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 i9-13905H

2023

Why buy it

✅+10.8% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅Draws 45W instead of 65W, a 20W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (2,300 vs 3,300).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (24 MB vs 32 MB).

Ryzen 5 9600X

2024

Why buy it

✅+43.5% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 24 MB).
✅133.3% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 12) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (17,500 vs 19,384).
❌Launch MSRP is still $279 MSRP, while Core i9-13905H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌44.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 45W.

Core i9-13905H

2023

Ryzen 5 9600X

2024

Why buy it

✅+10.8% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅Draws 45W instead of 65W, a 20W reduction.

Why buy it

✅+43.5% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 24 MB).
✅133.3% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 12) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (2,300 vs 3,300).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (24 MB vs 32 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (17,500 vs 19,384).
❌Launch MSRP is still $279 MSRP, while Core i9-13905H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌44.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 45W.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 9600X better than Core i9-13905H?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen 5 9600X is ahead with a 0.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-13905H pulls ahead with 10.8% better Cinebench R23 multi-core. Ryzen 5 9600X also has the bigger cache pool with 33.3% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 24 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-13905H is the better fit. You are getting 10.8% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 14 cores and 20 threads.

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

Ryzen 5 9600X is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 5 9600X is at an unclear MSRP at $279 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 0.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Core i9-13905H is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 10.8% better Cinebench R23 multi-core. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (107.5 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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?

Ryzen 5 9600X is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2023) and 33.3% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 24 MB). 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 i9-13905H Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 9600X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i9-13905H	Ryzen 5 9600X
1080p
low	262 FPS	264 FPS
medium	253 FPS	243 FPS
high	210 FPS	207 FPS
ultra	180 FPS	177 FPS
1440p
low	223 FPS	225 FPS
medium	192 FPS	188 FPS
high	154 FPS	153 FPS
ultra	135 FPS	134 FPS
4K
low	154 FPS	156 FPS
medium	132 FPS	131 FPS
high	101 FPS	101 FPS
ultra	90 FPS	87 FPS

Open Core i9-13905H Open Ryzen 5 9600X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i9-13905H	Ryzen 5 9600X
1080p
low	636 FPS	546 FPS
medium	543 FPS	451 FPS
high	458 FPS	379 FPS
ultra	417 FPS	339 FPS
1440p
low	554 FPS	469 FPS
medium	492 FPS	401 FPS
high	416 FPS	342 FPS
ultra	357 FPS	294 FPS
4K
low	325 FPS	294 FPS
medium	296 FPS	256 FPS
high	279 FPS	239 FPS
ultra	246 FPS	207 FPS

Open Core i9-13905H Open Ryzen 5 9600X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i9-13905H	Ryzen 5 9600X
1080p
low	648 FPS	750 FPS
medium	530 FPS	724 FPS
high	467 FPS	641 FPS
ultra	405 FPS	551 FPS
1440p
low	591 FPS	724 FPS
medium	491 FPS	565 FPS
high	427 FPS	486 FPS
ultra	370 FPS	414 FPS
4K
low	434 FPS	471 FPS
medium	374 FPS	397 FPS
high	339 FPS	346 FPS
ultra	290 FPS	285 FPS

Open Core i9-13905H Open Ryzen 5 9600X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i9-13905H	Ryzen 5 9600X
1080p
low	745 FPS	750 FPS
medium	745 FPS	750 FPS
high	745 FPS	750 FPS
ultra	672 FPS	750 FPS
1440p
low	745 FPS	750 FPS
medium	723 FPS	750 FPS
high	626 FPS	676 FPS
ultra	552 FPS	583 FPS
4K
low	555 FPS	577 FPS
medium	504 FPS	512 FPS
high	451 FPS	462 FPS
ultra	394 FPS	399 FPS

Open Core i9-13905H Open Ryzen 5 9600X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i9-13905H and Ryzen 5 9600X

Core i9-13905H

The Core i9-13905H is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-H (2023−2024) architecture. It features 14 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 5.4 GHz. L3 cache: 24 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1792. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-5200, DDR4-3200, LPDDR4x-4267. Passmark benchmark score: 29,807 points. Launch price was $697.

Ryzen 5 9600X

The Ryzen 5 9600X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 8 August 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Granite Ridge (2024−2025) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.9 GHz, with boost up to 5.4 GHz. L3 cache: 32 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: 30,003 points. Launch price was $279.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i9-13905H packs 14 cores / 20 threads, while the Ryzen 5 9600X offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Core i9-13905H has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.4 GHz on the Core i9-13905H versus 5.4 GHz on the Ryzen 5 9600X — identical boost frequencies (base: 2.6 GHz vs 3.9 GHz). The Core i9-13905H uses the Raptor Lake-H (2023−2024) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen 5 9600X uses Granite Ridge (2024−2025) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-13905H scores 29,807 against the Ryzen 5 9600X's 30,003 — a 0.7% lead for the Ryzen 5 9600X. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 19,384 vs 17,500 (10.2% advantage for the Core i9-13905H). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,300 vs 3,300, a 35.7% lead for the Ryzen 5 9600X that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 14,000 vs 15,000 (6.9% advantage for the Ryzen 5 9600X). L3 cache: 24 MB (total) on the Core i9-13905H vs 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 9600X.

Feature	Core i9-13905H	Ryzen 5 9600X
Cores / Threads	14 / 20+133%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	5.4 GHz	5.4 GHz
Base Clock	2.6 GHz	3.9 GHz+50%
L3 Cache	24 MB (total)	32 MB (total)+33%
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)+100%	1 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	4 nm-43%
Architecture	Raptor Lake-H (2023−2024)	Granite Ridge (2024−2025)
PassMark	29,807	30,003
Cinebench R23 Multi	19,384+11%	17,500
Geekbench 6 Single	2,300	3,300+43%
Geekbench 6 Multi	14,000	15,000+7%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i9-13905H uses the FCBGA1792 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 5 9600X uses AM5 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-5200 memory speed. The Ryzen 5 9600X supports up to 192 GB of RAM compared to 64 GB — 100% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 12 (Core i9-13905H) vs 28 (Ryzen 5 9600X) — the Ryzen 5 9600X offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: WM790,HM770 (Core i9-13905H) and X870E,X870,X670E,X670,B650E,B650 (Ryzen 5 9600X).

Feature	Core i9-13905H	Ryzen 5 9600X
Socket	FCBGA1792	AM5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 5.0+25%
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-5200	DDR5-5600
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB	192 GB+200%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	12	28+133%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 5 9600X has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Ryzen 5 9600X supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i9-13905H) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 5 9600X). Both include integrated graphics — Iris Xe 96EU (Core i9-13905H) and AMD Radeon Graphics (2-core) (Ryzen 5 9600X) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i9-13905H targets Workstation, Ryzen 5 9600X targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i9-13905H rivals Ryzen 9 7940HS; Ryzen 5 9600X rivals Intel Core i5-14600K.

Feature	Core i9-13905H	Ryzen 5 9600X
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	Iris Xe 96EU	AMD Radeon Graphics (2-core)
Unlocked	No	Yes
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	AMD-V
Target Use	Workstation	Gaming