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

✅+23.7% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅Costs $1,290 less on MSRP ($409 MSRP vs $1,699 MSRP).
✅Delivers 242.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 111.9 vs 32.7 PassMark/$ ($409 MSRP vs $1,699 MSRP).
✅Draws 125W instead of 300W, a 175W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics 770, while Xeon w5-3535X needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (18,980 vs 30,000).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (30 MB vs 53 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon w5-3535X, which brings 20 cores / 40 threads and 112 PCIe lanes.

Xeon w5-3535X

2024

Why buy it

✅+58.1% higher Geekbench multi-core.
✅+75% larger total L3 cache (53 MB vs 30 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 20 cores / 40 threads, plus 112 PCIe lanes vs 20.
✅460% more PCIe lanes (112 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (2,300 vs 2,846).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 32.7 vs 111.9 PassMark/$ ($1,699 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).
❌140% higher power demand at 300W vs 125W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-13700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i7-13700K

2022

Xeon w5-3535X

2024

Why buy it

✅+23.7% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅Costs $1,290 less on MSRP ($409 MSRP vs $1,699 MSRP).
✅Delivers 242.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 111.9 vs 32.7 PassMark/$ ($409 MSRP vs $1,699 MSRP).
✅Draws 125W instead of 300W, a 175W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics 770, while Xeon w5-3535X needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅+58.1% higher Geekbench multi-core.
✅+75% larger total L3 cache (53 MB vs 30 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 20 cores / 40 threads, plus 112 PCIe lanes vs 20.
✅460% more PCIe lanes (112 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (18,980 vs 30,000).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (30 MB vs 53 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon w5-3535X, which brings 20 cores / 40 threads and 112 PCIe lanes.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (2,300 vs 2,846).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 32.7 vs 111.9 PassMark/$ ($1,699 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).
❌140% higher power demand at 300W 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 w5-3535X?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon w5-3535X 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 w5-3535X is the better fit. You are getting 58.1% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 20 cores and 40 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 75% larger total L3 cache (53 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 $1,290 cheaper on MSRP at $409 MSRP versus $1,699 MSRP, and it gives you a 1.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Xeon w5-3535X is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 58.1% better Geekbench multi-core. It is also 242.5% better value on MSRP (111.9 vs 32.7 PassMark/$), 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 w5-3535X is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2022), 75% larger total L3 cache (53 MB vs 30 MB), more multi-core headroom with 20 cores / 40 threads instead of 16/24, and AVX-512 support for heavier modern compute workloads. 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 w5-3535X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-13700K	Xeon w5-3535X
1080p
low	284 FPS	315 FPS
medium	268 FPS	303 FPS
high	223 FPS	243 FPS
ultra	190 FPS	204 FPS
1440p
low	238 FPS	272 FPS
medium	200 FPS	233 FPS
high	159 FPS	175 FPS
ultra	139 FPS	154 FPS
4K
low	159 FPS	185 FPS
medium	134 FPS	157 FPS
high	103 FPS	118 FPS
ultra	90 FPS	106 FPS

Open Core i7-13700K Open Xeon w5-3535X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-13700K	Xeon w5-3535X
1080p
low	689 FPS	677 FPS
medium	580 FPS	587 FPS
high	484 FPS	477 FPS
ultra	439 FPS	423 FPS
1440p
low	595 FPS	547 FPS
medium	525 FPS	484 FPS
high	441 FPS	411 FPS
ultra	378 FPS	338 FPS
4K
low	348 FPS	322 FPS
medium	314 FPS	285 FPS
high	295 FPS	264 FPS
ultra	261 FPS	232 FPS

Open Core i7-13700K Open Xeon w5-3535X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-13700K	Xeon w5-3535X
1080p
low	648 FPS	1025 FPS
medium	530 FPS	1045 FPS
high	467 FPS	967 FPS
ultra	405 FPS	829 FPS
1440p
low	591 FPS	994 FPS
medium	491 FPS	880 FPS
high	427 FPS	798 FPS
ultra	371 FPS	656 FPS
4K
low	434 FPS	593 FPS
medium	374 FPS	510 FPS
high	339 FPS	458 FPS
ultra	290 FPS	395 FPS

