Core i7-13700K vs Core i5-8400H

The Core i7-13700K packs 16 cores / 24 threads, while the Core i5-8400H offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Core i7-13700K has 12 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.4 GHz on the Core i7-13700K versus 4.2 GHz on the Core i5-8400H — a 25% clock advantage for the Core i7-13700K (base: 3.4 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Core i7-13700K uses the Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core i5-8400H uses Coffee Lake-H (2018−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-13700K scores 45,784 against the Core i5-8400H's 7,456 — a 144% lead for the Core i7-13700K. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 31,000 vs 4,657 (147.8% advantage for the Core i7-13700K). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,846 vs 1,493, a 62.4% lead for the Core i7-13700K that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 18,980 vs 4,963 (117.1% advantage for the Core i7-13700K). L3 cache: 30 MB (total) on the Core i7-13700K vs 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-8400H.

The Core i7-13700K uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Core i5-8400H uses BGA1440 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-5600 on the Core i7-13700K versus DDR4 2666 MHz on the Core i5-8400H — the Core i5-8400H supports 200% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. 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. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i7-13700K) vs 16 (Core i5-8400H) — the Core i7-13700K offers 4 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 Intel HM370,Intel QM370 (Core i5-8400H).

Only the Core i7-13700K has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Both support true virtualization. Both include integrated graphics — Intel UHD Graphics 770 (Core i7-13700K) and Intel UHD Graphics 630 (Core i5-8400H) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-8400H targets Mobile. Direct competitor: Core i7-13700K rivals Ryzen 9 7900X.