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 i7-13700K

2022

Why buy it

✅+46% higher Geekbench multi-core.
✅+25% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 24 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core Ultra 5 235 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 111.9 vs 155.3 PassMark/$ ($409 MSRP vs $257 MSRP).
❌92.3% higher power demand at 125W vs 65W.

Core Ultra 5 235

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +6.6% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $152 less on MSRP ($257 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).
✅Delivers 38.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 155.3 vs 111.9 PassMark/$ ($257 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 125W, a 60W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (13,000 vs 18,980).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (24 MB vs 30 MB).

Core i7-13700K

2022

Core Ultra 5 235

2025

Why buy it

✅+46% higher Geekbench multi-core.
✅+25% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 24 MB).

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +6.6% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $152 less on MSRP ($257 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).
✅Delivers 38.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 155.3 vs 111.9 PassMark/$ ($257 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 125W, a 60W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core Ultra 5 235 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 111.9 vs 155.3 PassMark/$ ($409 MSRP vs $257 MSRP).
❌92.3% higher power demand at 125W vs 65W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (13,000 vs 18,980).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (24 MB vs 30 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Core Ultra 5 235 better than Core i7-13700K?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core Ultra 5 235 is ahead with a 6.6% 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 46% better Geekbench multi-core. 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 46% better Geekbench multi-core, 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 Ultra 5 235 is the smarter buy today. Core Ultra 5 235 is $152 cheaper on MSRP at $257 MSRP versus $409 MSRP, and it gives you a 6.6% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Core i7-13700K is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 46% better Geekbench multi-core. It is also 38.8% better value on MSRP (155.3 vs 111.9 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible LGA1700 + DDR5 setup, Core i7-13700K can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap, but on MSRP alone you would want to find it meaningfully cheaper in real-world listings before that path becomes easy to justify.

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

Core Ultra 5 235 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2022). 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 i7-13700K Benchmark Check

Core Ultra 5 235 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-13700K	Core Ultra 5 235
1080p
low	284 FPS	278 FPS
medium	268 FPS	263 FPS
high	223 FPS	222 FPS
ultra	190 FPS	189 FPS
1440p
low	238 FPS	230 FPS
medium	200 FPS	194 FPS
high	159 FPS	158 FPS
ultra	139 FPS	137 FPS
4K
low	159 FPS	152 FPS
medium	134 FPS	128 FPS
high	103 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	90 FPS	87 FPS

Open Core i7-13700K Open Core Ultra 5 235

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-13700K	Core Ultra 5 235
1080p
low	689 FPS	663 FPS
medium	580 FPS	562 FPS
high	484 FPS	467 FPS
ultra	439 FPS	427 FPS
1440p
low	595 FPS	574 FPS
medium	525 FPS	509 FPS
high	441 FPS	426 FPS
ultra	378 FPS	369 FPS
4K
low	348 FPS	342 FPS
medium	314 FPS	306 FPS
high	295 FPS	291 FPS
ultra	261 FPS	256 FPS

Open Core i7-13700K Open Core Ultra 5 235

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-13700K	Core Ultra 5 235
1080p
low	648 FPS	839 FPS
medium	530 FPS	681 FPS
high	467 FPS	610 FPS
ultra	405 FPS	522 FPS
1440p
low	591 FPS	727 FPS
medium	491 FPS	590 FPS
high	427 FPS	516 FPS
ultra	371 FPS	441 FPS
4K
low	434 FPS	504 FPS
medium	374 FPS	422 FPS
high	339 FPS	377 FPS
ultra	290 FPS	318 FPS

Open Core i7-13700K Open Core Ultra 5 235

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-13700K	Core Ultra 5 235
1080p
low	970 FPS	989 FPS
medium	883 FPS	891 FPS
high	766 FPS	778 FPS
ultra	689 FPS	699 FPS
1440p
low	829 FPS	810 FPS
medium	740 FPS	717 FPS
high	642 FPS	624 FPS
ultra	566 FPS	548 FPS
4K
low	567 FPS	567 FPS
medium	515 FPS	512 FPS
high	463 FPS	459 FPS
ultra	404 FPS	404 FPS

Open Core i7-13700K Open Core Ultra 5 235

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-13700K and Core Ultra 5 235

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.

Core Ultra 5 235

The Core Ultra 5 235 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 7 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Arrow Lake-S (2024−2025) architecture. It features 14 cores and 14 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 24 MB (total). L2 cache: 3 MB (per core). Built on 3 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1851. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-6400. Passmark benchmark score: 39,924 points. Launch price was $257.

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Processing Power

The Core i7-13700K packs 16 cores / 24 threads, while the Core Ultra 5 235 offers 14 cores / 14 threads — the Core i7-13700K has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.4 GHz on the Core i7-13700K versus 5 GHz on the Core Ultra 5 235 — a 7.7% clock advantage for the Core i7-13700K (base: 3.4 GHz vs 3.4 GHz). The Core i7-13700K uses the Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core Ultra 5 235 uses Arrow Lake-S (2024−2025) (3 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-13700K scores 45,784 against the Core Ultra 5 235's 39,924 — a 13.7% lead for the Core i7-13700K. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,846 vs 2,600, a 9% lead for the Core i7-13700K that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 18,980 vs 13,000 (37.4% advantage for the Core i7-13700K). L3 cache: 30 MB (total) on the Core i7-13700K vs 24 MB (total) on the Core Ultra 5 235.

Feature	Core i7-13700K	Core Ultra 5 235
Cores / Threads	16 / 24+14%	14 / 14
Boost Clock	5.4 GHz+8%	5 GHz
Base Clock	3.4 GHz	3.4 GHz
L3 Cache	30 MB (total)+25%	24 MB (total)
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)	3 MB (per core)+50%
Process	Intel 7 nm	3 nm-57%
Architecture	Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022)	Arrow Lake-S (2024−2025)
PassMark	45,784+15%	39,924
Cinebench R23 Multi	31,000	—
Geekbench 6 Single	2,846+9%	2,600
Geekbench 6 Multi	18,980+46%	13,000

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-13700K uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Core Ultra 5 235 uses LGA1851 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-5600 memory speed. The Core Ultra 5 235 supports up to 256 GB of RAM compared to 192 GB — 28.6% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 20 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: Intel Z790,Intel H770,Intel B760,Intel Z690,Intel H670,Intel B660,Intel H610 (Core i7-13700K) and Z890,B860 (Core Ultra 5 235).

Feature	Core i7-13700K	Core Ultra 5 235
Socket	LGA1700	LGA1851
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-5600	DDR5-6400
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB	256 GB+33%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Core i7-13700K has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Virtualization support: true (Core i7-13700K) vs VT-x, VT-d (Core Ultra 5 235). Both include integrated graphics — Intel UHD Graphics 770 (Core i7-13700K) and Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 24EU (Core Ultra 5 235) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core Ultra 5 235 targets Mainstream Desktop. Direct competitor: Core i7-13700K rivals Ryzen 9 7900X; Core Ultra 5 235 rivals Ryzen 5 8600G.

Feature	Core i7-13700K	Core Ultra 5 235
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	Intel UHD Graphics 770	Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 24EU
Unlocked	Yes	No
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	true	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	—	Mainstream Desktop

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-13700K launched at $409 MSRP, while the Core Ultra 5 235 debuted at $257. On MSRP ($409 vs $257), the Core Ultra 5 235 is $152 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-13700K delivers 111.9 pts/$ vs 155.3 pts/$ for the Core Ultra 5 235 — making the Core Ultra 5 235 the 32.5% better value option.