Open Core i7-13700K Open Xeon w5-3535X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-13700K	Xeon w5-3535X
1080p
low	970 FPS	1211 FPS
medium	883 FPS	1015 FPS
high	766 FPS	925 FPS
ultra	689 FPS	808 FPS
1440p
low	829 FPS	979 FPS
medium	740 FPS	842 FPS
high	642 FPS	734 FPS
ultra	566 FPS	630 FPS
4K
low	567 FPS	727 FPS
medium	515 FPS	630 FPS
high	463 FPS	556 FPS
ultra	404 FPS	437 FPS

Open Core i7-13700K Open Xeon w5-3535X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-13700K and Xeon w5-3535X

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 w5-3535X

The Xeon w5-3535X is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 24 August 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Sapphire Rapids (2023−2024) architecture. It features 20 cores and 40 threads. Base frequency is 2.9 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 52.5 MB. L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4677. Thermal design power (TDP): 300 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800. Passmark benchmark score: 55,532 points. Launch price was $1,689.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-13700K packs 16 cores / 24 threads, while the Xeon w5-3535X offers 20 cores / 40 threads — the Xeon w5-3535X has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.4 GHz on the Core i7-13700K versus 4.8 GHz on the Xeon w5-3535X — a 11.8% clock advantage for the Core i7-13700K (base: 3.4 GHz vs 2.9 GHz). The Core i7-13700K uses the Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Xeon w5-3535X uses Sapphire Rapids (2023−2024) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-13700K scores 45,784 against the Xeon w5-3535X's 55,532 — a 19.2% lead for the Xeon w5-3535X. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,846 vs 2,300, a 21.2% lead for the Core i7-13700K that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 18,980 vs 30,000 (45% advantage for the Xeon w5-3535X). L3 cache: 30 MB (total) on the Core i7-13700K vs 52.5 MB on the Xeon w5-3535X.

Feature	Core i7-13700K	Xeon w5-3535X
Cores / Threads	16 / 24	20 / 40+25%
Boost Clock	5.4 GHz+13%	4.8 GHz
Base Clock	3.4 GHz+17%	2.9 GHz
L3 Cache	30 MB (total)	52.5 MB+75%
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)	2 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	Intel 7 nm
Architecture	Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022)	Sapphire Rapids (2023−2024)
PassMark	45,784	55,532+21%
Cinebench R23 Multi	31,000	—
Geekbench 6 Single	2,846+24%	2,300
Geekbench 6 Multi	18,980	30,000+58%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-13700K uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Xeon w5-3535X uses LGA4677 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-5600 memory speed. The Xeon w5-3535X supports up to 4096 GB of RAM compared to 192 GB — 182.1% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i7-13700K) vs 4 (Xeon w5-3535X). PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i7-13700K) vs 112 (Xeon w5-3535X) — the Xeon w5-3535X offers 92 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel Z790,Intel H770,Intel B760,Intel Z690,Intel H670,Intel B660,Intel H610 (Core i7-13700K) and W790 (Xeon w5-3535X).

Feature	Core i7-13700K	Xeon w5-3535X
Socket	LGA1700	LGA4677
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-5600	DDR5-4800
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB	4096 GB+2033%
RAM Channels	2	4+100%
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	112+460%

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Only the Xeon w5-3535X supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: true (Core i7-13700K) vs VT-x, VT-d (Xeon w5-3535X). The Core i7-13700K includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics 770), while the Xeon w5-3535X requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Xeon w5-3535X targets Workstation. Direct competitor: Core i7-13700K rivals Ryzen 9 7900X; Xeon w5-3535X rivals Threadripper PRO 7965WX.

Feature	Core i7-13700K	Xeon w5-3535X
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	Intel UHD Graphics 770	None
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	true	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	—	Workstation

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-13700K launched at $409 MSRP, while the Xeon w5-3535X debuted at $1699. On MSRP ($409 vs $1699), the Core i7-13700K is $1290 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-13700K delivers 111.9 pts/$ vs 32.7 pts/$ for the Xeon w5-3535X — making the Core i7-13700K the 109.6% better value option.