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 i5-9400

2019

Why buy it

✅Costs $4 less on MSRP ($192 MSRP vs $196 MSRP).
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while Core i5-13400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-13400F across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (9,372 vs 25,029).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (9 MB vs 20 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 48.8 vs 127.7 PassMark/$ ($192 MSRP vs $196 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on LGA1151 with DDR4, while Core i5-13400F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Core i5-13400F

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +96.7% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+122.2% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 9 MB).
✅Delivers 161.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 127.7 vs 48.8 PassMark/$ ($196 MSRP vs $192 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1151 and DDR4.
✅25% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌
2.1% HIGHER MSRP
$196 MSRPvs$192 MSRP
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-9400 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i5-9400

2019

Core i5-13400F

2023

Why buy it

✅Costs $4 less on MSRP ($192 MSRP vs $196 MSRP).
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while Core i5-13400F needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +96.7% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+122.2% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 9 MB).
✅Delivers 161.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 127.7 vs 48.8 PassMark/$ ($196 MSRP vs $192 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1151 and DDR4.
✅25% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-13400F across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (9,372 vs 25,029).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (9 MB vs 20 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 48.8 vs 127.7 PassMark/$ ($192 MSRP vs $196 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on LGA1151 with DDR4, while Core i5-13400F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌
2.1% HIGHER MSRP
$196 MSRPvs$192 MSRP
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-9400 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-13400F better than Core i5-9400?

Yes. Core i5-13400F is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 96.7% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data, 167.1% better 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 i5-13400F is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 96.7% more average FPS across 3 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-13400F is the better fit. You are getting 167.1% better PassMark, backed by 10 cores and 16 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 122.2% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 9 MB).

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

Core i5-13400F is the smarter buy today. Core i5-13400F is 2.1% more expensive on MSRP at $196 MSRP versus $192 MSRP, and it gives you a 96.7% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 161.6% better value on MSRP (127.7 vs 48.8 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

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

Core i5-13400F is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2019), a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of LGA1151, 122.2% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 9 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 10 cores / 16 threads instead of 6/6. 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 i5-9400 Benchmark Check

Core i5-13400F Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-9400	Core i5-13400F
1080p
low	179 FPS	171 FPS
medium	144 FPS	158 FPS
high	115 FPS	132 FPS
ultra	91 FPS	112 FPS
1440p
low	152 FPS	143 FPS
medium	122 FPS	123 FPS
high	96 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	75 FPS	84 FPS
4K
low	71 FPS	81 FPS
medium	61 FPS	74 FPS
high	48 FPS	59 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	46 FPS

Open Core i5-9400 Open Core i5-13400F

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-9400	Core i5-13400F
1080p
low	234 FPS	545 FPS
medium	234 FPS	464 FPS
high	234 FPS	389 FPS
ultra	222 FPS	356 FPS
1440p
low	234 FPS	458 FPS
medium	234 FPS	403 FPS
high	226 FPS	345 FPS
ultra	202 FPS	301 FPS
4K
low	234 FPS	280 FPS
medium	216 FPS	247 FPS
high	196 FPS	231 FPS
ultra	170 FPS	204 FPS

Open Core i5-9400 Open Core i5-13400F

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-9400	Core i5-13400F
1080p
low	234 FPS	530 FPS
medium	234 FPS	449 FPS
high	234 FPS	415 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	375 FPS
1440p
low	234 FPS	490 FPS
medium	234 FPS	422 FPS
high	234 FPS	382 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	343 FPS
4K
low	234 FPS	393 FPS
medium	226 FPS	331 FPS
high	192 FPS	296 FPS
ultra	152 FPS	246 FPS

Open Core i5-9400 Open Core i5-13400F

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-9400	Core i5-13400F
1080p
low	234 FPS	626 FPS
medium	234 FPS	626 FPS
high	234 FPS	626 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	626 FPS
1440p
low	234 FPS	626 FPS
medium	234 FPS	626 FPS
high	234 FPS	598 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	521 FPS
4K
low	234 FPS	535 FPS
medium	234 FPS	492 FPS
high	234 FPS	439 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	382 FPS

Open Core i5-9400 Open Core i5-13400F

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-9400 and Core i5-13400F

Core i5-9400

The Core i5-9400 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 October 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture. It features 6 cores and 6 threads. Base frequency is 2.9 GHz, with boost up to 4.1 GHz. L3 cache: 9 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 9,372 points. Launch price was $182.

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.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-9400 packs 6 cores / 6 threads, while the Core i5-13400F offers 10 cores / 16 threads — the Core i5-13400F has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.1 GHz on the Core i5-9400 versus 4.6 GHz on the Core i5-13400F — a 11.5% clock advantage for the Core i5-13400F (base: 2.9 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Core i5-9400 uses the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i5-13400F uses Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-9400 scores 9,372 against the Core i5-13400F's 25,029 — a 91% lead for the Core i5-13400F. L3 cache: 9 MB (total) on the Core i5-9400 vs 20 MB (total) on the Core i5-13400F.

Feature	Core i5-9400	Core i5-13400F
Cores / Threads	6 / 6	10 / 16+67%
Boost Clock	4.1 GHz	4.6 GHz+12%
Base Clock	2.9 GHz+16%	2.5 GHz
L3 Cache	9 MB (total)	20 MB (total)+122%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	1.25 MB (per core)+400%
Process	14 nm	Intel 7 nm-50%
Architecture	Coffee Lake (2017−2019)	Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024)
PassMark	9,372	25,029+167%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	16,211
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,407
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	11,408

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-9400 uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i5-13400F uses LGA1700 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2666 on the Core i5-9400 versus DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 on the Core i5-13400F — the Core i5-13400F supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i5-13400F supports up to 192 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 40% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i5-9400) vs 20 (Core i5-13400F) — the Core i5-13400F offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	Core i5-9400	Core i5-13400F
Socket	LGA1151	LGA1700
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200+25%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	192 GB+50%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	16	20+25%

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. The Core i5-9400 includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630), while the Core i5-13400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-9400 targets Desktop, Core i5-13400F targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-13400F rivals Ryzen 5 7600.

Feature	Core i5-9400	Core i5-13400F
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 630	—
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	Desktop	Gaming

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-9400 launched at $192 MSRP, while the Core i5-13400F debuted at $196. On MSRP ($192 vs $196), the Core i5-9400 is $4 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-9400 delivers 48.8 pts/$ vs 127.7 pts/$ for the Core i5-13400F — making the Core i5-13400F the 89.4% better value option.