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 i5-13600T

2023

Why buy it

✅+50% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 16 MB).
✅Draws 35W instead of 45W, a 10W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 7 260.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 260 across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (28,202 vs 28,339).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 110.6 vs 142.4 PassMark/$ ($255 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).

Ryzen 7 260

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +26.3% higher average FPS across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $56 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $255 MSRP).
✅Delivers 28.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 142.4 vs 110.6 PassMark/$ ($199 MSRP vs $255 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 24 MB).
❌28.6% higher power demand at 45W vs 35W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-13600T.

Core i5-13600T

2023

Ryzen 7 260

2025

Why buy it

✅+50% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 16 MB).
✅Draws 35W instead of 45W, a 10W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 7 260.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +26.3% higher average FPS across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $56 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $255 MSRP).
✅Delivers 28.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 142.4 vs 110.6 PassMark/$ ($199 MSRP vs $255 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 260 across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (28,202 vs 28,339).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 110.6 vs 142.4 PassMark/$ ($255 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 24 MB).
❌28.6% higher power demand at 45W vs 35W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-13600T.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 260 better than Core i5-13600T?

Yes. Ryzen 7 260 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 26.3% average FPS lead across 49 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.5% better 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, Ryzen 7 260 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 26.3% more average FPS across 49 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 7 260 is the better fit. You are getting 0.5% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads.

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

Ryzen 7 260 is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 7 260 is $56 cheaper on MSRP at $199 MSRP versus $255 MSRP, and it gives you a 26.3% average FPS lead across 49 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 28.8% better value on MSRP (142.4 vs 110.6 PassMark/$), 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 7 260 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2023) and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 threads instead of 14/20. 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 i5-13600T Benchmark Check

Ryzen 7 260 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-13600T	Ryzen 7 260
1080p
low	262 FPS	265 FPS
medium	253 FPS	240 FPS
high	209 FPS	202 FPS
ultra	178 FPS	174 FPS
1440p
low	226 FPS	234 FPS
medium	194 FPS	192 FPS
high	156 FPS	156 FPS
ultra	137 FPS	138 FPS
4K
low	157 FPS	162 FPS
medium	134 FPS	135 FPS
high	104 FPS	104 FPS
ultra	91 FPS	91 FPS

Open Core i5-13600T Open Ryzen 7 260

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-13600T	Ryzen 7 260
1080p
low	313 FPS	486 FPS
medium	265 FPS	399 FPS
high	224 FPS	341 FPS
ultra	205 FPS	304 FPS
1440p
low	258 FPS	424 FPS
medium	228 FPS	367 FPS
high	198 FPS	314 FPS
ultra	173 FPS	267 FPS
4K
low	158 FPS	280 FPS
medium	141 FPS	253 FPS
high	133 FPS	237 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	204 FPS

Open Core i5-13600T Open Ryzen 7 260

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-13600T	Ryzen 7 260
1080p
low	705 FPS	708 FPS
medium	610 FPS	708 FPS
high	540 FPS	708 FPS
ultra	458 FPS	623 FPS
1440p
low	685 FPS	708 FPS
medium	549 FPS	644 FPS
high	480 FPS	544 FPS
ultra	412 FPS	467 FPS
4K
low	493 FPS	540 FPS
medium	412 FPS	474 FPS
high	369 FPS	421 FPS
ultra	311 FPS	357 FPS

Open Core i5-13600T Open Ryzen 7 260

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-13600T	Ryzen 7 260
1080p
low	705 FPS	708 FPS
medium	705 FPS	708 FPS
high	658 FPS	708 FPS
ultra	584 FPS	708 FPS
1440p
low	705 FPS	708 FPS
medium	645 FPS	708 FPS
high	555 FPS	657 FPS
ultra	483 FPS	572 FPS
4K
low	513 FPS	574 FPS
medium	464 FPS	511 FPS
high	410 FPS	455 FPS
ultra	357 FPS	393 FPS

Open Core i5-13600T Open Ryzen 7 260

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-13600T and Ryzen 7 260

Core i5-13600T

The Core i5-13600T is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024) architecture. It features 14 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 1.8 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 24 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 28,202 points. Launch price was $255.

Ryzen 7 260

The Ryzen 7 260 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Hawk Point (2024−2025) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.8 GHz, with boost up to 5.1 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: FP8. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 28,339 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-13600T packs 14 cores / 20 threads, while the Ryzen 7 260 offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Core i5-13600T has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.8 GHz on the Core i5-13600T versus 5.1 GHz on the Ryzen 7 260 — a 6.1% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 260 (base: 1.8 GHz vs 3.8 GHz). The Core i5-13600T uses the Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen 7 260 uses Hawk Point (2024−2025) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-13600T scores 28,202 against the Ryzen 7 260's 28,339 — a 0.5% lead for the Ryzen 7 260. L3 cache: 24 MB (total) on the Core i5-13600T vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 260.

Feature	Core i5-13600T	Ryzen 7 260
Cores / Threads	14 / 20+75%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	4.8 GHz	5.1 GHz+6%
Base Clock	1.8 GHz	3.8 GHz+111%
L3 Cache	24 MB (total)+50%	16 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+25%	1 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	4 nm-43%
Architecture	Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024)	Hawk Point (2024−2025)
PassMark	28,202	28,339
Cinebench R23 Multi	18,100	—
Geekbench 6 Single	2,364	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	10,911	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-13600T uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 7 260 uses FP8 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-4800 / DDR4-3200 memory speed. The Core i5-13600T supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 64 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 20 PCIe lanes.

Feature	Core i5-13600T	Ryzen 7 260
Socket	LGA1700	FP8
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800 / DDR4-3200	DDR5-5600
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+100%	64 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	No
PCIe Lanes	20	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Only the Ryzen 7 260 supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-13600T) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 7 260). Both include integrated graphics — Intel UHD Graphics 770 (Core i5-13600T) and Radeon 780M (Ryzen 7 260) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-13600T targets Quiet Desktop / SFF PC, Ryzen 7 260 targets Mobile. Direct competitor: Core i5-13600T rivals Ryzen 5 7600.

Feature	Core i5-13600T	Ryzen 7 260
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	Intel UHD Graphics 770	Radeon 780M
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	AMD-V
Target Use	Quiet Desktop / SFF PC	Mobile

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-13600T launched at $255 MSRP, while the Ryzen 7 260 debuted at $199. On MSRP ($255 vs $199), the Ryzen 7 260 is $56 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-13600T delivers 110.6 pts/$ vs 142.4 pts/$ for the Ryzen 7 260 — making the Ryzen 7 260 the 25.1% better value option.