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: +20.8% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $2,661 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $2,990 MSRP).
✅Delivers 750.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 114.5 vs 13.5 PassMark/$ ($329 MSRP vs $2,990 MSRP).
✅Draws 125W instead of 205W, a 80W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA4189 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (37,655 vs 40,225).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (24 MB vs 48 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon Gold 6338, which brings 32 cores / 64 threads and 64 PCIe lanes.

Xeon Gold 6338

2021

Why buy it

✅+6.8% higher PassMark.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (48 MB vs 24 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 32 cores / 64 threads, plus 64 PCIe lanes vs 20.
✅220% more PCIe lanes (64 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 13.5 vs 114.5 PassMark/$ ($2,990 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
❌64% higher power demand at 205W vs 125W.
❌Older platform position on LGA4189 with DDR4, while Core i5-13600K moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-13600K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i5-13600K

2022

Xeon Gold 6338

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +20.8% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $2,661 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $2,990 MSRP).
✅Delivers 750.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 114.5 vs 13.5 PassMark/$ ($329 MSRP vs $2,990 MSRP).
✅Draws 125W instead of 205W, a 80W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA4189 and DDR4.

Why buy it

✅+6.8% higher PassMark.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (48 MB vs 24 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 32 cores / 64 threads, plus 64 PCIe lanes vs 20.
✅220% more PCIe lanes (64 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (37,655 vs 40,225).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (24 MB vs 48 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon Gold 6338, which brings 32 cores / 64 threads and 64 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 13.5 vs 114.5 PassMark/$ ($2,990 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
❌64% higher power demand at 205W vs 125W.
❌Older platform position on LGA4189 with DDR4, while Core i5-13600K moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-13600K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-13600K better than Xeon Gold 6338?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon Gold 6338 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, Xeon Gold 6338 is the better fit. You are getting 6.8% better PassMark, backed by 32 cores and 64 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 100% larger total L3 cache (48 MB vs 24 MB).

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

Core i5-13600K is the smarter buy today. Core i5-13600K is $2,661 cheaper on MSRP at $329 MSRP versus $2,990 MSRP, and it gives you a 20.8% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Xeon Gold 6338 is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 6.8% better PassMark. It is also 750.7% better value on MSRP (114.5 vs 13.5 PassMark/$), 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 i5-13600K is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2021) and a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of LGA4189. 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

Xeon Gold 6338 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-13600K	Xeon Gold 6338
1080p
low	281 FPS	186 FPS
medium	264 FPS	149 FPS
high	220 FPS	119 FPS
ultra	188 FPS	93 FPS
1440p
low	235 FPS	152 FPS
medium	198 FPS	118 FPS
high	158 FPS	90 FPS
ultra	138 FPS	72 FPS
4K
low	159 FPS	71 FPS
medium	133 FPS	59 FPS
high	102 FPS	46 FPS
ultra	90 FPS	37 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open Xeon Gold 6338

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-13600K	Xeon Gold 6338
1080p
low	632 FPS	233 FPS
medium	533 FPS	208 FPS
high	450 FPS	173 FPS
ultra	416 FPS	139 FPS
1440p
low	540 FPS	199 FPS
medium	474 FPS	181 FPS
high	403 FPS	154 FPS
ultra	351 FPS	119 FPS
4K
low	316 FPS	124 FPS
medium	282 FPS	115 FPS
high	269 FPS	101 FPS
ultra	238 FPS	82 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open Xeon Gold 6338

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-13600K	Xeon Gold 6338
1080p
low	663 FPS	969 FPS
medium	543 FPS	848 FPS
high	477 FPS	802 FPS
ultra	414 FPS	712 FPS
1440p
low	600 FPS	775 FPS
medium	499 FPS	669 FPS
high	434 FPS	632 FPS
ultra	376 FPS	561 FPS
4K
low	441 FPS	498 FPS
medium	381 FPS	393 FPS
high	344 FPS	350 FPS
ultra	295 FPS	285 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open Xeon Gold 6338

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-13600K	Xeon Gold 6338
1080p
low	941 FPS	884 FPS
medium	941 FPS	800 FPS
high	923 FPS	687 FPS
ultra	831 FPS	587 FPS
1440p
low	941 FPS	691 FPS
medium	850 FPS	606 FPS
high	738 FPS	518 FPS
ultra	651 FPS	440 FPS
4K
low	651 FPS	499 FPS
medium	588 FPS	446 FPS
high	529 FPS	390 FPS
ultra	437 FPS	336 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open Xeon Gold 6338

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-13600K and Xeon Gold 6338

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.

Xeon Gold 6338

The Xeon Gold 6338 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It features 32 cores and 64 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 48 MB. Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4189. Thermal design power (TDP): 205 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 40,225 points. Launch price was $800.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-13600K packs 14 cores / 20 threads, while the Xeon Gold 6338 offers 32 cores / 64 threads — the Xeon Gold 6338 has 18 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.1 GHz on the Core i5-13600K versus 3.2 GHz on the Xeon Gold 6338 — a 45.8% clock advantage for the Core i5-13600K (base: 3.5 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Core i5-13600K is built on the Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022) architecture. In PassMark, the Core i5-13600K scores 37,655 against the Xeon Gold 6338's 40,225 — a 6.6% lead for the Xeon Gold 6338. L3 cache: 24 MB on the Core i5-13600K vs 48 MB on the Xeon Gold 6338.

Feature	Core i5-13600K	Xeon Gold 6338
Cores / Threads	14 / 20	32 / 64+129%
Boost Clock	5.1 GHz+59%	3.2 GHz
Base Clock	3.5 GHz+75%	2 GHz
L3 Cache	24 MB	48 MB+100%
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)	—
Process	Intel 7 nm-30%	10 nm
Architecture	Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022)	—
PassMark	37,655	40,225+7%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-13600K uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Xeon Gold 6338 uses LGA4189 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-5600 on the Core i5-13600K versus 3200 on the Xeon Gold 6338 — the Xeon Gold 6338 supports 199.4% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Xeon Gold 6338 supports up to 6144 of RAM compared to 192 GB — 187.9% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i5-13600K) vs 8 (Xeon Gold 6338). PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-13600K) vs 64 (Xeon Gold 6338) — the Xeon Gold 6338 offers 44 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel 600 series,Intel 700 series (Core i5-13600K) and C621A (Xeon Gold 6338).

Feature	Core i5-13600K	Xeon Gold 6338
Socket	LGA1700	LGA4189
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-5600	3200+63900%
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB+3276700%	6144
RAM Channels	2	8+300%
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	64+220%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Core i5-13600K has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Xeon Gold 6338 supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. The Core i5-13600K includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 770), while the Xeon Gold 6338 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-13600K targets Desktop. Direct competitor: Xeon Gold 6338 rivals EPYC 7543.

Feature	Core i5-13600K	Xeon Gold 6338
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
Target Use	Desktop	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-13600K launched at $329 MSRP, while the Xeon Gold 6338 debuted at $2990. On MSRP ($329 vs $2990), the Core i5-13600K is $2661 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-13600K delivers 114.5 pts/$ vs 13.5 pts/$ for the Xeon Gold 6338 — making the Core i5-13600K the 157.9% better value option.