Core i5-13400F vs EPYC 9555

Intel

Core i5-13400F

10 Cores16 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.6 GHz2023

Popular choices:

VS
AMD

EPYC 9555

64 Cores128 Thrd360 WWMax: 4.4 GHz2024

Popular choices:

i5-13400F

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 i5-13400F

2023

Why buy it

  • Costs $9,630 less on MSRP ($196 MSRP vs $9,826 MSRP).
  • Delivers 841.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 127.7 vs 13.6 PassMark/$ ($196 MSRP vs $9,826 MSRP).
  • Draws 65W instead of 360W, a 295W reduction.
  • Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike EPYC 9555.

Trade-offs

  • Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 9555 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • Lower PassMark (25,029 vs 133,253).
  • Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 9555, which brings 64 cores / 128 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.

EPYC 9555

2024

Why buy it

  • Better for gaming: +16.9% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 64 cores / 128 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 20.
  • 540% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark per dollar, at 13.6 vs 127.7 PassMark/$ ($9,826 MSRP vs $196 MSRP).
  • 453.8% higher power demand at 360W vs 65W.
  • No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-13400F.

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 9555 better than Core i5-13400F?
Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. EPYC 9555 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Core i5-13400F is the better mainstream desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and day-to-day practicality.
Which one is better for gaming?
If gaming is the priority, EPYC 9555 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 16.9% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests. It also has a big cache advantage at 256 MB vs 20 MB.
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 9555 is the better fit. You are getting 432.4% better PassMark, backed by 64 cores and 128 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 1180% larger total L3 cache (256 MB vs 20 MB).
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
EPYC 9555 is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-13400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. EPYC 9555 is 4913.3% more expensive on MSRP at $9,826 MSRP versus $196 MSRP, and it gives you a 16.9% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-13400F is also 841.6% better value on MSRP (127.7 vs 13.6 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
EPYC 9555 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2023), 3D V-Cache and a much larger 256 MB L3 cache instead of 20 MB, and more multi-core headroom with 64 cores / 128 threads instead of 10/16. 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.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

PresetCore i5-13400FEPYC 9555
1080p
low171 FPS171 FPS
medium158 FPS142 FPS
high132 FPS122 FPS
ultra112 FPS99 FPS
1440p
low143 FPS150 FPS
medium123 FPS121 FPS
high99 FPS99 FPS
ultra84 FPS83 FPS
4K
low81 FPS84 FPS
medium74 FPS73 FPS
high59 FPS57 FPS
ultra46 FPS47 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetCore i5-13400FEPYC 9555
1080p
low545 FPS655 FPS
medium464 FPS566 FPS
high389 FPS459 FPS
ultra356 FPS397 FPS
1440p
low458 FPS546 FPS
medium403 FPS483 FPS
high345 FPS404 FPS
ultra301 FPS328 FPS
4K
low280 FPS331 FPS
medium247 FPS295 FPS
high231 FPS268 FPS
ultra204 FPS236 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetCore i5-13400FEPYC 9555
1080p
low530 FPS747 FPS
medium449 FPS634 FPS
high415 FPS590 FPS
ultra375 FPS519 FPS
1440p
low490 FPS561 FPS
medium422 FPS474 FPS
high382 FPS434 FPS
ultra343 FPS376 FPS
4K
low393 FPS405 FPS
medium331 FPS326 FPS
high296 FPS288 FPS
ultra246 FPS229 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetCore i5-13400FEPYC 9555
1080p
low626 FPS1005 FPS
medium626 FPS902 FPS
high626 FPS778 FPS
ultra626 FPS702 FPS
1440p
low626 FPS809 FPS
medium626 FPS704 FPS
high598 FPS603 FPS
ultra521 FPS533 FPS
4K
low535 FPS574 FPS
medium492 FPS510 FPS
high439 FPS447 FPS
ultra382 FPS392 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-13400F and EPYC 9555

Intel

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.

AMD

EPYC 9555

The EPYC 9555 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 10 October 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Turin (2024) architecture. It features 64 cores and 128 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 256 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: SP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 360 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 133,253 points. Launch price was $9,826.

Processing Power

The Core i5-13400F packs 10 cores / 16 threads, while the EPYC 9555 offers 64 cores / 128 threads — the EPYC 9555 has 54 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Core i5-13400F versus 4.4 GHz on the EPYC 9555 — a 4.4% clock advantage for the Core i5-13400F (base: 2.5 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Core i5-13400F uses the Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the EPYC 9555 uses Turin (2024) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-13400F scores 25,029 against the EPYC 9555's 133,253 — a 136.7% lead for the EPYC 9555. L3 cache: 20 MB (total) on the Core i5-13400F vs 256 MB (total) on the EPYC 9555.

FeatureCore i5-13400FEPYC 9555
Cores / Threads
10 / 16
64 / 128+540%
Boost Clock
4.6 GHz+5%
4.4 GHz
Base Clock
2.5 GHz
3.2 GHz+28%
L3 Cache
20 MB (total)
256 MB (total)+1180%
L2 Cache
1.25 MB (per core)+25%
1 MB (per core)
Process
Intel 7 nm
4 nm-43%
Architecture
Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024)
Turin (2024)
PassMark
25,029
133,253+432%
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 EPYC 9555 uses SP5 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 memory speed. The Core i5-13400F supports up to 192 GB of RAM compared to 6 TB 187.9% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i5-13400F) vs 12 (EPYC 9555). PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-13400F) vs 128 (EPYC 9555) — the EPYC 9555 offers 108 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-13400F) and SP5 (EPYC 9555).

FeatureCore i5-13400FEPYC 9555
Socket
LGA1700
SP5
PCIe Generation
PCIe 5.0
PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200
DDR5-6000
Max RAM Capacity
192 GB
6 TB+3100%
RAM Channels
2
12+500%
ECC Support
No
Yes
PCIe Lanes
20
128+540%
🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-13400F) vs AMD-V, SEV-SNP (EPYC 9555). Primary use case: Core i5-13400F targets Gaming, EPYC 9555 targets Data Center. Direct competitor: Core i5-13400F rivals Ryzen 5 7600; EPYC 9555 rivals Xeon 6972P.

FeatureCore i5-13400FEPYC 9555
Integrated GPU
No
No
Unlocked
No
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
VT-x, VT-d
AMD-V, SEV-SNP
Target Use
Gaming
Data Center
💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-13400F launched at $196 MSRP, while the EPYC 9555 debuted at $9826. On MSRP ($196 vs $9826), the Core i5-13400F is $9630 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-13400F delivers 127.7 pts/$ vs 13.6 pts/$ for the EPYC 9555 — making the Core i5-13400F the 161.6% better value option.

FeatureCore i5-13400FEPYC 9555
MSRP
$196-98%
$9826
Performance per Dollar
127.7+839%
13.6
Release Date
2023
2024