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 i7-13700K

2022

Why buy it

✅+87.5% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 16 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 111.9 vs 142.4 PassMark/$ ($409 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
❌177.8% higher power demand at 125W vs 45W.

Ryzen 7 260

2025

Why buy it

✅Costs $210 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).
✅Delivers 27.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 142.4 vs 111.9 PassMark/$ ($199 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).
✅Draws 45W instead of 125W, a 80W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (28,339 vs 45,784).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 30 MB).

Core i7-13700K

2022

Ryzen 7 260

2025

Why buy it

✅+87.5% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 16 MB).

Why buy it

✅Costs $210 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).
✅Delivers 27.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 142.4 vs 111.9 PassMark/$ ($199 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).
✅Draws 45W instead of 125W, a 80W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 111.9 vs 142.4 PassMark/$ ($409 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
❌177.8% higher power demand at 125W vs 45W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (28,339 vs 45,784).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 30 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-13700K better than Ryzen 7 260?

Yes. Core i7-13700K is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 0.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 61.6% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i7-13700K is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 0.5% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-13700K is the better fit. You are getting 61.6% better PassMark, backed by 16 cores and 24 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 87.5% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 16 MB).

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

Core i7-13700K is the smarter buy by a wide margin for any fresh desktop build. Core i7-13700K is 105.5% more expensive on MSRP at $409 MSRP versus $199 MSRP, and it gives you a 0.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 7 260 only looks good on raw value math because it is a cheap legacy laptop CPU, not because it is a serious desktop gaming option. It simply cannot keep up with modern games.

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

Ryzen 7 260 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2022). 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 i7-13700K Benchmark Check

Ryzen 7 260 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-13700K	Ryzen 7 260
1080p
low	284 FPS	265 FPS
medium	268 FPS	240 FPS
high	223 FPS	202 FPS
ultra	190 FPS	174 FPS
1440p
low	238 FPS	234 FPS
medium	200 FPS	192 FPS
high	159 FPS	156 FPS
ultra	139 FPS	138 FPS
4K
low	159 FPS	162 FPS
medium	134 FPS	135 FPS
high	103 FPS	104 FPS
ultra	90 FPS	91 FPS

Open Core i7-13700K Open Ryzen 7 260

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-13700K	Ryzen 7 260
1080p
low	689 FPS	486 FPS
medium	580 FPS	399 FPS
high	484 FPS	341 FPS
ultra	439 FPS	304 FPS
1440p
low	595 FPS	424 FPS
medium	525 FPS	367 FPS
high	441 FPS	314 FPS
ultra	378 FPS	267 FPS
4K
low	348 FPS	280 FPS
medium	314 FPS	253 FPS
high	295 FPS	237 FPS
ultra	261 FPS	204 FPS

Open Core i7-13700K Open Ryzen 7 260

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-13700K	Ryzen 7 260
1080p
low	648 FPS	708 FPS
medium	530 FPS	708 FPS
high	467 FPS	708 FPS
ultra	405 FPS	623 FPS
1440p
low	591 FPS	708 FPS
medium	491 FPS	644 FPS
high	427 FPS	544 FPS
ultra	371 FPS	467 FPS
4K
low	434 FPS	540 FPS
medium	374 FPS	474 FPS
high	339 FPS	421 FPS
ultra	290 FPS	357 FPS

Open Core i7-13700K Open Ryzen 7 260

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-13700K	Ryzen 7 260
1080p
low	970 FPS	708 FPS
medium	883 FPS	708 FPS
high	766 FPS	708 FPS
ultra	689 FPS	708 FPS
1440p
low	829 FPS	708 FPS
medium	740 FPS	708 FPS
high	642 FPS	657 FPS
ultra	566 FPS	572 FPS
4K
low	567 FPS	574 FPS
medium	515 FPS	511 FPS
high	463 FPS	455 FPS
ultra	404 FPS	393 FPS

Open Core i7-13700K Open Ryzen 7 260

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-13700K and Ryzen 7 260

Core i7-13700K

The Core i7-13700K 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 16 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 5.4 GHz. L3 cache: 30 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: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 45,784 points. Launch price was $409.

Ryzen 7 260

The Ryzen 7 260 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Hawk Point (2024−2025) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.8 GHz, with boost up to 5.1 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: FP8. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 28,339 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-13700K packs 16 cores / 24 threads, while the Ryzen 7 260 offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Core i7-13700K has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.4 GHz on the Core i7-13700K versus 5.1 GHz on the Ryzen 7 260 — a 5.7% clock advantage for the Core i7-13700K (base: 3.4 GHz vs 3.8 GHz). The Core i7-13700K uses the Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen 7 260 uses Hawk Point (2024−2025) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-13700K scores 45,784 against the Ryzen 7 260's 28,339 — a 47.1% lead for the Core i7-13700K. L3 cache: 30 MB (total) on the Core i7-13700K vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 260.

Feature	Core i7-13700K	Ryzen 7 260
Cores / Threads	16 / 24+100%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	5.4 GHz+6%	5.1 GHz
Base Clock	3.4 GHz	3.8 GHz+12%
L3 Cache	30 MB (total)+88%	16 MB (total)
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)+100%	1 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	4 nm-43%
Architecture	Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022)	Hawk Point (2024−2025)
PassMark	45,784+62%	28,339
Cinebench R23 Multi	31,000	—
Geekbench 6 Single	2,846	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	18,980	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-13700K uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 7 260 uses FP8 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-5600 memory speed. The Core i7-13700K supports up to 192 GB of RAM compared to 64 GB — 100% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 20 PCIe lanes.

Feature	Core i7-13700K	Ryzen 7 260
Socket	LGA1700	FP8
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-5600	DDR5-5600
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB+200%	64 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	No
PCIe Lanes	20	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Core i7-13700K has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Ryzen 7 260 supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: true (Core i7-13700K) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 7 260). Both include integrated graphics — Intel UHD Graphics 770 (Core i7-13700K) and Radeon 780M (Ryzen 7 260) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 7 260 targets Mobile. Direct competitor: Core i7-13700K rivals Ryzen 9 7900X.

Feature	Core i7-13700K	Ryzen 7 260
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	Intel UHD Graphics 770	Radeon 780M
Unlocked	Yes	No
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	true	AMD-V
Target Use	—	Mobile

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-13700K launched at $409 MSRP, while the Ryzen 7 260 debuted at $199. On MSRP ($409 vs $199), the Ryzen 7 260 is $210 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-13700K delivers 111.9 pts/$ vs 142.4 pts/$ for the Ryzen 7 260 — making the Ryzen 7 260 the 24% better value option.