Xeon w3-2525
VS
Core i5-13600K

Xeon w3-2525 vs Core i5-13600K

Intel

Xeon w3-2525

8 Cores16 Thrd175 WWMax: 4.5 GHz2024
VS
Intel

Core i5-13600K

14 Cores20 Thrd125 WWMax: 5.1 GHz2022

Performance Spectrum - CPU

About PassMark

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 Xeon w3-2525

#214
Xeon 6521P
MSRP: $1250|Avg: $1250
110%
#215
Xeon E-2456
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $289
110%
#218
Xeon Gold 5512U
MSRP: $1230|Avg: N/A
107%
#219
Xeon D-1733NT
MSRP: $300|Avg: $300
105%
#220
Xeon 6520P
MSRP: $1295|Avg: $1295
105%
#221
Xeon Gold 6314U
MSRP: $2977|Avg: N/A
104%
#222
Xeon E-2478
MSRP: $568|Avg: $269
104%
#223
Xeon W-1390
MSRP: $494|Avg: $400
103%
#225
Xeon W-1250
MSRP: $285|Avg: $333
102%
#226
EPYC 9135
MSRP: $1214|Avg: $95
101%
#227
Xeon E-2378
MSRP: $362|Avg: $562
100%
#228
Xeon w3-2525
MSRP: $609|Avg: $800
100%
#230
Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX
MSRP: $1337|Avg: $368
99%
#232
EPYC 7282
MSRP: $650|Avg: $199
99%
#233
Xeon w5-2545
MSRP: $889|Avg: $1100
98%
#234
Xeon W-1250P
MSRP: $311|Avg: $311
97%
#237
Xeon w3-2535
MSRP: $739|Avg: $800
96%
#239
EPYC 7313P
MSRP: $913|Avg: $824
96%
#240
Ryzen 7 PRO 1700
MSRP: $329|Avg: $60
95%
#241
Xeon w5-2555X
MSRP: $1069|Avg: $1145
95%
#242
Xeon E-2246G
MSRP: $311|Avg: $268
95%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i5-13600K

#120
Ryzen 5 5600XT
MSRP: $192|Avg: $180
105%
#121
Core i5-13600
MSRP: $255|Avg: $255
105%
#122
Core i3-13100F
MSRP: $109|Avg: $119
104%
#123
Ryzen 5 5600G
MSRP: $259|Avg: $160
104%
#124
Core Ultra 9 285K
MSRP: $589|Avg: $550
104%
#125
Core i5-13400E
MSRP: $221|Avg: $221
103%
#126
Ryzen 7 8700F
MSRP: $270|Avg: $257
103%
#127
Core i9-14900KF
MSRP: $564|Avg: $480
103%
#128
Core i7-12700K
MSRP: $409|Avg: $285
102%
#129
Core i9-13900KF
MSRP: $599|Avg: $480
102%
#130
Core i7-12700
MSRP: $250|Avg: $250
102%
#131
Core Ultra 5 245T
MSRP: $270|Avg: $270
102%
#132
Core i5-8500
MSRP: $192|Avg: $80
101%
#133
Core i5-9400F
MSRP: $182|Avg: $80
100%
#134
Core i5-11400
MSRP: $182|Avg: $141
100%
#135
Core i5-13600K
MSRP: $329|Avg: $319
100%
#136
Core i5-13500
MSRP: $242|Avg: $264
100%
#137
Ryzen 7 8700G
MSRP: $329|Avg: $269
100%
#138
Core i7-14700
MSRP: $384|Avg: $348
100%
#139
Ryzen 5 2500X
MSRP: $159|Avg: $80
99%
#140
Athlon Gold PRO 3150GE
MSRP: $100|Avg: $60
99%
#141
Core i9-13900K
MSRP: $599|Avg: $500
99%
#142
Core i3-14100
MSRP: $134|Avg: $131
98%
#143
Ryzen 5 3400G
MSRP: $149|Avg: $80
97%
#144
Core i7-10700KF
MSRP: $405|Avg: $160
97%
#145
Core i5-11600K
MSRP: $262|Avg: $170
97%
#146
Core i7-13700K
MSRP: $409|Avg: $400
97%
#147
Ryzen 5 PRO 3400G
MSRP: $149|Avg: $80
96%
#148
Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X
MSRP: $329|Avg: $150
96%
#149
Core i9-12900KS
MSRP: $739|Avg: $385
96%
#150
Ryzen 5 5500X3D
MSRP: $185|Avg: $180
95%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Use Case Distinction: This is a comparison between a Professional Workstation processor ($800) and a Consumer Desktop CPU. The Xeon w3-2525 is engineered for massive parallel workloads (rendering, scientific simulations), offering significantly higher core counts.
InsightXeon w3-2525Core i5-13600K
Gaming
Lower gaming performance
Superior gaming performance
Workstation
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Better multi-core power
Price
⚠️ Higher cost ($800)
More affordable ($319)
Longevity
✨ Modern (Sapphire Rapids (2023−2024) / Intel 7 nm)
✨ Modern (Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022) / Intel 7 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Core i5-13600K ($319), however, is optimized for mixed workloads and gaming. For most users, it offers superior single-thread performance and responsiveness at a fraction of the cost ($481 less, 60% cheaper), making it the better choice for daily use and gaming.
InsightXeon w3-2525Core i5-13600K
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Better overall value (+230%)
Upfront Cost
⚠️ Higher cost ($800)
More affordable ($319)

