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 i7-13650HX

2023

Why buy it

✅+20% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 16 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 8945H across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Ryzen 9 8945H

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +9.5% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (17,500 vs 20,999).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 24 MB).

Core i7-13650HX

2023

Ryzen 9 8945H

2023

Why buy it

✅+20% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 16 MB).

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +9.5% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 8945H across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (17,500 vs 20,999).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 24 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-13650HX better than Ryzen 9 8945H?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen 9 8945H is ahead with a 9.5% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-13650HX pulls ahead with 20% better Cinebench R23 multi-core. Core i7-13650HX 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 i7-13650HX is the better fit. You are getting 20% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, 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 i7-13650HX still looks like the safer overall buy. Core i7-13650HX is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you 20% better Cinebench R23 multi-core.

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

Core i7-13650HX is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting 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 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 i7-13650HX Benchmark Check

Ryzen 9 8945H Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-13650HX	Ryzen 9 8945H
1080p
low	262 FPS	269 FPS
medium	251 FPS	243 FPS
high	210 FPS	204 FPS
ultra	180 FPS	176 FPS
1440p
low	223 FPS	236 FPS
medium	191 FPS	193 FPS
high	153 FPS	157 FPS
ultra	135 FPS	139 FPS
4K
low	154 FPS	164 FPS
medium	131 FPS	136 FPS
high	101 FPS	105 FPS
ultra	90 FPS	92 FPS

Open Core i7-13650HX Open Ryzen 9 8945H

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-13650HX	Ryzen 9 8945H
1080p
low	556 FPS	513 FPS
medium	472 FPS	421 FPS
high	400 FPS	363 FPS
ultra	369 FPS	323 FPS
1440p
low	457 FPS	448 FPS
medium	403 FPS	388 FPS
high	350 FPS	334 FPS
ultra	306 FPS	285 FPS
4K
low	281 FPS	295 FPS
medium	248 FPS	267 FPS
high	234 FPS	253 FPS
ultra	208 FPS	217 FPS

Open Core i7-13650HX Open Ryzen 9 8945H

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-13650HX	Ryzen 9 8945H
1080p
low	648 FPS	756 FPS
medium	527 FPS	756 FPS
high	467 FPS	647 FPS
ultra	405 FPS	546 FPS
1440p
low	591 FPS	756 FPS
medium	486 FPS	637 FPS
high	425 FPS	541 FPS
ultra	370 FPS	464 FPS
4K
low	434 FPS	541 FPS
medium	373 FPS	473 FPS
high	334 FPS	419 FPS
ultra	285 FPS	355 FPS

Open Core i7-13650HX Open Ryzen 9 8945H

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-13650HX	Ryzen 9 8945H
1080p
low	763 FPS	756 FPS
medium	763 FPS	756 FPS
high	728 FPS	756 FPS
ultra	647 FPS	754 FPS
1440p
low	763 FPS	756 FPS
medium	702 FPS	756 FPS
high	610 FPS	660 FPS
ultra	531 FPS	573 FPS
4K
low	555 FPS	572 FPS
medium	504 FPS	511 FPS
high	450 FPS	457 FPS
ultra	392 FPS	394 FPS

Open Core i7-13650HX Open Ryzen 9 8945H

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-13650HX and Ryzen 9 8945H

Core i7-13650HX

The Core i7-13650HX is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-HX (2023) architecture. It features 14 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.9 GHz. L3 cache: 24 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1964. Thermal design power (TDP): + 24 MB. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 30,538 points. Launch price was $485.

Ryzen 9 8945H

The Ryzen 9 8945H is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 December 2023 (1 year ago). It is based on the Hawk Point-HS (Zen 4) (2023−2024) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 4 GHz, with boost up to 5.2 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB. L2 cache: 8 MB. Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: FP7/FP7r2/FP8. Thermal design power (TDP): 8 MB + 16 MB. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 30,240 points. Launch price was $499.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-13650HX packs 14 cores / 20 threads, while the Ryzen 9 8945H offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Core i7-13650HX has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.9 GHz on the Core i7-13650HX versus 5.2 GHz on the Ryzen 9 8945H — a 5.9% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 8945H (base: 2.6 GHz vs 4 GHz). The Core i7-13650HX uses the Raptor Lake-HX (2023) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen 9 8945H uses Hawk Point-HS (Zen 4) (2023−2024) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-13650HX scores 30,538 against the Ryzen 9 8945H's 30,240 — a 1% lead for the Core i7-13650HX. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 20,999 vs 17,500 (18.2% advantage for the Core i7-13650HX). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,524 vs 2,617, a 3.6% lead for the Ryzen 9 8945H that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 16,200 vs 12,662 (24.5% advantage for the Core i7-13650HX). L3 cache: 24 MB (total) on the Core i7-13650HX vs 16 MB on the Ryzen 9 8945H.

Feature	Core i7-13650HX	Ryzen 9 8945H
Cores / Threads	14 / 20+75%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	4.9 GHz	5.2 GHz+6%
Base Clock	2.6 GHz	4 GHz+54%
L3 Cache	24 MB (total)+50%	16 MB
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)	8 MB+300%
Process	Intel 7 nm	4 nm-43%
Architecture	Raptor Lake-HX (2023)	Hawk Point-HS (Zen 4) (2023−2024)
PassMark	30,538	30,240
Cinebench R23 Multi	20,999+20%	17,500
Geekbench 6 Single	2,524	2,617+4%
Geekbench 6 Multi	16,200+28%	12,662

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-13650HX uses the FCBGA1964 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 9 8945H uses FP7/FP7r2/FP8 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-4800 memory speed. The Ryzen 9 8945H supports up to 256 GB of RAM compared to 192 GB — 28.6% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 20 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: HM770,WM790 (Core i7-13650HX) and FP7,FP7r2,FP8 (Ryzen 9 8945H).

Feature	Core i7-13650HX	Ryzen 9 8945H
Socket	FCBGA1964	FP7/FP7r2/FP8
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800	DDR5-5600
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB	256 GB+33%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	No
PCIe Lanes	20	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Core i7-13650HX has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Ryzen 9 8945H supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i7-13650HX) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 9 8945H). Both include integrated graphics — Intel UHD Graphics 16EUs (Tiger Lake-H) (Core i7-13650HX) and Radeon 780M (Ryzen 9 8945H) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-13650HX targets High-end Content Creation Laptop, Ryzen 9 8945H targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i7-13650HX rivals Ryzen 7 7840HX; Ryzen 9 8945H rivals Core i9-13900H.

Feature	Core i7-13650HX	Ryzen 9 8945H
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	Intel UHD Graphics 16EUs (Tiger Lake-H)	Radeon 780M
Unlocked	Yes	No
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	AMD-V
Target Use	High-end Content Creation Laptop	Gaming