
Core i5-13600K
Popular choices:

Core Ultra 7 155H
Popular choices:
Performance Spectrum - CPU
About PassMark
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
2022Why buy it
Trade-offs
- ❌Launch MSRP is still $329 MSRP, while Core Ultra 7 155H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
- ❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core Ultra 7 155H.
Core Ultra 7 155H
2023Why buy it
- ✅40% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
- ✅Includes a boxed cooler (Laptop Integrated), unlike Core i5-13600K.
Trade-offs
- ❌Lower PassMark (24,705 vs 37,655).
Core i5-13600K
2022Core Ultra 7 155H
2023Why buy it
Why buy it
- ✅40% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
- ✅Includes a boxed cooler (Laptop Integrated), unlike Core i5-13600K.
Trade-offs
- ❌Launch MSRP is still $329 MSRP, while Core Ultra 7 155H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
- ❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core Ultra 7 155H.
Trade-offs
- ❌Lower PassMark (24,705 vs 37,655).
Quick Answers
So, is Core i5-13600K better than Core Ultra 7 155H?
Which one is better for gaming?
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Games Benchmarks
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.

Path of Exile 2
| Preset | Core i5-13600K | Core Ultra 7 155H |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 281 FPS | 308 FPS |
| medium | 264 FPS | 278 FPS |
| high | 220 FPS | 232 FPS |
| ultra | 188 FPS | 198 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 235 FPS | 251 FPS |
| medium | 198 FPS | 201 FPS |
| high | 158 FPS | 163 FPS |
| ultra | 138 FPS | 143 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 159 FPS | 173 FPS |
| medium | 133 FPS | 139 FPS |
| high | 102 FPS | 107 FPS |
| ultra | 90 FPS | 93 FPS |

Counter-Strike 2
| Preset | Core i5-13600K | Core Ultra 7 155H |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 632 FPS | 618 FPS |
| medium | 533 FPS | 532 FPS |
| high | 450 FPS | 434 FPS |
| ultra | 416 FPS | 389 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 540 FPS | 550 FPS |
| medium | 474 FPS | 457 FPS |
| high | 403 FPS | 385 FPS |
| ultra | 351 FPS | 328 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 316 FPS | 340 FPS |
| medium | 282 FPS | 286 FPS |
| high | 269 FPS | 261 FPS |
| ultra | 238 FPS | 229 FPS |

League of Legends
| Preset | Core i5-13600K | Core Ultra 7 155H |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 663 FPS | 618 FPS |
| medium | 543 FPS | 618 FPS |
| high | 477 FPS | 618 FPS |
| ultra | 414 FPS | 618 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 600 FPS | 618 FPS |
| medium | 499 FPS | 618 FPS |
| high | 434 FPS | 618 FPS |
| ultra | 376 FPS | 543 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 441 FPS | 618 FPS |
| medium | 381 FPS | 531 FPS |
| high | 344 FPS | 475 FPS |
| ultra | 295 FPS | 402 FPS |

Valorant
| Preset | Core i5-13600K | Core Ultra 7 155H |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 941 FPS | 618 FPS |
| medium | 941 FPS | 618 FPS |
| high | 923 FPS | 618 FPS |
| ultra | 831 FPS | 618 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 941 FPS | 618 FPS |
| medium | 850 FPS | 618 FPS |
| high | 738 FPS | 618 FPS |
| ultra | 651 FPS | 579 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 651 FPS | 606 FPS |
| medium | 588 FPS | 538 FPS |
| high | 529 FPS | 486 FPS |
| ultra | 437 FPS | 423 FPS |
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-13600K and Core Ultra 7 155H

Core i5-13600K
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 Ultra 7 155H
Core Ultra 7 155H
The Core Ultra 7 155H is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 December 2023 (1 year ago). It is based on the Meteor Lake-H (2023) architecture. It features 16 cores and 22 threads. Base frequency is 3.8 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 24 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA2049. Thermal design power (TDP): + 24 MB. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 24,705 points. Launch price was $503.
Processing Power
The Core i5-13600K packs 14 cores / 20 threads, while the Core Ultra 7 155H offers 16 cores / 22 threads — the Core Ultra 7 155H has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.1 GHz on the Core i5-13600K versus 4.8 GHz on the Core Ultra 7 155H — a 6.1% clock advantage for the Core i5-13600K (base: 3.5 GHz vs 3.8 GHz). The Core i5-13600K uses the Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core Ultra 7 155H uses Meteor Lake-H (2023) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-13600K scores 37,655 against the Core Ultra 7 155H's 24,705 — a 41.5% lead for the Core i5-13600K. L3 cache: 24 MB on the Core i5-13600K vs 24 MB (total) on the Core Ultra 7 155H.
| Feature | Core i5-13600K | Core Ultra 7 155H |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 14 / 20 | 16 / 22+14% |
| Boost Clock | 5.1 GHz+6% | 4.8 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.5 GHz | 3.8 GHz+9% |
| L3 Cache | 24 MB | 24 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB (per core) | 2 MB (per core) |
| Process | Intel 7 nm | 7 nm |
| Architecture | Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022) | Meteor Lake-H (2023) |
| PassMark | 37,655+52% | 24,705 |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | — | 17,650 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 2,384 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 12,433 |
Memory & Platform
The Core i5-13600K uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Core Ultra 7 155H uses FCBGA2049 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-5600 memory speed. The Core i5-13600K supports up to 192 GB of RAM compared to 96 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-13600K) vs 28 (Core Ultra 7 155H) — the Core Ultra 7 155H offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel 600 series,Intel 700 series (Core i5-13600K) and Meteor Lake SoC (Core Ultra 7 155H).
| Feature | Core i5-13600K | Core Ultra 7 155H |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1700 | FCBGA2049 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 5.0 | PCIe 5.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR5-5600 | LPDDR5x-7467, DDR5-5600 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 192 GB+100% | 96 GB |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | Yes | No |
| PCIe Lanes | 20 | 28+40% |
Advanced Features
Only the Core i5-13600K has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-13600K) vs VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core Ultra 7 155H). Both include integrated graphics — UHD Graphics 770 (Core i5-13600K) and Intel Arc Graphics (8 Xe-cores) (Core Ultra 7 155H) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-13600K targets Desktop, Core Ultra 7 155H targets Thin-and-light Performance / AI. Direct competitor: Core Ultra 7 155H rivals Ryzen 7 8840HS.
| Feature | Core i5-13600K | Core Ultra 7 155H |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | Yes |
| IGPU Model | UHD Graphics 770 | Intel Arc Graphics (8 Xe-cores) |
| Unlocked | Yes | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d | VT-x, VT-d, EPT |
| Target Use | Desktop | Thin-and-light Performance / AI |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.













