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 120UL

2024

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 65W, a 50W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-13400F across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (10,558 vs 25,029).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 20 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 38.1 vs 127.7 PassMark/$ ($277 MSRP vs $196 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-13400F.

Core i5-13400F

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +23.4% higher average FPS across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+66.7% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Costs $81 less on MSRP ($196 MSRP vs $277 MSRP).
✅Delivers 235.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 127.7 vs 38.1 PassMark/$ ($196 MSRP vs $277 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌333.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 15W.

Core 5 120UL

2024

Core i5-13400F

2023

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 65W, a 50W reduction.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +23.4% higher average FPS across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+66.7% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Costs $81 less on MSRP ($196 MSRP vs $277 MSRP).
✅Delivers 235.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 127.7 vs 38.1 PassMark/$ ($196 MSRP vs $277 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-13400F across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (10,558 vs 25,029).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 20 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 38.1 vs 127.7 PassMark/$ ($277 MSRP vs $196 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-13400F.

Trade-offs

❌333.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 15W.

Quick Answers

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

Yes. Core i5-13400F is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 23.4% average FPS lead across 49 shared CPU game tests in our data and 137.1% 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 23.4% more average FPS across 49 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 137.1% better PassMark, backed by 10 cores and 16 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 66.7% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 12 MB).

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

Core i5-13400F is the smarter buy today. Core i5-13400F is $81 cheaper on MSRP at $196 MSRP versus $277 MSRP, and it gives you a 23.4% average FPS lead across 49 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 235.0% better value on MSRP (127.7 vs 38.1 PassMark/$), 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 120UL is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 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 120UL Benchmark Check

Core i5-13400F Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core 5 120UL	Core i5-13400F
1080p
low	173 FPS	171 FPS
medium	141 FPS	158 FPS
high	117 FPS	132 FPS
ultra	95 FPS	112 FPS
1440p
low	144 FPS	143 FPS
medium	114 FPS	123 FPS
high	94 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	84 FPS
4K
low	79 FPS	81 FPS
medium	68 FPS	74 FPS
high	54 FPS	59 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	46 FPS

Open Core 5 120UL Open Core i5-13400F

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core 5 120UL	Core i5-13400F
1080p
low	201 FPS	545 FPS
medium	171 FPS	464 FPS
high	155 FPS	389 FPS
ultra	136 FPS	356 FPS
1440p
low	177 FPS	458 FPS
medium	155 FPS	403 FPS
high	143 FPS	345 FPS
ultra	123 FPS	301 FPS
4K
low	138 FPS	280 FPS
medium	125 FPS	247 FPS
high	118 FPS	231 FPS
ultra	102 FPS	204 FPS

Open Core 5 120UL Open Core i5-13400F

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core 5 120UL	Core i5-13400F
1080p
low	264 FPS	530 FPS
medium	264 FPS	449 FPS
high	264 FPS	415 FPS
ultra	264 FPS	375 FPS
1440p
low	264 FPS	490 FPS
medium	264 FPS	422 FPS
high	264 FPS	382 FPS
ultra	264 FPS	343 FPS
4K
low	264 FPS	393 FPS
medium	264 FPS	331 FPS
high	264 FPS	296 FPS
ultra	249 FPS	246 FPS

Open Core 5 120UL Open Core i5-13400F

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core 5 120UL	Core i5-13400F
1080p
low	264 FPS	626 FPS
medium	264 FPS	626 FPS
high	264 FPS	626 FPS
ultra	264 FPS	626 FPS
1440p
low	264 FPS	626 FPS
medium	264 FPS	626 FPS
high	264 FPS	598 FPS
ultra	264 FPS	521 FPS
4K
low	264 FPS	535 FPS
medium	264 FPS	492 FPS
high	264 FPS	439 FPS
ultra	264 FPS	382 FPS

Open Core 5 120UL Open Core i5-13400F

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

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

Core 5 120UL

The Core 5 120UL 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 10 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 1.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 10,558 points. Launch price was $149.

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 120UL packs 10 cores / 12 threads, matching the Core i5-13400F's 10 cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Core 5 120UL versus 4.6 GHz on the Core i5-13400F — identical boost frequencies (base: 1.3 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Core 5 120UL uses the Raptor Lake-PS (2024) architecture (10 nm), while the Core i5-13400F uses Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core 5 120UL scores 10,558 against the Core i5-13400F's 25,029 — a 81.3% lead for the Core i5-13400F. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core 5 120UL vs 20 MB (total) on the Core i5-13400F.

Feature	Core 5 120UL	Core i5-13400F
Cores / Threads	10 / 12	10 / 16
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz	4.6 GHz
Base Clock	1.3 GHz	2.5 GHz+92%
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	20 MB (total)+67%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	1.25 MB (per core)
Process	10 nm	Intel 7 nm-30%
Architecture	Raptor Lake-PS (2024)	Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024)
PassMark	10,558	25,029+137%
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 120UL	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 120UL) / 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 120UL	Core i5-13400F
Integrated GPU	—	No
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	—	Gaming

💰

Value Analysis

The Core 5 120UL launched at $277 MSRP, while the Core i5-13400F debuted at $196. On MSRP ($277 vs $196), the Core i5-13400F is $81 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core 5 120UL delivers 38.1 pts/$ vs 127.7 pts/$ for the Core i5-13400F — making the Core i5-13400F the 108.1% better value option.