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.

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Xeon w3-2525 and Core i5-13600K

Intel

Xeon w3-2525

The Xeon w3-2525 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 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 GHz. L3 cache: 22.5 MB. L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4677. Thermal design power (TDP): 175 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4400. Passmark benchmark score: 28,641 points. Launch price was $609.

Intel

Core i5-13600K

The Core i5-13600K 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 14 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 5.1 GHz. L3 cache: 24 MB. 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: 37,655 points. Launch price was $319.

Processing Power

The Xeon w3-2525 packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Core i5-13600K offers 14 cores / 20 threads — the Core i5-13600K has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.5 GHz on the Xeon w3-2525 versus 5.1 GHz on the Core i5-13600K — a 12.5% clock advantage for the Core i5-13600K (base: 3.5 GHz vs 3.5 GHz). The Xeon w3-2525 uses the Sapphire Rapids (2023−2024) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core i5-13600K uses Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon w3-2525 scores 28,641 against the Core i5-13600K's 37,655 — a 27.2% lead for the Core i5-13600K. L3 cache: 22.5 MB on the Xeon w3-2525 vs 24 MB on the Core i5-13600K.

FeatureXeon w3-2525Core i5-13600K
Cores / Threads
8 / 16
14 / 20+75%
Boost Clock
4.5 GHz
5.1 GHz+13%
Base Clock
3.5 GHz
3.5 GHz
L3 Cache
22.5 MB
24 MB+7%
L2 Cache
2 MB (per core)
2 MB (per core)
Process
Intel 7 nm
Intel 7 nm
Architecture
Sapphire Rapids (2023−2024)
Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022)
PassMark
28,641
37,655+31%
Geekbench 6 Single
2,000
Geekbench 6 Multi
15,000
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Xeon w3-2525 uses the LGA4677 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Core i5-13600K uses LGA1700 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-4400 memory speed. The Core i5-13600K supports up to 192 GB of RAM compared to 2 TB 195.9% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 4 (Xeon w3-2525) vs 2 (Core i5-13600K). PCIe lanes: 64 (Xeon w3-2525) vs 20 (Core i5-13600K) — the Xeon w3-2525 offers 44 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: W790 (Xeon w3-2525) and Intel 600 series,Intel 700 series (Core i5-13600K).

FeatureXeon w3-2525Core i5-13600K
Socket
LGA4677
LGA1700
PCIe Generation
PCIe 5.0
PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR5-4400
DDR5-5600
Max RAM Capacity
2 TB+967%
192 GB
RAM Channels
4+100%
2
ECC Support
PCIe Lanes
64+220%
20
🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Core i5-13600K has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Xeon w3-2525 supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. The Core i5-13600K includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 770), while the Xeon w3-2525 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Xeon w3-2525 targets Workstation, Core i5-13600K targets Desktop. Direct competitor: Xeon w3-2525 rivals Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7945WX.

FeatureXeon w3-2525Core i5-13600K
Integrated GPU
No
Yes
IGPU Model
None
UHD Graphics 770
Unlocked
No
Yes
AVX-512
Yes
No
Virtualization
VT-x, VT-d
VT-x, VT-d
Target Use
Workstation
Desktop
💰

Value Analysis

The Xeon w3-2525 launched at $609 MSRP, while the Core i5-13600K debuted at $329. At current prices ($800 vs $319), the Core i5-13600K is $481 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Xeon w3-2525 delivers 35.8 pts/$ vs 118.0 pts/$ for the Core i5-13600K — making the Core i5-13600K the 106.9% better value option.

FeatureXeon w3-2525Core i5-13600K
MSRP
$609
$329-46%
Avg Price (30d)
$800
$319-60%
Performance per Dollar
35.8
118.0+230%
Release Date
2024
2022