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: +12.4% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 16 MB).
✅42.9% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 14) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌
83.8% HIGHER MSRP
$329 MSRPvs$179 MSRP
❌92.3% higher power demand at 125W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 8500G.

Ryzen 5 8500G

2024

Why buy it

✅Costs $150 less on MSRP ($179 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 125W, a 60W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i5-13600K.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-13600K across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (21,481 vs 37,655).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 24 MB).

Core i5-13600K

2022

Ryzen 5 8500G

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +12.4% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 16 MB).
✅42.9% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 14) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Costs $150 less on MSRP ($179 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 125W, a 60W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i5-13600K.

Trade-offs

❌
83.8% HIGHER MSRP
$329 MSRPvs$179 MSRP
❌92.3% higher power demand at 125W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 8500G.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-13600K across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (21,481 vs 37,655).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 24 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-13600K better than Ryzen 5 8500G?

Yes. Core i5-13600K is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 12.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 75.3% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i5-13600K is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 12.4% 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 i5-13600K is the better fit. You are getting 75.3% better PassMark, backed by 14 cores and 20 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 16 MB).

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

Core i5-13600K is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 5 8500G makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i5-13600K is 83.8% more expensive on MSRP at $329 MSRP versus $179 MSRP, and it gives you a 12.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 5 8500G is also 4.9% better value on MSRP (120.0 vs 114.5 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible AM5 + DDR5 setup, Ryzen 5 8500G can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap.

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

Ryzen 5 8500G is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2022). 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

Ryzen 5 8500G Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-13600K	Ryzen 5 8500G
1080p
low	281 FPS	267 FPS
medium	264 FPS	238 FPS
high	220 FPS	203 FPS
ultra	188 FPS	173 FPS
1440p
low	235 FPS	231 FPS
medium	198 FPS	186 FPS
high	158 FPS	155 FPS
ultra	138 FPS	135 FPS
4K
low	159 FPS	159 FPS
medium	133 FPS	130 FPS
high	102 FPS	100 FPS
ultra	90 FPS	87 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open Ryzen 5 8500G

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-13600K	Ryzen 5 8500G
1080p
low	632 FPS	455 FPS
medium	533 FPS	371 FPS
high	450 FPS	321 FPS
ultra	416 FPS	279 FPS
1440p
low	540 FPS	394 FPS
medium	474 FPS	338 FPS
high	403 FPS	294 FPS
ultra	351 FPS	248 FPS
4K
low	316 FPS	287 FPS
medium	282 FPS	251 FPS
high	269 FPS	230 FPS
ultra	238 FPS	193 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open Ryzen 5 8500G

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-13600K	Ryzen 5 8500G
1080p
low	663 FPS	537 FPS
medium	543 FPS	537 FPS
high	477 FPS	537 FPS
ultra	414 FPS	537 FPS
1440p
low	600 FPS	537 FPS
medium	499 FPS	537 FPS
high	434 FPS	517 FPS
ultra	376 FPS	441 FPS
4K
low	441 FPS	497 FPS
medium	381 FPS	418 FPS
high	344 FPS	357 FPS
ultra	295 FPS	293 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open Ryzen 5 8500G

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-13600K	Ryzen 5 8500G
1080p
low	941 FPS	537 FPS
medium	941 FPS	537 FPS
high	923 FPS	537 FPS
ultra	831 FPS	537 FPS
1440p
low	941 FPS	537 FPS
medium	850 FPS	537 FPS
high	738 FPS	537 FPS
ultra	651 FPS	537 FPS
4K
low	651 FPS	537 FPS
medium	588 FPS	519 FPS
high	529 FPS	462 FPS
ultra	437 FPS	393 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open Ryzen 5 8500G

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-13600K and Ryzen 5 8500G

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.

Ryzen 5 8500G

The Ryzen 5 8500G is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 8 January 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Phoenix2 (2024) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: AM5. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 21,481 points. Launch price was $229.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-13600K packs 14 cores / 20 threads, while the Ryzen 5 8500G offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Core i5-13600K has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.1 GHz on the Core i5-13600K versus 5 GHz on the Ryzen 5 8500G — a 2% clock advantage for the Core i5-13600K (base: 3.5 GHz vs 3.5 GHz). The Core i5-13600K uses the Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen 5 8500G uses Phoenix2 (2024) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-13600K scores 37,655 against the Ryzen 5 8500G's 21,481 — a 54.7% lead for the Core i5-13600K. L3 cache: 24 MB on the Core i5-13600K vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 8500G.

Feature	Core i5-13600K	Ryzen 5 8500G
Cores / Threads	14 / 20+133%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	5.1 GHz+2%	5 GHz
Base Clock	3.5 GHz	3.5 GHz
L3 Cache	24 MB+50%	16 MB (total)
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)	Phoenix2 (2024)
PassMark	37,655+75%	21,481
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	9,310
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,500
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	10,000

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-13600K uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 5 8500G uses AM5 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-5600 memory speed. The Ryzen 5 8500G 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. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-13600K) vs 14 (Ryzen 5 8500G) — the Core i5-13600K offers 6 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel 600 series,Intel 700 series (Core i5-13600K) and A620,B650,B650E,X670,X670E,B840,B850,X870,X870E (Ryzen 5 8500G).

Feature	Core i5-13600K	Ryzen 5 8500G
Socket	LGA1700	AM5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-5600	DDR5-5200
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB	256 GB+33%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20+43%	14

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-13600K) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 5 8500G). Both include integrated graphics — UHD Graphics 770 (Core i5-13600K) and Radeon 740M (Ryzen 5 8500G) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-13600K targets Desktop, Ryzen 5 8500G targets General Use. Direct competitor: Ryzen 5 8500G rivals Core i5-13400.

Feature	Core i5-13600K	Ryzen 5 8500G
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 770	Radeon 740M
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	AMD-V
Target Use	Desktop	General Use

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-13600K launched at $329 MSRP, while the Ryzen 5 8500G debuted at $179. On MSRP ($329 vs $179), the Ryzen 5 8500G is $150 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-13600K delivers 114.5 pts/$ vs 120.0 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 8500G — making the Ryzen 5 8500G the 4.7% better value option.