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

✅Better for gaming: +13.5% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $10,941 less on MSRP ($409 MSRP vs $11,350 MSRP).
✅Delivers 1364.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 111.9 vs 7.6 PassMark/$ ($409 MSRP vs $11,350 MSRP).
✅Draws 125W instead of 330W, a 205W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics 770, while Xeon 6780E needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (45,784 vs 86,734).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (30 MB vs 108 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon 6780E, which brings 144 cores / 144 threads and 88 PCIe lanes.

Xeon 6780E

2024

Why buy it

✅+89.4% higher PassMark.
✅+260% larger total L3 cache (108 MB vs 30 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 144 cores / 144 threads, plus 88 PCIe lanes vs 20.
✅340% more PCIe lanes (88 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-13700K across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 7.6 vs 111.9 PassMark/$ ($11,350 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).
❌164% higher power demand at 330W vs 125W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-13700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i7-13700K

2022

Xeon 6780E

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +13.5% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $10,941 less on MSRP ($409 MSRP vs $11,350 MSRP).
✅Delivers 1364.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 111.9 vs 7.6 PassMark/$ ($409 MSRP vs $11,350 MSRP).
✅Draws 125W instead of 330W, a 205W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics 770, while Xeon 6780E needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅+89.4% higher PassMark.
✅+260% larger total L3 cache (108 MB vs 30 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 144 cores / 144 threads, plus 88 PCIe lanes vs 20.
✅340% more PCIe lanes (88 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (45,784 vs 86,734).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (30 MB vs 108 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon 6780E, which brings 144 cores / 144 threads and 88 PCIe lanes.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-13700K across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 7.6 vs 111.9 PassMark/$ ($11,350 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).
❌164% higher power demand at 330W vs 125W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-13700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-13700K better than Xeon 6780E?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon 6780E makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Core i7-13700K is the better mainstream desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and day-to-day practicality.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon 6780E is the better fit. You are getting 89.4% better PassMark, backed by 144 cores and 144 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 260% larger total L3 cache (108 MB vs 30 MB).

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

Core i7-13700K is the smarter buy today. Core i7-13700K is $10,941 cheaper on MSRP at $409 MSRP versus $11,350 MSRP, and it gives you a 13.5% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Xeon 6780E is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 89.4% better PassMark. It is also 1364.9% better value on MSRP (111.9 vs 7.6 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

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

Xeon 6780E is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2022), 260% larger total L3 cache (108 MB vs 30 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 144 cores / 144 threads instead of 16/24. 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

Xeon 6780E Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-13700K	Xeon 6780E
1080p
low	284 FPS	189 FPS
medium	268 FPS	152 FPS
high	223 FPS	121 FPS
ultra	190 FPS	95 FPS
1440p
low	238 FPS	153 FPS
medium	200 FPS	119 FPS
high	159 FPS	91 FPS
ultra	139 FPS	73 FPS
4K
low	159 FPS	71 FPS
medium	134 FPS	59 FPS
high	103 FPS	46 FPS
ultra	90 FPS	38 FPS

Open Core i7-13700K Open Xeon 6780E

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-13700K	Xeon 6780E
1080p
low	689 FPS	244 FPS
medium	580 FPS	216 FPS
high	484 FPS	178 FPS
ultra	439 FPS	142 FPS
1440p
low	595 FPS	200 FPS
medium	525 FPS	181 FPS
high	441 FPS	154 FPS
ultra	378 FPS	120 FPS
4K
low	348 FPS	124 FPS
medium	314 FPS	115 FPS
high	295 FPS	100 FPS
ultra	261 FPS	81 FPS

Open Core i7-13700K Open Xeon 6780E

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-13700K	Xeon 6780E
1080p
low	648 FPS	934 FPS
medium	530 FPS	831 FPS
high	467 FPS	779 FPS
ultra	405 FPS	693 FPS
1440p
low	591 FPS	746 FPS
medium	491 FPS	655 FPS
high	427 FPS	614 FPS
ultra	371 FPS	546 FPS
4K
low	434 FPS	479 FPS
medium	374 FPS	378 FPS
high	339 FPS	334 FPS
ultra	290 FPS	272 FPS

Open Core i7-13700K Open Xeon 6780E

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-13700K	Xeon 6780E
1080p
low	970 FPS	897 FPS
medium	883 FPS	807 FPS
high	766 FPS	691 FPS
ultra	689 FPS	588 FPS
1440p
low	829 FPS	697 FPS
medium	740 FPS	606 FPS
high	642 FPS	517 FPS
ultra	566 FPS	436 FPS
4K
low	567 FPS	500 FPS
medium	515 FPS	446 FPS
high	463 FPS	390 FPS
ultra	404 FPS	334 FPS

Open Core i7-13700K Open Xeon 6780E

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-13700K and Xeon 6780E

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.

Xeon 6780E

The Xeon 6780E is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 June 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Sierra Forest (2024) architecture. It features 144 cores and 144 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 108 MB (total). L2 cache: 4 MB (per module). Built on Intel 3 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4710. Thermal design power (TDP): 330 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-6400. Passmark benchmark score: 86,734 points. Launch price was $11,350.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-13700K packs 16 cores / 24 threads, while the Xeon 6780E offers 144 cores / 144 threads — the Xeon 6780E has 128 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.4 GHz on the Core i7-13700K versus 3 GHz on the Xeon 6780E — a 57.1% clock advantage for the Core i7-13700K (base: 3.4 GHz vs 2.2 GHz). The Core i7-13700K uses the Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Xeon 6780E uses Sierra Forest (2024) (Intel 3 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-13700K scores 45,784 against the Xeon 6780E's 86,734 — a 61.8% lead for the Xeon 6780E. L3 cache: 30 MB (total) on the Core i7-13700K vs 108 MB (total) on the Xeon 6780E.

Feature	Core i7-13700K	Xeon 6780E
Cores / Threads	16 / 24	144 / 144+800%
Boost Clock	5.4 GHz+80%	3 GHz
Base Clock	3.4 GHz+55%	2.2 GHz
L3 Cache	30 MB (total)	108 MB (total)+260%
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)	4 MB (per module)+100%
Process	Intel 7 nm	Intel 3 nm-57%
Architecture	Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022)	Sierra Forest (2024)
PassMark	45,784	86,734+89%
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 Xeon 6780E uses LGA4710 (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 4 TB — 191.8% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i7-13700K) vs 8 (Xeon 6780E). PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i7-13700K) vs 88 (Xeon 6780E) — the Xeon 6780E offers 68 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	Core i7-13700K	Xeon 6780E
Socket	LGA1700	LGA4710
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-5600	DDR5-6400
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB	4 TB+2033%
RAM Channels	2	8+300%
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	88+340%

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: true (Core i7-13700K) vs VT-x, VT-d, VT-x EPT (Xeon 6780E). The Core i7-13700K includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics 770), while the Xeon 6780E requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Xeon 6780E targets Cloud Native Compute. Direct competitor: Core i7-13700K rivals Ryzen 9 7900X; Xeon 6780E rivals EPYC 9754.

Feature	Core i7-13700K	Xeon 6780E
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	Intel UHD Graphics 770	—
Unlocked	Yes	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	true	VT-x, VT-d, VT-x EPT
Target Use	—	Cloud Native Compute

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-13700K launched at $409 MSRP, while the Xeon 6780E debuted at $11350. On MSRP ($409 vs $11350), the Core i7-13700K is $10941 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-13700K delivers 111.9 pts/$ vs 7.6 pts/$ for the Xeon 6780E — making the Core i7-13700K the 174.4% better value option.