M3 Pro 12-Core vs Core i5-13500E

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 M3 Pro 12-Core

#206

M3 Pro 12-Core

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i5-13500E

#163

Core i9-10910

MSRP: $488|Avg: $200

104%

#164

Core i5-14600T

MSRP: $255|Avg: $255

104%

#165

Core i5-11500T

MSRP: $192|Avg: $120

103%

#166

Ryzen 7 5700X3D

MSRP: $249|Avg: $249

103%

#167

Ryzen 3 8300GE

MSRP: $129|Avg: $129

103%

#168

Core i3-13100T

MSRP: $134|Avg: $122

102%

#169

Core i5-10600T

MSRP: $213|Avg: $110

102%

#170

Ryzen 3 3200G

MSRP: $100|Avg: $67

102%

#171

Core Ultra 9 285

MSRP: $589|Avg: $550

102%

#172

Core i9-13900KS

MSRP: $699|Avg: $580

102%

#173

Ryzen 5 2400G

MSRP: $169|Avg: $84

101%

#174

Ryzen 9 9950X3D

MSRP: $699|Avg: $675

101%

#175

Ryzen 3 PRO 4350G

MSRP: $149|Avg: $105.5

101%

#176

Core i7-13700

MSRP: $384|Avg: $350

101%

#177

Athlon 200GE

MSRP: $55|Avg: $40

100%

#178

Core i5-13500E

MSRP: $235|Avg: $235

100%

#179

Core i5-12500E

MSRP: $225|Avg: $200

100%

#180

Core i9-11900

MSRP: $439|Avg: $220

99%

#181

Core i7-12700E

MSRP: $314|Avg: $278

99%

#182

Core i3-14100T

MSRP: $134|Avg: $135

99%

#183

Core i5-13400T

MSRP: $221|Avg: $200

99%

#184

Core i3-12300

MSRP: $143|Avg: $143

98%

#185

Core i5-10505

MSRP: $192|Avg: $120

98%

#186

Ryzen 3 4300G

MSRP: $149|Avg: $100

97%

#187

Ryzen 9 3950X

MSRP: $749|Avg: $389

97%

#188

Ryzen 5 PRO 4655G

MSRP: $165|Avg: $165

96%

#189

Ryzen 7 4700GE

MSRP: $299|Avg: $200

96%

#190

Core i5-10400T

MSRP: $182|Avg: $100

95%

#191

Core i5-10600KF

MSRP: $250|Avg: $145

95%

#192

Ryzen 3 PRO 3200GE

MSRP: $99|Avg: $70

95%

#193

Core i9-12900F

MSRP: $494|Avg: $370

95%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Core i5-13500E leads in gaming performance. However, the M3 Pro 12-Core is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 0.3% greater multi-core processing power.

Insight	M3 Pro 12-Core	Core i5-13500E
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	✅ More affordable ($0)	⚠️ Higher cost ($235)
Longevity	✨ Modern (Legacy / 3 nm)	✨ Modern (Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024) / 10 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	M3 Pro 12-Core	Core i5-13500E
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅ More affordable ($0)	⚠️ Higher cost ($235)

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.

M3 Pro 12-Core Benchmark Check

Core i5-13500E Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of M3 Pro 12-Core and Core i5-13500E

M3 Pro 12-Core

The M3 Pro 12-Core is manufactured by Apple. It was released in 30 October 2023 (2 years ago). It features 12 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.748 GHz, with boost up to 4.06 GHz. Built on 3 nm process technology. Socket: none. Memory support: LPDDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 24,170 points. Launch price was $299.

Core i5-13500E

The Core i5-13500E is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024) architecture. It features 14 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 24 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 24,096 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The M3 Pro 12-Core packs 12 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i5-13500E offers 14 cores / 20 threads — the Core i5-13500E has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.06 GHz on the M3 Pro 12-Core versus 4.6 GHz on the Core i5-13500E — a 12.5% clock advantage for the Core i5-13500E (base: 2.748 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Core i5-13500E is built on the Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024) architecture. In PassMark, the M3 Pro 12-Core scores 24,170 against the Core i5-13500E's 24,096 — a 0.3% lead for the M3 Pro 12-Core.

Feature	M3 Pro 12-Core	Core i5-13500E
Cores / Threads	12 / 12	14 / 20+17%
Boost Clock	4.06 GHz	4.6 GHz+13%
Base Clock	2.748 GHz+15%	2.4 GHz
L3 Cache	—	24 MB (total)
L2 Cache	—	1.25 MB (per core)
Process	3 nm-70%	10 nm
Architecture	—	Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024)
PassMark	24,170	24,096
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	21,216
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,862
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	14,166

🧠

Memory & Platform

The M3 Pro 12-Core uses the none socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Core i5-13500E uses LGA1700 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	M3 Pro 12-Core	Core i5-13500E
Socket	none	LGA1700
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 5.0+25%
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR5-4800
Max RAM Capacity	—	128 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	✅
PCIe Lanes	—	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (M3 Pro 12-Core) / VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-13500E). The Core i5-13500E includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 770), while the M3 Pro 12-Core requires a dedicated GPU.