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 $39 less on MSRP ($196 MSRP vs $235 MSRP).
✅Delivers 12.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 127.7 vs 113.5 PassMark/$ ($196 MSRP vs $235 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-13490F across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (16,211 vs 16,500).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (20 MB vs 24 MB).

Core i5-13490F

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +28.0% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+20% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 20 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 113.5 vs 127.7 PassMark/$ ($235 MSRP vs $196 MSRP).

Core i5-13400F

2023

Core i5-13490F

2023

Why buy it

✅Costs $39 less on MSRP ($196 MSRP vs $235 MSRP).
✅Delivers 12.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 127.7 vs 113.5 PassMark/$ ($196 MSRP vs $235 MSRP).

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +28.0% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+20% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 20 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-13490F across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (16,211 vs 16,500).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (20 MB vs 24 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 113.5 vs 127.7 PassMark/$ ($235 MSRP vs $196 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-13490F better than Core i5-13400F?

Yes. Core i5-13490F is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 28.0% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 1.8% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, 6.6% higher PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i5-13490F is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 28.0% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-13490F is the better fit. You are getting 1.8% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 10 cores and 16 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 20% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 20 MB).

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

Core i5-13490F is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-13400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i5-13490F is 19.9% more expensive on MSRP at $235 MSRP versus $196 MSRP, and it gives you a 28.0% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-13400F is also 12.5% better value on MSRP (127.7 vs 113.5 PassMark/$), 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 i5-13490F is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting 20% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 20 MB) and more multi-core headroom with 10 cores / 16 threads instead of 10/16. 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 i5-13400F Benchmark Check

Core i5-13490F Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Core i5-13490F
1080p
low	171 FPS	246 FPS
medium	158 FPS	231 FPS
high	132 FPS	196 FPS
ultra	112 FPS	169 FPS
1440p
low	143 FPS	215 FPS
medium	123 FPS	183 FPS
high	99 FPS	151 FPS
ultra	84 FPS	132 FPS
4K
low	81 FPS	149 FPS
medium	74 FPS	127 FPS
high	59 FPS	98 FPS
ultra	46 FPS	86 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Core i5-13490F

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Core i5-13490F
1080p
low	545 FPS	590 FPS
medium	464 FPS	501 FPS
high	389 FPS	422 FPS
ultra	356 FPS	377 FPS
1440p
low	458 FPS	485 FPS
medium	403 FPS	427 FPS
high	345 FPS	370 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	316 FPS
4K
low	280 FPS	296 FPS
medium	247 FPS	263 FPS
high	231 FPS	248 FPS
ultra	204 FPS	215 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Core i5-13490F

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Core i5-13490F
1080p
low	530 FPS	667 FPS
medium	449 FPS	667 FPS
high	415 FPS	667 FPS
ultra	375 FPS	667 FPS
1440p
low	490 FPS	667 FPS
medium	422 FPS	667 FPS
high	382 FPS	667 FPS
ultra	343 FPS	656 FPS
4K
low	393 FPS	596 FPS
medium	331 FPS	502 FPS
high	296 FPS	447 FPS
ultra	246 FPS	376 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Core i5-13490F

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Core i5-13490F
1080p
low	626 FPS	667 FPS
medium	626 FPS	667 FPS
high	626 FPS	667 FPS
ultra	626 FPS	667 FPS
1440p
low	626 FPS	667 FPS
medium	626 FPS	667 FPS
high	598 FPS	667 FPS
ultra	521 FPS	592 FPS
4K
low	535 FPS	661 FPS
medium	492 FPS	585 FPS
high	439 FPS	514 FPS
ultra	382 FPS	436 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Core i5-13490F

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-13400F and Core i5-13490F

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 i5-13490F

The Core i5-13490F is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 10 February 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 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 24 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 26,670 points. Launch price was $235.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i5-13400F and Core i5-13490F share an identical 10-core/16-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Core i5-13400F versus 4.8 GHz on the Core i5-13490F — a 4.3% clock advantage for the Core i5-13490F (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). Both are built on the Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024) architecture using a Intel 7 nm process. In PassMark, the Core i5-13400F scores 25,029 against the Core i5-13490F's 26,670 — a 6.3% lead for the Core i5-13490F. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 16,211 vs 16,500 (1.8% advantage for the Core i5-13490F). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,407 vs 1,844, a 26.5% lead for the Core i5-13400F that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 11,408 vs 11,200 (1.8% advantage for the Core i5-13400F). L3 cache: 20 MB (total) on the Core i5-13400F vs 24 MB (total) on the Core i5-13490F.

Feature	Core i5-13400F	Core i5-13490F
Cores / Threads	10 / 16	10 / 16
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz	4.8 GHz+4%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	2.5 GHz
L3 Cache	20 MB (total)	24 MB (total)+20%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	1.25 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm-30%	10 nm
Architecture	Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024)	Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024)
PassMark	25,029	26,670+7%
Cinebench R23 Multi	16,211	16,500+2%
Geekbench 6 Single	2,407+31%	1,844
Geekbench 6 Multi	11,408+2%	11,200

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the LGA1700 socket with PCIe 5.0. Both support up to DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 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: H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-13400F) and B660,B760,H610,H670,Z690,Z790 (Core i5-13490F).

Feature	Core i5-13400F	Core i5-13490F
Socket	LGA1700	LGA1700
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200	DDR5-4800
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB	192 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	20	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-13400F) vs VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-13490F). Primary use case: Core i5-13400F targets Gaming, Core i5-13490F targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-13400F rivals Ryzen 5 7600.

Feature	Core i5-13400F	Core i5-13490F
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d, EPT
Target Use	Gaming	Gaming

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-13400F launched at $196 MSRP, while the Core i5-13490F debuted at $235. On MSRP ($196 vs $235), the Core i5-13400F is $39 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-13400F delivers 127.7 pts/$ vs 113.5 pts/$ for the Core i5-13490F — making the Core i5-13400F the 11.8% better value option.