cache: 24 MB on the Core i5-13600K vs 24 MB (total) on the Core Ultra 5 245HX.

Feature	Core i5-13600K	Core Ultra 5 245HX
Cores / Threads	14 / 20	14 / 14
Boost Clock	5.1 GHz	5.1 GHz
Base Clock	3.5 GHz+13%	3.1 GHz
L3 Cache	24 MB	24 MB (total)
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)	3 MB (per core)+50%
Process	Intel 7 nm	3 nm-57%
Architecture	Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022)	Arrow Lake-HX (2025)
PassMark	37,655	39,605+5%

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Memory & Platform

The Core i5-13600K uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Core Ultra 5 245HX uses FCBGA2114 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-5600 on the Core i5-13600K versus 6400 on the Core Ultra 5 245HX — the Core Ultra 5 245HX supports 199.7% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core Ultra 5 245HX supports up to 256 of RAM compared to 192 GB — 28.6% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-13600K) vs 24 (Core Ultra 5 245HX) — the Core Ultra 5 245HX offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel 600 series,Intel 700 series (Core i5-13600K) and Arrow Lake-HX (Core Ultra 5 245HX).

Feature	Core i5-13600K	Core Ultra 5 245HX
Socket	LGA1700	FCBGA2114
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-5600	6400+127900%
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB+78643100%	256
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	24+20%

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Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. Both include integrated graphics — UHD Graphics 770 (Core i5-13600K) and Intel Arc Xe-LPG Graphics (Core Ultra 5 245HX) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-13600K targets Desktop. Direct competitor: Core Ultra 5 245HX rivals Ryzen 7 8845HS.

Feature	Core i5-13600K	Core Ultra 5 245HX
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 770	Intel Arc Xe-LPG Graphics
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	Desktop	—