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 i5-13400F

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +6.8% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $1,203 less on MSRP ($196 MSRP vs $1,399 MSRP).
✅Delivers 601.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 127.7 vs 18.2 PassMark/$ ($196 MSRP vs $1,399 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 165W, a 100W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA2066 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (25,029 vs 25,452).

Core i9-7940X

2017

Why buy it

✅+1.7% higher PassMark.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-13400F across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 18.2 vs 127.7 PassMark/$ ($1,399 MSRP vs $196 MSRP).
❌153.8% higher power demand at 165W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on LGA2066 with DDR4, while Core i5-13400F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-13400F.

Core i5-13400F

2023

Core i9-7940X

2017

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +6.8% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $1,203 less on MSRP ($196 MSRP vs $1,399 MSRP).
✅Delivers 601.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 127.7 vs 18.2 PassMark/$ ($196 MSRP vs $1,399 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 165W, a 100W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA2066 and DDR4.

Why buy it

✅+1.7% higher PassMark.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (25,029 vs 25,452).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-13400F across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 18.2 vs 127.7 PassMark/$ ($1,399 MSRP vs $196 MSRP).
❌153.8% higher power demand at 165W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on LGA2066 with DDR4, while Core i5-13400F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-13400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-13400F better than Core i9-7940X?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core i5-13400F is ahead with a 6.8% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-7940X pulls ahead with 1.7% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-7940X is the better fit. You are getting 1.7% better PassMark, backed by 14 cores and 28 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 $1,203 cheaper on MSRP at $196 MSRP versus $1,399 MSRP, and it gives you a 6.8% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Core i9-7940X is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 1.7% better PassMark. It is also 601.9% better value on MSRP (127.7 vs 18.2 PassMark/$), 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 i5-13400F is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2017) and a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of LGA2066. That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

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 i5-13400F Benchmark Check

Core i9-7940X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Core i9-7940X
1080p
low	171 FPS	168 FPS
medium	158 FPS	148 FPS
high	132 FPS	116 FPS
ultra	112 FPS	97 FPS
1440p
low	143 FPS	141 FPS
medium	123 FPS	121 FPS
high	99 FPS	95 FPS
ultra	84 FPS	80 FPS
4K
low	81 FPS	79 FPS
medium	74 FPS	73 FPS
high	59 FPS	57 FPS
ultra	46 FPS	44 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Core i9-7940X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Core i9-7940X
1080p
low	545 FPS	446 FPS
medium	464 FPS	384 FPS
high	389 FPS	331 FPS
ultra	356 FPS	303 FPS
1440p
low	458 FPS	391 FPS
medium	403 FPS	344 FPS
high	345 FPS	298 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	261 FPS
4K
low	280 FPS	250 FPS
medium	247 FPS	219 FPS
high	231 FPS	205 FPS
ultra	204 FPS	179 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Core i9-7940X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Core i9-7940X
1080p
low	530 FPS	534 FPS
medium	449 FPS	451 FPS
high	415 FPS	409 FPS
ultra	375 FPS	365 FPS
1440p
low	490 FPS	485 FPS
medium	422 FPS	415 FPS
high	382 FPS	374 FPS
ultra	343 FPS	334 FPS
4K
low	393 FPS	379 FPS
medium	331 FPS	319 FPS
high	296 FPS	283 FPS
ultra	246 FPS	233 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Core i9-7940X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Core i9-7940X
1080p
low	626 FPS	636 FPS
medium	626 FPS	636 FPS
high	626 FPS	636 FPS
ultra	626 FPS	610 FPS
1440p
low	626 FPS	636 FPS
medium	626 FPS	636 FPS
high	598 FPS	573 FPS
ultra	521 FPS	500 FPS
4K
low	535 FPS	524 FPS
medium	492 FPS	475 FPS
high	439 FPS	418 FPS
ultra	382 FPS	364 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Core i9-7940X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-13400F and Core i9-7940X

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.

Core i9-7940X

The Core i9-7940X is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture. It features 14 cores and 28 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 19.25 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2066. Thermal design power (TDP): 165 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 25,452 points. Launch price was $1,399.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-13400F packs 10 cores / 16 threads, while the Core i9-7940X offers 14 cores / 28 threads — the Core i9-7940X has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Core i5-13400F versus 4.4 GHz on the Core i9-7940X — a 4.4% clock advantage for the Core i5-13400F (base: 2.5 GHz vs 3.1 GHz). The Core i5-13400F uses the Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core i9-7940X uses Skylake (server) (2017−2018) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-13400F scores 25,029 against the Core i9-7940X's 25,452 — a 1.7% lead for the Core i9-7940X. L3 cache: 20 MB (total) on the Core i5-13400F vs 19.25 MB (total) on the Core i9-7940X.

Feature	Core i5-13400F	Core i9-7940X
Cores / Threads	10 / 16	14 / 28+40%
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz+5%	4.4 GHz
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	3.1 GHz+24%
L3 Cache	20 MB (total)+4%	19.25 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+25%	1 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm-50%	14 nm
Architecture	Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024)	Skylake (server) (2017−2018)
PassMark	25,029	25,452+2%
Cinebench R23 Multi	16,211	—
Geekbench 6 Single	2,407	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	11,408	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-13400F uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Core i9-7940X uses LGA2066 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-13400F	Core i9-7940X
Socket	LGA1700	LGA2066
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+67%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200	—
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	20	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-13400F) / not specified (Core i9-7940X). Primary use case: Core i5-13400F targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-13400F rivals Ryzen 5 7600.

Feature	Core i5-13400F	Core i9-7940X
Integrated GPU	No	—
Unlocked	No	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	—
Target Use	Gaming	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-13400F launched at $196 MSRP, while the Core i9-7940X debuted at $1399. On MSRP ($196 vs $1399), the Core i5-13400F is $1203 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-13400F delivers 127.7 pts/$ vs 18.2 pts/$ for the Core i9-7940X — making the Core i5-13400F the 150.1% better value option.