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 3 100HL

2024

Why buy it

✅Costs $23 less on MSRP ($306 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
✅Draws 45W instead of 125W, a 80W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-13600K across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (17,586 vs 37,655).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 24 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 57.5 vs 114.5 PassMark/$ ($306 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-13600K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i5-13600K

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +66.1% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Delivers 99.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 114.5 vs 57.5 PassMark/$ ($329 MSRP vs $306 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 770, while Core 3 100HL needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌
7.5% HIGHER MSRP
$329 MSRPvs$306 MSRP
❌177.8% higher power demand at 125W vs 45W.

Core 3 100HL

2024

Core i5-13600K

2022

Why buy it

✅Costs $23 less on MSRP ($306 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
✅Draws 45W instead of 125W, a 80W reduction.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +66.1% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Delivers 99.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 114.5 vs 57.5 PassMark/$ ($329 MSRP vs $306 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 770, while Core 3 100HL needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-13600K across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (17,586 vs 37,655).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 24 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 57.5 vs 114.5 PassMark/$ ($306 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-13600K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌
7.5% HIGHER MSRP
$329 MSRPvs$306 MSRP
❌177.8% higher power demand at 125W vs 45W.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-13600K better than Core 3 100HL?

Yes. Core i5-13600K is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 66.1% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data and 114.1% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i5-13600K is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 66.1% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-13600K is the better fit. You are getting 114.1% better PassMark, backed by 14 cores and 20 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 100% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 12 MB).

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Core i5-13600K is the smarter buy today. Core i5-13600K is 7.5% more expensive on MSRP at $329 MSRP versus $306 MSRP, and it gives you a 66.1% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 99.2% better value on MSRP (114.5 vs 57.5 PassMark/$), 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?

Core 3 100HL is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2022). That makes it the safer long-term pick.

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 3 100HL Benchmark Check

Core i5-13600K Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core 3 100HL	Core i5-13600K
1080p
low	177 FPS	281 FPS
medium	144 FPS	264 FPS
high	119 FPS	220 FPS
ultra	97 FPS	188 FPS
1440p
low	144 FPS	235 FPS
medium	114 FPS	198 FPS
high	94 FPS	158 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	138 FPS
4K
low	79 FPS	159 FPS
medium	68 FPS	133 FPS
high	54 FPS	102 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	90 FPS

Open Core 3 100HL Open Core i5-13600K

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core 3 100HL	Core i5-13600K
1080p
low	201 FPS	632 FPS
medium	171 FPS	533 FPS
high	155 FPS	450 FPS
ultra	136 FPS	416 FPS
1440p
low	177 FPS	540 FPS
medium	155 FPS	474 FPS
high	143 FPS	403 FPS
ultra	123 FPS	351 FPS
4K
low	138 FPS	316 FPS
medium	125 FPS	282 FPS
high	118 FPS	269 FPS
ultra	102 FPS	238 FPS

Open Core 3 100HL Open Core i5-13600K

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core 3 100HL	Core i5-13600K
1080p
low	440 FPS	663 FPS
medium	440 FPS	543 FPS
high	440 FPS	477 FPS
ultra	440 FPS	414 FPS
1440p
low	440 FPS	600 FPS
medium	440 FPS	499 FPS
high	440 FPS	434 FPS
ultra	387 FPS	376 FPS
4K
low	439 FPS	441 FPS
medium	350 FPS	381 FPS
high	312 FPS	344 FPS
ultra	246 FPS	295 FPS

Open Core 3 100HL Open Core i5-13600K

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core 3 100HL	Core i5-13600K
1080p
low	440 FPS	941 FPS
medium	440 FPS	941 FPS
high	440 FPS	923 FPS
ultra	440 FPS	831 FPS
1440p
low	440 FPS	941 FPS
medium	440 FPS	850 FPS
high	440 FPS	738 FPS
ultra	440 FPS	651 FPS
4K
low	440 FPS	651 FPS
medium	440 FPS	588 FPS
high	440 FPS	529 FPS
ultra	391 FPS	437 FPS

Open Core 3 100HL Open Core i5-13600K

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core 3 100HL and Core i5-13600K

Core 3 100HL

The Core 3 100HL is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 8 April 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-PS (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 10 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 17,586 points. Launch price was $299.

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 Core 3 100HL packs 8 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i5-13600K offers 14 cores / 20 threads — the Core i5-13600K has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Core 3 100HL versus 5.1 GHz on the Core i5-13600K — a 10.3% clock advantage for the Core i5-13600K (base: 2.1 GHz vs 3.5 GHz). The Core 3 100HL uses the Raptor Lake-PS (2024) architecture (10 nm), while the Core i5-13600K uses Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core 3 100HL scores 17,586 against the Core i5-13600K's 37,655 — a 72.7% lead for the Core i5-13600K. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core 3 100HL vs 24 MB on the Core i5-13600K.

Feature	Core 3 100HL	Core i5-13600K
Cores / Threads	8 / 12	14 / 20+75%
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz	5.1 GHz+11%
Base Clock	2.1 GHz	3.5 GHz+67%
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	24 MB+100%
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)	2 MB (per core)
Process	10 nm	Intel 7 nm-30%
Architecture	Raptor Lake-PS (2024)	Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022)
PassMark	17,586	37,655+114%

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the LGA1700 socket with PCIe 5.0.

Feature	Core 3 100HL	Core i5-13600K
Socket	LGA1700	LGA1700
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR5-5600
Max RAM Capacity	—	192 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	Yes
PCIe Lanes	—	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core 3 100HL) / VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-13600K). The Core i5-13600K includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 770), while the Core 3 100HL requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-13600K targets Desktop.

Feature	Core 3 100HL	Core i5-13600K
Integrated GPU	—	Yes
IGPU Model	—	UHD Graphics 770
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	—	Desktop

💰

Value Analysis

The Core 3 100HL launched at $306 MSRP, while the Core i5-13600K debuted at $329. On MSRP ($306 vs $329), the Core 3 100HL is $23 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core 3 100HL delivers 57.5 pts/$ vs 114.5 pts/$ for the Core i5-13600K — making the Core i5-13600K the 66.3% better value option.