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 5 120

2025

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-13400F across 32 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (21,629 vs 25,029).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 63.6 vs 127.7 PassMark/$ ($340 MSRP vs $196 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-13400F.

Core i5-13400F

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +6.9% higher average FPS across 32 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $144 less on MSRP ($196 MSRP vs $340 MSRP).
✅Delivers 100.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 127.7 vs 63.6 PassMark/$ ($196 MSRP vs $340 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core 5 120.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Core 5 120

2025

Core i5-13400F

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +6.9% higher average FPS across 32 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $144 less on MSRP ($196 MSRP vs $340 MSRP).
✅Delivers 100.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 127.7 vs 63.6 PassMark/$ ($196 MSRP vs $340 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core 5 120.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-13400F across 32 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (21,629 vs 25,029).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 63.6 vs 127.7 PassMark/$ ($340 MSRP vs $196 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-13400F.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-13400F better than Core 5 120?

Yes. Core i5-13400F is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 6.9% average FPS lead across 32 shared CPU game tests in our data and 15.7% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i5-13400F is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 6.9% more average FPS across 32 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-13400F is the better fit. You are getting 15.7% better PassMark, backed by 10 cores and 16 threads.

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

Core i5-13400F is the smarter buy today. Core i5-13400F is $144 cheaper on MSRP at $196 MSRP versus $340 MSRP, and it gives you a 6.9% average FPS lead across 32 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.7% better value on MSRP (127.7 vs 63.6 PassMark/$), 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 5 120 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2023). 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 5 120 Benchmark Check

Core i5-13400F Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core 5 120	Core i5-13400F
1080p
low	170 FPS	171 FPS
medium	147 FPS	158 FPS
high	118 FPS	132 FPS
ultra	99 FPS	112 FPS
1440p
low	145 FPS	143 FPS
medium	123 FPS	123 FPS
high	99 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	83 FPS	84 FPS
4K
low	79 FPS	81 FPS
medium	72 FPS	74 FPS
high	57 FPS	59 FPS
ultra	44 FPS	46 FPS

Open Core 5 120 Open Core i5-13400F

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core 5 120	Core i5-13400F
1080p
low	471 FPS	545 FPS
medium	401 FPS	464 FPS
high	338 FPS	389 FPS
ultra	298 FPS	356 FPS
1440p
low	409 FPS	458 FPS
medium	355 FPS	403 FPS
high	309 FPS	345 FPS
ultra	264 FPS	301 FPS
4K
low	274 FPS	280 FPS
medium	243 FPS	247 FPS
high	223 FPS	231 FPS
ultra	191 FPS	204 FPS

Open Core 5 120 Open Core i5-13400F

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core 5 120	Core i5-13400F
1080p
low	541 FPS	530 FPS
medium	541 FPS	449 FPS
high	541 FPS	415 FPS
ultra	496 FPS	375 FPS
1440p
low	541 FPS	490 FPS
medium	491 FPS	422 FPS
high	445 FPS	382 FPS
ultra	388 FPS	343 FPS
4K
low	411 FPS	393 FPS
medium	347 FPS	331 FPS
high	303 FPS	296 FPS
ultra	244 FPS	246 FPS

Open Core 5 120 Open Core i5-13400F

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core 5 120	Core i5-13400F
1080p
low	541 FPS	626 FPS
medium	541 FPS	626 FPS
high	541 FPS	626 FPS
ultra	541 FPS	626 FPS
1440p
low	541 FPS	626 FPS
medium	541 FPS	626 FPS
high	541 FPS	598 FPS
ultra	534 FPS	521 FPS
4K
low	541 FPS	535 FPS
medium	499 FPS	492 FPS
high	440 FPS	439 FPS
ultra	376 FPS	382 FPS

Open Core 5 120 Open Core i5-13400F

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core 5 120 and Core i5-13400F

Core 5 120

The Core 5 120 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 31 July 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-R (2023−2025) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 GHz. L3 cache: 18 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. Passmark benchmark score: 21,629 points. Launch price was $211.

Core i5-13400F

The Core i5-13400F 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 10 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 20 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR5, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 25,029 points. Launch price was $196.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core 5 120 packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i5-13400F offers 10 cores / 16 threads — the Core i5-13400F has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.5 GHz on the Core 5 120 versus 4.6 GHz on the Core i5-13400F — a 2.2% clock advantage for the Core i5-13400F (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Core 5 120 uses the Raptor Lake-R (2023−2025) architecture (10 nm), while the Core i5-13400F uses Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core 5 120 scores 21,629 against the Core i5-13400F's 25,029 — a 14.6% lead for the Core i5-13400F. L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core 5 120 vs 20 MB (total) on the Core i5-13400F.

Feature	Core 5 120	Core i5-13400F
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	10 / 16+67%
Boost Clock	4.5 GHz	4.6 GHz+2%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	2.5 GHz
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)	20 MB (total)+11%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	1.25 MB (per core)
Process	10 nm	Intel 7 nm-30%
Architecture	Raptor Lake-R (2023−2025)	Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024)
PassMark	21,629	25,029+16%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	16,211
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,407
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	11,408

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the LGA1700 socket with PCIe 5.0.

Feature	Core 5 120	Core i5-13400F
Socket	LGA1700	LGA1700
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	—	192 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	No
PCIe Lanes	—	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core 5 120) / VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-13400F). Primary use case: Core i5-13400F targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-13400F rivals Ryzen 5 7600.

Feature	Core 5 120	Core i5-13400F
Integrated GPU	—	No
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	—	Gaming

💰

Value Analysis

The Core 5 120 launched at $340 MSRP, while the Core i5-13400F debuted at $196. On MSRP ($340 vs $196), the Core i5-13400F is $144 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core 5 120 delivers 63.6 pts/$ vs 127.7 pts/$ for the Core i5-13400F — making the Core i5-13400F the 67% better value option.