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

2022

Why buy it

✅Costs $270 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).
✅Delivers 17.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 114.5 vs 97.5 PassMark/$ ($329 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-13900K across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (37,655 vs 58,373).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (24 MB vs 36 MB).

Core i9-13900K

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +11.5% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (36 MB vs 24 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 97.5 vs 114.5 PassMark/$ ($599 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).

Core i5-13600K

2022

Core i9-13900K

2022

Why buy it

✅Costs $270 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).
✅Delivers 17.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 114.5 vs 97.5 PassMark/$ ($329 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +11.5% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (36 MB vs 24 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-13900K across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (37,655 vs 58,373).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (24 MB vs 36 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 97.5 vs 114.5 PassMark/$ ($599 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is Core i9-13900K better than Core i5-13600K?

Yes. Core i9-13900K is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 11.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 55% 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 i9-13900K is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 11.5% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-13900K is the better fit. You are getting 55% better PassMark, backed by 24 cores and 32 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (36 MB vs 24 MB).

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

Core i9-13900K is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-13600K makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i9-13900K is 82.1% more expensive on MSRP at $599 MSRP versus $329 MSRP, and it gives you a 11.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-13600K is also 17.4% better value on MSRP (114.5 vs 97.5 PassMark/$), 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 i9-13900K is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting 50% larger total L3 cache (36 MB vs 24 MB) and more multi-core headroom with 24 cores / 32 threads instead of 14/20. 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 i5-13600K Benchmark Check

Core i9-13900K Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-13600K	Core i9-13900K
1080p
low	281 FPS	325 FPS
medium	264 FPS	314 FPS
high	220 FPS	249 FPS
ultra	188 FPS	211 FPS
1440p
low	235 FPS	281 FPS
medium	198 FPS	241 FPS
high	158 FPS	179 FPS
ultra	138 FPS	158 FPS
4K
low	159 FPS	194 FPS
medium	133 FPS	165 FPS
high	102 FPS	123 FPS
ultra	90 FPS	112 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open Core i9-13900K

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-13600K	Core i9-13900K
1080p
low	632 FPS	756 FPS
medium	533 FPS	658 FPS
high	450 FPS	529 FPS
ultra	416 FPS	474 FPS
1440p
low	540 FPS	635 FPS
medium	474 FPS	573 FPS
high	403 FPS	472 FPS
ultra	351 FPS	390 FPS
4K
low	316 FPS	355 FPS
medium	282 FPS	324 FPS
high	269 FPS	304 FPS
ultra	238 FPS	270 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open Core i9-13900K

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-13600K	Core i9-13900K
1080p
low	663 FPS	765 FPS
medium	543 FPS	628 FPS
high	477 FPS	545 FPS
ultra	414 FPS	468 FPS
1440p
low	600 FPS	683 FPS
medium	499 FPS	570 FPS
high	434 FPS	488 FPS
ultra	376 FPS	426 FPS
4K
low	441 FPS	503 FPS
medium	381 FPS	441 FPS
high	344 FPS	394 FPS
ultra	295 FPS	336 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open Core i9-13900K

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-13600K	Core i9-13900K
1080p
low	941 FPS	1034 FPS
medium	941 FPS	926 FPS
high	923 FPS	812 FPS
ultra	831 FPS	722 FPS
1440p
low	941 FPS	859 FPS
medium	850 FPS	757 FPS
high	738 FPS	663 FPS
ultra	651 FPS	582 FPS
4K
low	651 FPS	634 FPS
medium	588 FPS	568 FPS
high	529 FPS	503 FPS
ultra	437 FPS	437 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open Core i9-13900K

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-13600K and Core i9-13900K

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 i9-13900K

The Core i9-13900K 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 24 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 5.7 GHz. L3 cache: 36 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: 58,373 points. Launch price was $589.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-13600K packs 14 cores / 20 threads, while the Core i9-13900K offers 24 cores / 32 threads — the Core i9-13900K has 10 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.1 GHz on the Core i5-13600K versus 5.7 GHz on the Core i9-13900K — a 11.1% clock advantage for the Core i9-13900K (base: 3.5 GHz vs 3 GHz). Both are built on the Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022) architecture using a Intel 7 nm process. In PassMark, the Core i5-13600K scores 37,655 against the Core i9-13900K's 58,373 — a 43.1% lead for the Core i9-13900K. L3 cache: 24 MB on the Core i5-13600K vs 36 MB (total) on the Core i9-13900K.

Feature	Core i5-13600K	Core i9-13900K
Cores / Threads	14 / 20	24 / 32+71%
Boost Clock	5.1 GHz	5.7 GHz+12%
Base Clock	3.5 GHz+17%	3 GHz
L3 Cache	24 MB	36 MB (total)+50%
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)	2 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	Intel 7 nm
Architecture	Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022)	Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022)
PassMark	37,655	58,373+55%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	40,000
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,985
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	19,967

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the LGA1700 socket with PCIe 5.0. Both support up to DDR5-5600 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: Intel 600 series,Intel 700 series (Core i5-13600K) and Intel Z790,Intel Z690 (Core i9-13900K).

Feature	Core i5-13600K	Core i9-13900K
Socket	LGA1700	LGA1700
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-5600	DDR5-5600
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB	192 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-13600K) vs true (Core i9-13900K). Both include integrated graphics — UHD Graphics 770 (Core i5-13600K) and Intel UHD Graphics 770 (Core i9-13900K) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-13600K targets Desktop, Core i9-13900K targets Desktop.

Feature	Core i5-13600K	Core i9-13900K
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 770	Intel UHD Graphics 770
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	true
Target Use	Desktop	Desktop

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-13600K launched at $329 MSRP, while the Core i9-13900K debuted at $599. On MSRP ($329 vs $599), the Core i5-13600K is $270 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-13600K delivers 114.5 pts/$ vs 97.5 pts/$ for the Core i9-13900K — making the Core i5-13600K the 16% better value option.