Core i5-13600K vs EPYC 9255

CPU

GPU

Core i5-13600K

14 Cores20 Thrd125 WWMax: 5.1 GHz2022

Popular choices:

•••••••••

EPYC 9255

24 Cores48 Thrd200 WWMax: 4.8 GHz2024

Popular choices:

••••••i5-13600K•••

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i5-13600K

14 / 20

37,655

0.0%

75,809

+101.3%

Ryzen 7 8840HX

Ryzen 9 7900X3D

Ryzen 9 7945HX3D

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

Ryzen Threadripper 7970X

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX

Ryzen Threadripper 7980X

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

✅Costs $2,166 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $2,495 MSRP).
✅Delivers 276.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 114.5 vs 30.4 PassMark/$ ($329 MSRP vs $2,495 MSRP).
✅Draws 125W instead of 200W, a 75W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 770, while EPYC 9255 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 9255 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (37,655 vs 75,809).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 9255, which brings 24 cores / 48 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.

EPYC 9255

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +4.0% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 24 cores / 48 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 30.4 vs 114.5 PassMark/$ ($2,495 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
❌60% higher power demand at 200W vs 125W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-13600K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i5-13600K

2022

EPYC 9255

2024

Why buy it

✅Costs $2,166 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $2,495 MSRP).
✅Delivers 276.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 114.5 vs 30.4 PassMark/$ ($329 MSRP vs $2,495 MSRP).
✅Draws 125W instead of 200W, a 75W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 770, while EPYC 9255 needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +4.0% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 24 cores / 48 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 EPYC 9255 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (37,655 vs 75,809).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 9255, which brings 24 cores / 48 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 30.4 vs 114.5 PassMark/$ ($2,495 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
❌60% higher power demand at 200W vs 125W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-13600K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 9255 better than Core i5-13600K?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. EPYC 9255 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 gaming?

If gaming is the priority, EPYC 9255 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 4.0% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests. It also has a big cache advantage at 128 MB vs 24 MB.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 9255 is the better fit. You are getting 101.3% better PassMark, backed by 24 cores and 48 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 433.3% larger total L3 cache (128 MB vs 24 MB).

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

EPYC 9255 is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-13600K makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. EPYC 9255 is 658.4% more expensive on MSRP at $2,495 MSRP versus $329 MSRP, and it gives you a 4.0% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-13600K is also 276.7% better value on MSRP (114.5 vs 30.4 PassMark/$), 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 9255 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2022), 3D V-Cache and a much larger 128 MB L3 cache instead of 24 MB, more multi-core headroom with 24 cores / 48 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 9255 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-13600K	EPYC 9255
1080p
low	281 FPS	303 FPS
medium	264 FPS	280 FPS
high	220 FPS	231 FPS
ultra	188 FPS	195 FPS
1440p
low	235 FPS	268 FPS
medium	198 FPS	223 FPS
high	158 FPS	172 FPS
ultra	138 FPS	152 FPS
4K
low	159 FPS	186 FPS
medium	133 FPS	154 FPS
high	102 FPS	117 FPS
ultra	90 FPS	105 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open EPYC 9255

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-13600K	EPYC 9255
1080p
low	632 FPS	717 FPS
medium	533 FPS	614 FPS
high	450 FPS	485 FPS
ultra	416 FPS	421 FPS
1440p
low	540 FPS	573 FPS
medium	474 FPS	507 FPS
high	403 FPS	419 FPS
ultra	351 FPS	341 FPS
4K
low	316 FPS	335 FPS
medium	282 FPS	298 FPS
high	269 FPS	270 FPS
ultra	238 FPS	239 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open EPYC 9255

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-13600K	EPYC 9255
1080p
low	663 FPS	850 FPS
medium	543 FPS	691 FPS
high	477 FPS	625 FPS
ultra	414 FPS	530 FPS
1440p
low	600 FPS	677 FPS
medium	499 FPS	548 FPS
high	434 FPS	484 FPS
ultra	376 FPS	408 FPS
4K
low	441 FPS	483 FPS
medium	381 FPS	399 FPS
high	344 FPS	355 FPS
ultra	295 FPS	293 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open EPYC 9255

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-13600K	EPYC 9255
1080p
low	941 FPS	1083 FPS
medium	941 FPS	982 FPS
high	923 FPS	862 FPS
ultra	831 FPS	777 FPS
1440p
low	941 FPS	859 FPS
medium	850 FPS	761 FPS
high	738 FPS	668 FPS
ultra	651 FPS	582 FPS
4K
low	651 FPS	627 FPS
medium	588 FPS	562 FPS
high	529 FPS	500 FPS
ultra	437 FPS	434 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open EPYC 9255

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-13600K and EPYC 9255

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 9255

The EPYC 9255 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 10 October 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Turin (2024) architecture. It features 24 cores and 48 threads. Base frequency is 3.25 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 128 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: SP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 200 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 75,809 points. Launch price was $2,495.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-13600K packs 14 cores / 20 threads, while the EPYC 9255 offers 24 cores / 48 threads — the EPYC 9255 has 10 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.1 GHz on the Core i5-13600K versus 4.8 GHz on the EPYC 9255 — a 6.1% clock advantage for the Core i5-13600K (base: 3.5 GHz vs 3.25 GHz). The Core i5-13600K uses the Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the EPYC 9255 uses Turin (2024) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-13600K scores 37,655 against the EPYC 9255's 75,809 — a 67.3% lead for the EPYC 9255. L3 cache: 24 MB on the Core i5-13600K vs 128 MB (total) on the EPYC 9255.

Feature	Core i5-13600K	EPYC 9255
Cores / Threads	14 / 20	24 / 48+71%
Boost Clock	5.1 GHz+6%	4.8 GHz
Base Clock	3.5 GHz+8%	3.25 GHz
L3 Cache	24 MB	128 MB (total)+433%
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	75,809+101%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-13600K uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the EPYC 9255 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 9255 — the EPYC 9255 supports 199.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The EPYC 9255 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 9255). PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-13600K) vs 128 (EPYC 9255) — the EPYC 9255 offers 108 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel 600 series,Intel 700 series (Core i5-13600K) and SP5 (EPYC 9255).

Feature	Core i5-13600K	EPYC 9255
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 9255 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, SEV-SNP (EPYC 9255). The Core i5-13600K includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 770), while the EPYC 9255 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-13600K targets Desktop. Direct competitor: EPYC 9255 rivals Xeon Platinum 8480+.

Feature	Core i5-13600K	EPYC 9255
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, SEV-SNP
Target Use	Desktop	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-13600K launched at $329 MSRP, while the EPYC 9255 debuted at $2495. On MSRP ($329 vs $2495), the Core i5-13600K is $2166 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-13600K delivers 114.5 pts/$ vs 30.4 pts/$ for the EPYC 9255 — making the Core i5-13600K the 116.1% better value option.