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 i5-13600K

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +7.3% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $80 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (37,655 vs 45,784).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (24 MB vs 30 MB).

Core i7-13700K

2022

Why buy it

✅+21.6% higher PassMark.
✅+25% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 24 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-13600K across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌
24.3% HIGHER MSRP
$409 MSRPvs$329 MSRP

Core i5-13600K

2022

Core i7-13700K

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +7.3% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $80 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).

Why buy it

✅+21.6% higher PassMark.
✅+25% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 24 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (37,655 vs 45,784).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (24 MB vs 30 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-13600K across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌
24.3% HIGHER MSRP
$409 MSRPvs$329 MSRP

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-13700K better than Core i5-13600K?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core i5-13600K is ahead with a 7.3% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-13700K pulls ahead with 21.6% better PassMark. Core i7-13700K also has the bigger cache pool with 25% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 24 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-13700K is the better fit. You are getting 21.6% better PassMark, backed by 16 cores and 24 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 25% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 24 MB).

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

Core i7-13700K is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-13600K makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i7-13700K is 24.3% more expensive on MSRP at $409 MSRP versus $329 MSRP, and it gives you 21.6% better PassMark. The trade-off is that Core i5-13600K is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 7.3% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-13600K is also 2.2% better value on MSRP (114.5 vs 111.9 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Core i7-13700K is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting 25% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 24 MB) and more multi-core headroom with 16 cores / 24 threads instead of 14/20. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

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 i5-13600K Benchmark Check

Core i7-13700K Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-13600K	Core i7-13700K
1080p
low	281 FPS	284 FPS
medium	264 FPS	268 FPS
high	220 FPS	223 FPS
ultra	188 FPS	190 FPS
1440p
low	235 FPS	238 FPS
medium	198 FPS	200 FPS
high	158 FPS	159 FPS
ultra	138 FPS	139 FPS
4K
low	159 FPS	159 FPS
medium	133 FPS	134 FPS
high	102 FPS	103 FPS
ultra	90 FPS	90 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open Core i7-13700K

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-13600K	Core i7-13700K
1080p
low	632 FPS	689 FPS
medium	533 FPS	580 FPS
high	450 FPS	484 FPS
ultra	416 FPS	439 FPS
1440p
low	540 FPS	595 FPS
medium	474 FPS	525 FPS
high	403 FPS	441 FPS
ultra	351 FPS	378 FPS
4K
low	316 FPS	348 FPS
medium	282 FPS	314 FPS
high	269 FPS	295 FPS
ultra	238 FPS	261 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open Core i7-13700K

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-13600K	Core i7-13700K
1080p
low	663 FPS	648 FPS
medium	543 FPS	530 FPS
high	477 FPS	467 FPS
ultra	414 FPS	405 FPS
1440p
low	600 FPS	591 FPS
medium	499 FPS	491 FPS
high	434 FPS	427 FPS
ultra	376 FPS	371 FPS
4K
low	441 FPS	434 FPS
medium	381 FPS	374 FPS
high	344 FPS	339 FPS
ultra	295 FPS	290 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open Core i7-13700K

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-13600K	Core i7-13700K
1080p
low	941 FPS	970 FPS
medium	941 FPS	883 FPS
high	923 FPS	766 FPS
ultra	831 FPS	689 FPS
1440p
low	941 FPS	829 FPS
medium	850 FPS	740 FPS
high	738 FPS	642 FPS
ultra	651 FPS	566 FPS
4K
low	651 FPS	567 FPS
medium	588 FPS	515 FPS
high	529 FPS	463 FPS
ultra	437 FPS	404 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open Core i7-13700K

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-13600K and Core i7-13700K

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.

Core i7-13700K

The Core i7-13700K 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 16 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 5.4 GHz. L3 cache: 30 MB (total). 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: 45,784 points. Launch price was $409.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-13600K packs 14 cores / 20 threads, while the Core i7-13700K offers 16 cores / 24 threads — the Core i7-13700K has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.1 GHz on the Core i5-13600K versus 5.4 GHz on the Core i7-13700K — a 5.7% clock advantage for the Core i7-13700K (base: 3.5 GHz vs 3.4 GHz). Both are built on the Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022) architecture using a Intel 7 nm process. In PassMark, the Core i5-13600K scores 37,655 against the Core i7-13700K's 45,784 — a 19.5% lead for the Core i7-13700K. L3 cache: 24 MB on the Core i5-13600K vs 30 MB (total) on the Core i7-13700K.

Feature	Core i5-13600K	Core i7-13700K
Cores / Threads	14 / 20	16 / 24+14%
Boost Clock	5.1 GHz	5.4 GHz+6%
Base Clock	3.5 GHz+3%	3.4 GHz
L3 Cache	24 MB	30 MB (total)+25%
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)	2 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	Intel 7 nm
Architecture	Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022)	Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022)
PassMark	37,655	45,784+22%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	31,000
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,846
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	18,980

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the LGA1700 socket with PCIe 5.0. Both support up to DDR5-5600 memory speed. Both support up to 192 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 20 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: Intel 600 series,Intel 700 series (Core i5-13600K) and Intel Z790,Intel H770,Intel B760,Intel Z690,Intel H670,Intel B660,Intel H610 (Core i7-13700K).

Feature	Core i5-13600K	Core i7-13700K
Socket	LGA1700	LGA1700
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-5600	DDR5-5600
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB	192 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-13600K) vs true (Core i7-13700K). Both include integrated graphics — UHD Graphics 770 (Core i5-13600K) and Intel UHD Graphics 770 (Core i7-13700K) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-13600K targets Desktop. Direct competitor: Core i7-13700K rivals Ryzen 9 7900X.

Feature	Core i5-13600K	Core i7-13700K
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 770	Intel UHD Graphics 770
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	true
Target Use	Desktop	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-13600K launched at $329 MSRP, while the Core i7-13700K debuted at $409. On MSRP ($329 vs $409), the Core i5-13600K is $80 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-13600K delivers 114.5 pts/$ vs 111.9 pts/$ for the Core i7-13700K — making the Core i5-13600K the 2.2% better value option.