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

✅+9.5% higher PassMark.
✅Delivers 9.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 114.5 vs 104.5 PassMark/$ ($329 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (24 MB vs 32 MB).
❌92.3% higher power demand at 125W vs 65W.

Ryzen 7 7700

2023

Why buy it

✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 24 MB).
✅Draws 65W instead of 125W, a 60W reduction.
✅40% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (34,392 vs 37,655).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 104.5 vs 114.5 PassMark/$ ($329 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).

Core i5-13600K

2022

Ryzen 7 7700

2023

Why buy it

✅+9.5% higher PassMark.
✅Delivers 9.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 114.5 vs 104.5 PassMark/$ ($329 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).

Why buy it

✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 24 MB).
✅Draws 65W instead of 125W, a 60W reduction.
✅40% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (24 MB vs 32 MB).
❌92.3% higher power demand at 125W vs 65W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (34,392 vs 37,655).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 104.5 vs 114.5 PassMark/$ ($329 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 7700 better than Core i5-13600K?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen 7 7700 is ahead with a 0.9% 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 9.5% better PassMark. Ryzen 7 7700 also has the bigger cache pool with 33.3% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 24 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 9.5% better PassMark, backed by 14 cores and 20 threads.

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

Ryzen 7 7700 is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-13600K makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen 7 7700 is in basically the same MSRP band at $329 MSRP versus $329 MSRP, and it gives you a 0.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Core i5-13600K is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 9.5% better PassMark. Core i5-13600K is also 9.5% better value on MSRP (114.5 vs 104.5 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible LGA1700 + DDR5 setup, Core i5-13600K can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap.

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

Ryzen 7 7700 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2022) and 33.3% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 24 MB). 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

Ryzen 7 7700 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-13600K	Ryzen 7 7700
1080p
low	281 FPS	263 FPS
medium	264 FPS	243 FPS
high	220 FPS	208 FPS
ultra	188 FPS	178 FPS
1440p
low	235 FPS	225 FPS
medium	198 FPS	188 FPS
high	158 FPS	153 FPS
ultra	138 FPS	134 FPS
4K
low	159 FPS	156 FPS
medium	133 FPS	131 FPS
high	102 FPS	101 FPS
ultra	90 FPS	87 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open Ryzen 7 7700

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-13600K	Ryzen 7 7700
1080p
low	632 FPS	630 FPS
medium	533 FPS	519 FPS
high	450 FPS	429 FPS
ultra	416 FPS	388 FPS
1440p
low	540 FPS	537 FPS
medium	474 FPS	464 FPS
high	403 FPS	390 FPS
ultra	351 FPS	333 FPS
4K
low	316 FPS	315 FPS
medium	282 FPS	277 FPS
high	269 FPS	261 FPS
ultra	238 FPS	229 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open Ryzen 7 7700

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-13600K	Ryzen 7 7700
1080p
low	663 FPS	860 FPS
medium	543 FPS	744 FPS
high	477 FPS	650 FPS
ultra	414 FPS	558 FPS
1440p
low	600 FPS	734 FPS
medium	499 FPS	589 FPS
high	434 FPS	505 FPS
ultra	376 FPS	430 FPS
4K
low	441 FPS	507 FPS
medium	381 FPS	420 FPS
high	344 FPS	377 FPS
ultra	295 FPS	317 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open Ryzen 7 7700

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-13600K	Ryzen 7 7700
1080p
low	941 FPS	860 FPS
medium	941 FPS	860 FPS
high	923 FPS	850 FPS
ultra	831 FPS	756 FPS
1440p
low	941 FPS	860 FPS
medium	850 FPS	773 FPS
high	738 FPS	678 FPS
ultra	651 FPS	584 FPS
4K
low	651 FPS	581 FPS
medium	588 FPS	517 FPS
high	529 FPS	466 FPS
ultra	437 FPS	405 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open Ryzen 7 7700

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-13600K and Ryzen 7 7700

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.

Ryzen 7 7700

The Ryzen 7 7700 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 14 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.8 GHz, with boost up to 5.3 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 5 nm, 6 nm process technology. Socket: AM5. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-5200. Passmark benchmark score: 34,392 points. Launch price was $339.

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Processing Power

The Core i5-13600K packs 14 cores / 20 threads, while the Ryzen 7 7700 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 5.3 GHz on the Ryzen 7 7700 — a 3.8% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 7700 (base: 3.5 GHz vs 3.8 GHz). The Core i5-13600K uses the Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen 7 7700 uses Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023) (5 nm, 6 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-13600K scores 37,655 against the Ryzen 7 7700's 34,392 — a 9.1% lead for the Core i5-13600K. L3 cache: 24 MB on the Core i5-13600K vs 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 7700.

Feature	Core i5-13600K	Ryzen 7 7700
Cores / Threads	14 / 20+75%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	5.1 GHz	5.3 GHz+4%
Base Clock	3.5 GHz	3.8 GHz+9%
L3 Cache	24 MB	32 MB (total)+33%
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)+100%	1 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	5 nm, 6 nm-29%
Architecture	Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022)	Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023)
PassMark	37,655+9%	34,392

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Memory & Platform

The Core i5-13600K uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 7 7700 uses AM5 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-5600 memory speed. 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. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-13600K) vs 28 (Ryzen 7 7700) — the Ryzen 7 7700 offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	Core i5-13600K	Ryzen 7 7700
Socket	LGA1700	AM5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-5600	DDR5-5200
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB+50%	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	28+40%

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Only the Ryzen 7 7700 supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-13600K) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 7 7700). Both include integrated graphics — UHD Graphics 770 (Core i5-13600K) and Radeon Graphics (2CU) (Ryzen 7 7700) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-13600K targets Desktop, Ryzen 7 7700 targets Desktop.

Feature	Core i5-13600K	Ryzen 7 7700
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 770	Radeon Graphics (2CU)
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	AMD-V
Target Use	Desktop	Desktop

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-13600K launched at $329 MSRP, while the Ryzen 7 7700 debuted at $329. On MSRP ($329 vs $329), the Ryzen 7 7700 is $0 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-13600K delivers 114.5 pts/$ vs 104.5 pts/$ for the Ryzen 7 7700 — making the Core i5-13600K the 9.1% better value option.