Core i5-13600K vs EPYC 9115

CPU

GPU

Core i5-13600K

14 Cores20 Thrd125 WWMax: 5.1 GHz2022

Popular choices:

•••••••••

EPYC 9115

16 Cores32 Thrd125 WWMax: 4.1 GHz2024

Popular choices:

••••••i5-13600K•••

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i5-13600K

14 / 20

37,655

0.0%

48,343

+28.4%

Ryzen Threadripper 3970X

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9975WX

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

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +26.6% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $397 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $726 MSRP).
✅Delivers 71.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 114.5 vs 66.6 PassMark/$ ($329 MSRP vs $726 MSRP).
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 770, while EPYC 9115 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (37,655 vs 48,343).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (24 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 9115, which brings 16 cores / 32 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.

EPYC 9115

2024

Why buy it

✅+28.4% higher PassMark.
✅+166.7% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 24 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 16 cores / 32 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 20.
✅540% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-13600K across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 66.6 vs 114.5 PassMark/$ ($726 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-13600K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i5-13600K

2022

EPYC 9115

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +26.6% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $397 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $726 MSRP).
✅Delivers 71.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 114.5 vs 66.6 PassMark/$ ($329 MSRP vs $726 MSRP).
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 770, while EPYC 9115 needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅+28.4% higher PassMark.
✅+166.7% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 24 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 16 cores / 32 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 20.
✅540% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (37,655 vs 48,343).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (24 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 9115, which brings 16 cores / 32 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-13600K across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 66.6 vs 114.5 PassMark/$ ($726 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-13600K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 9115 better than Core i5-13600K?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. EPYC 9115 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Core i5-13600K is the better mainstream desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and day-to-day practicality.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 9115 is the better fit. You are getting 28.4% better PassMark, backed by 16 cores and 32 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 166.7% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 24 MB).

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

EPYC 9115 is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-13600K makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. EPYC 9115 is 120.7% more expensive on MSRP at $726 MSRP versus $329 MSRP, and it gives you 28.4% better PassMark. The trade-off is that Core i5-13600K is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 26.6% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-13600K is also 71.9% better value on MSRP (114.5 vs 66.6 PassMark/$), 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 9115 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2022), 166.7% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 24 MB), more multi-core headroom with 16 cores / 32 threads instead of 14/20, and AVX-512 support for heavier modern compute workloads. 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 i5-13600K Benchmark Check

EPYC 9115 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-13600K	EPYC 9115
1080p
low	281 FPS	164 FPS
medium	264 FPS	135 FPS
high	220 FPS	114 FPS
ultra	188 FPS	90 FPS
1440p
low	235 FPS	144 FPS
medium	198 FPS	116 FPS
high	158 FPS	93 FPS
ultra	138 FPS	74 FPS
4K
low	159 FPS	68 FPS
medium	133 FPS	58 FPS
high	102 FPS	46 FPS
ultra	90 FPS	37 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open EPYC 9115

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-13600K	EPYC 9115
1080p
low	632 FPS	490 FPS
medium	533 FPS	436 FPS
high	450 FPS	338 FPS
ultra	416 FPS	291 FPS
1440p
low	540 FPS	422 FPS
medium	474 FPS	380 FPS
high	403 FPS	305 FPS
ultra	351 FPS	247 FPS
4K
low	316 FPS	264 FPS
medium	282 FPS	240 FPS
high	269 FPS	208 FPS
ultra	238 FPS	182 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open EPYC 9115

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-13600K	EPYC 9115
1080p
low	663 FPS	707 FPS
medium	543 FPS	592 FPS
high	477 FPS	538 FPS
ultra	414 FPS	478 FPS
1440p
low	600 FPS	545 FPS
medium	499 FPS	454 FPS
high	434 FPS	407 FPS
ultra	376 FPS	355 FPS
4K
low	441 FPS	397 FPS
medium	381 FPS	318 FPS
high	344 FPS	281 FPS
ultra	295 FPS	228 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open EPYC 9115

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-13600K	EPYC 9115
1080p
low	941 FPS	860 FPS
medium	941 FPS	785 FPS
high	923 FPS	679 FPS
ultra	831 FPS	601 FPS
1440p
low	941 FPS	680 FPS
medium	850 FPS	601 FPS
high	738 FPS	516 FPS
ultra	651 FPS	447 FPS
4K
low	651 FPS	495 FPS
medium	588 FPS	445 FPS
high	529 FPS	391 FPS
ultra	437 FPS	335 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open EPYC 9115

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-13600K and EPYC 9115

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.

EPYC 9115

The EPYC 9115 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 10 October 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Turin (2024) architecture. It features 16 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.1 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: SP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 48,343 points. Launch price was $726.

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Processing Power

The Core i5-13600K packs 14 cores / 20 threads, while the EPYC 9115 offers 16 cores / 32 threads — the EPYC 9115 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.1 GHz on the Core i5-13600K versus 4.1 GHz on the EPYC 9115 — a 21.7% clock advantage for the Core i5-13600K (base: 3.5 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). The Core i5-13600K uses the Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the EPYC 9115 uses Turin (2024) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-13600K scores 37,655 against the EPYC 9115's 48,343 — a 24.9% lead for the EPYC 9115. L3 cache: 24 MB on the Core i5-13600K vs 64 MB (total) on the EPYC 9115.

Feature	Core i5-13600K	EPYC 9115
Cores / Threads	14 / 20	16 / 32+14%
Boost Clock	5.1 GHz+24%	4.1 GHz
Base Clock	3.5 GHz+35%	2.6 GHz
L3 Cache	24 MB	64 MB (total)+167%
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)+100%	1 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	4 nm-43%
Architecture	Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022)	Turin (2024)
PassMark	37,655	48,343+28%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-13600K uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the EPYC 9115 uses SP5 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-5600 on the Core i5-13600K versus 4800 on the EPYC 9115 — the EPYC 9115 supports 199.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The EPYC 9115 supports up to 6144 of RAM compared to 192 GB — 187.9% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i5-13600K) vs 12 (EPYC 9115). PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-13600K) vs 128 (EPYC 9115) — the EPYC 9115 offers 108 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel 600 series,Intel 700 series (Core i5-13600K) and SP5 (EPYC 9115).

Feature	Core i5-13600K	EPYC 9115
Socket	LGA1700	SP5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-5600	4800+95900%
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB+3276700%	6144
RAM Channels	2	12+500%
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	128+540%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Core i5-13600K has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the EPYC 9115 supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-13600K) vs VT-x, VT-d, AMD-V (EPYC 9115). The Core i5-13600K includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 770), while the EPYC 9115 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-13600K targets Desktop. Direct competitor: EPYC 9115 rivals Xeon Platinum 8468X.

Feature	Core i5-13600K	EPYC 9115
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 770	None
Unlocked	Yes	No
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d, AMD-V
Target Use	Desktop	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-13600K launched at $329 MSRP, while the EPYC 9115 debuted at $726. On MSRP ($329 vs $726), the Core i5-13600K is $397 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-13600K delivers 114.5 pts/$ vs 66.6 pts/$ for the EPYC 9115 — making the Core i5-13600K the 52.9% better value option.