Core i9-10980HK vs Core i5-13420H

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.

Value Upgrade Path

This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Core i9-10980HK

#187

Core Ultra 9 288V

MSRP: $600|Avg: $600

128%

#188

Core i7-10870H

MSRP: $417|Avg: N/A

127%

#202

Core i9-10980HK

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i5-13420H

#119

Ryzen 7 PRO 250

MSRP: $400|Avg: $380

108%

#120

Core i7-11850HE

MSRP: $400|Avg: $75

106%

#124

Core i5-1240P

MSRP: $309|Avg: $200

104%

#125

Core i7-13700H

MSRP: $502|Avg: N/A

103%

#132

Core i5-13420H

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#144

Core i7-12650H

MSRP: $457|Avg: N/A

95%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Core i9-10980HK leads in gaming performance. However, the Core i5-13420H is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 1% greater multi-core processing power.

Insight	Core i9-10980HK	Core i5-13420H
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	✨ Modern (Comet Lake-H (2020) / 14 nm)	✨ Modern (Raptor Lake-H (2023−2024) / Intel 7 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Core i9-10980HK	Core i5-13420H
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing

Performance Check

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 i9-10980HK Benchmark Check

Core i5-13420H Benchmark Check

League of Legends

No prediction data available

League of Legends

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i9-10980HK and Core i5-13420H

Core i9-10980HK

The Core i9-10980HK is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 April 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Comet Lake-H (2020) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 5.1 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1440. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 17,037 points. Launch price was $583.

Core i5-13420H

The Core i5-13420H is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-H (2023−2024) architecture. It features 8 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1744. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-5200, DDR4-3200, LPDDR4x-4267. Passmark benchmark score: 17,205 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i9-10980HK packs 8 cores / 16 threads, matching the Core i5-13420H's 8 cores. Boost clocks reach 5.1 GHz on the Core i9-10980HK versus 4.6 GHz on the Core i5-13420H — a 10.3% clock advantage for the Core i9-10980HK (base: 2.4 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Core i9-10980HK uses the Comet Lake-H (2020) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i5-13420H uses Raptor Lake-H (2023−2024) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-10980HK scores 17,037 against the Core i5-13420H's 17,205 — a 1% lead for the Core i5-13420H. L3 cache: 16 MB (total) on the Core i9-10980HK vs 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-13420H.

Feature	Core i9-10980HK	Core i5-13420H
Cores / Threads	8 / 16	8 / 12
Boost Clock	5.1 GHz+11%	4.6 GHz
Base Clock	2.4 GHz+14%	2.1 GHz
L3 Cache	16 MB (total)+33%	12 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	2 MB (per core)+700%
Process	14 nm	Intel 7 nm-50%
Architecture	Comet Lake-H (2020)	Raptor Lake-H (2023−2024)
PassMark	17,037	17,205

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i9-10980HK uses the BGA1440 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i5-13420H uses FCBGA1744 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.