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 i7-13700K

2022

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core Ultra 7 265K across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (31,000 vs 36,309).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 111.9 vs 190.3 PassMark/$ ($409 MSRP vs $309 MSRP).

Core Ultra 7 265K

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +4.8% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $100 less on MSRP ($309 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).
✅Delivers 70.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 190.3 vs 111.9 PassMark/$ ($309 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Core i7-13700K

2022

Core Ultra 7 265K

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +4.8% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $100 less on MSRP ($309 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).
✅Delivers 70.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 190.3 vs 111.9 PassMark/$ ($309 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core Ultra 7 265K across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (31,000 vs 36,309).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 111.9 vs 190.3 PassMark/$ ($409 MSRP vs $309 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Quick Answers

So, is Core Ultra 7 265K better than Core i7-13700K?

Yes. Core Ultra 7 265K is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 4.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 17.1% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, 28.4% higher 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 Ultra 7 265K is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 4.8% 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 Ultra 7 265K is the better fit. You are getting 17.1% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 20 cores and 20 threads.

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

Core Ultra 7 265K is the smarter buy today. Core Ultra 7 265K is $100 cheaper on MSRP at $309 MSRP versus $409 MSRP, and it gives you a 4.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 70.0% better value on MSRP (190.3 vs 111.9 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible LGA1700 + DDR5 setup, Core i7-13700K can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap, but on MSRP alone you would want to find it meaningfully cheaper in real-world listings before that path becomes easy to justify.

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

Core Ultra 7 265K is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2022) and more multi-core headroom with 20 cores / 20 threads instead of 16/24. 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 i7-13700K Benchmark Check

Core Ultra 7 265K Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-13700K	Core Ultra 7 265K
1080p
low	284 FPS	305 FPS
medium	268 FPS	290 FPS
high	223 FPS	244 FPS
ultra	190 FPS	205 FPS
1440p
low	238 FPS	240 FPS
medium	200 FPS	201 FPS
high	159 FPS	163 FPS
ultra	139 FPS	142 FPS
4K
low	159 FPS	158 FPS
medium	134 FPS	132 FPS
high	103 FPS	102 FPS
ultra	90 FPS	89 FPS

Open Core i7-13700K Open Core Ultra 7 265K

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-13700K	Core Ultra 7 265K
1080p
low	689 FPS	778 FPS
medium	580 FPS	656 FPS
high	484 FPS	548 FPS
ultra	439 FPS	491 FPS
1440p
low	595 FPS	673 FPS
medium	525 FPS	595 FPS
high	441 FPS	499 FPS
ultra	378 FPS	422 FPS
4K
low	348 FPS	395 FPS
medium	314 FPS	357 FPS
high	295 FPS	335 FPS
ultra	261 FPS	292 FPS

Open Core i7-13700K Open Core Ultra 7 265K

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-13700K	Core Ultra 7 265K
1080p
low	648 FPS	851 FPS
medium	530 FPS	694 FPS
high	467 FPS	617 FPS
ultra	405 FPS	528 FPS
1440p
low	591 FPS	731 FPS
medium	491 FPS	599 FPS
high	427 FPS	521 FPS
ultra	371 FPS	442 FPS
4K
low	434 FPS	517 FPS
medium	374 FPS	436 FPS
high	339 FPS	396 FPS
ultra	290 FPS	337 FPS

Open Core i7-13700K Open Core Ultra 7 265K

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-13700K	Core Ultra 7 265K
1080p
low	970 FPS	1128 FPS
medium	883 FPS	1015 FPS
high	766 FPS	889 FPS
ultra	689 FPS	808 FPS
1440p
low	829 FPS	892 FPS
medium	740 FPS	789 FPS
high	642 FPS	687 FPS
ultra	566 FPS	611 FPS
4K
low	567 FPS	604 FPS
medium	515 FPS	542 FPS
high	463 FPS	489 FPS
ultra	404 FPS	432 FPS

Open Core i7-13700K Open Core Ultra 7 265K

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-13700K and Core Ultra 7 265K

Core i7-13700K

The Core i7-13700K 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 16 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 5.4 GHz. L3 cache: 30 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: 45,784 points. Launch price was $409.

Core Ultra 7 265K

The Core Ultra 7 265K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 24 October 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Arrow Lake-S (2024−2025) architecture. It features 20 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 3.9 GHz, with boost up to 5.5 GHz. L3 cache: 30 MB (total). L2 cache: 3 MB (per core). Built on 3 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1851. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-6400. Passmark benchmark score: 58,789 points. Launch price was $394.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-13700K packs 16 cores / 24 threads, while the Core Ultra 7 265K offers 20 cores / 20 threads — the Core Ultra 7 265K has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.4 GHz on the Core i7-13700K versus 5.5 GHz on the Core Ultra 7 265K — a 1.8% clock advantage for the Core Ultra 7 265K (base: 3.4 GHz vs 3.9 GHz). The Core i7-13700K uses the Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core Ultra 7 265K uses Arrow Lake-S (2024−2025) (3 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-13700K scores 45,784 against the Core Ultra 7 265K's 58,789 — a 24.9% lead for the Core Ultra 7 265K. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 31,000 vs 36,309 (15.8% advantage for the Core Ultra 7 265K). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,846 vs 3,283, a 14.3% lead for the Core Ultra 7 265K that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 18,980 vs 22,293 (16.1% advantage for the Core Ultra 7 265K). Both processors carry 30 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Core i7-13700K	Core Ultra 7 265K
Cores / Threads	16 / 24	20 / 20+25%
Boost Clock	5.4 GHz	5.5 GHz+2%
Base Clock	3.4 GHz	3.9 GHz+15%
L3 Cache	30 MB (total)	30 MB (total)
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)	3 MB (per core)+50%
Process	Intel 7 nm	3 nm-57%
Architecture	Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022)	Arrow Lake-S (2024−2025)
PassMark	45,784	58,789+28%
Cinebench R23 Multi	31,000	36,309+17%
Geekbench 6 Single	2,846	3,283+15%
Geekbench 6 Multi	18,980	22,293+17%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-13700K uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Core Ultra 7 265K uses LGA1851 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-5600 memory speed. The Core Ultra 7 265K supports up to 256 GB of RAM compared to 192 GB — 28.6% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 20 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: Intel Z790,Intel H770,Intel B760,Intel Z690,Intel H670,Intel B660,Intel H610 (Core i7-13700K) and LGA1851 (Core Ultra 7 265K).

Feature	Core i7-13700K	Core Ultra 7 265K
Socket	LGA1700	LGA1851
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-5600	DDR5-6400
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB	256 GB+33%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Only the Core Ultra 7 265K supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: true (Core i7-13700K) vs VT-x, VT-d (Core Ultra 7 265K). Both include integrated graphics — Intel UHD Graphics 770 (Core i7-13700K) and Arc Graphics 64EU (Core Ultra 7 265K) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Core i7-13700K rivals Ryzen 9 7900X.

Feature	Core i7-13700K	Core Ultra 7 265K
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	Intel UHD Graphics 770	Arc Graphics 64EU
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	true	VT-x, VT-d

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-13700K launched at $409 MSRP, while the Core Ultra 7 265K debuted at $309. On MSRP ($409 vs $309), the Core Ultra 7 265K is $100 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-13700K delivers 111.9 pts/$ vs 190.3 pts/$ for the Core Ultra 7 265K — making the Core Ultra 7 265K the 51.8% better value option.