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 i5-13400F

2023

Why buy it

✅Costs $353 less on MSRP ($196 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).
✅Delivers 80.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 127.7 vs 71.0 PassMark/$ ($196 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 105W, a 40W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 9 5900X.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 5900X across 9 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (16,211 vs 21,000).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (20 MB vs 64 MB).

Ryzen 9 5900X

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +40.9% higher average FPS across 9 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+220% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 20 MB).
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 71.0 vs 127.7 PassMark/$ ($549 MSRP vs $196 MSRP).
❌61.5% higher power demand at 105W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Core i5-13400F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-13400F.

Core i5-13400F

2023

Ryzen 9 5900X

2020

Why buy it

✅Costs $353 less on MSRP ($196 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).
✅Delivers 80.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 127.7 vs 71.0 PassMark/$ ($196 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 105W, a 40W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 9 5900X.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +40.9% higher average FPS across 9 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+220% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 20 MB).
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 5900X across 9 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (16,211 vs 21,000).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (20 MB vs 64 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 71.0 vs 127.7 PassMark/$ ($549 MSRP vs $196 MSRP).
❌61.5% higher power demand at 105W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Core i5-13400F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-13400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 9 5900X better than Core i5-13400F?

Yes. Ryzen 9 5900X is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 40.9% average FPS lead across 9 shared CPU game tests in our data, 29.5% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, and 55.6% higher PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 9 5900X is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 40.9% more average FPS across 9 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 9 5900X is the better fit. You are getting 29.5% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 12 cores and 24 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 220% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 20 MB).

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

Ryzen 9 5900X is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-13400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen 9 5900X is 180.1% more expensive on MSRP at $549 MSRP versus $196 MSRP, and it gives you a 40.9% average FPS lead across 9 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-13400F is also 80.0% better value on MSRP (127.7 vs 71.0 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible LGA1700 + DDR5 setup, Core i5-13400F 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?

Core i5-13400F is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2020) and a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of AM4. 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 i5-13400F Benchmark Check

Ryzen 9 5900X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Ryzen 9 5900X
1080p
low	171 FPS	323 FPS
medium	158 FPS	291 FPS
high	132 FPS	243 FPS
ultra	112 FPS	193 FPS
1440p
low	143 FPS	307 FPS
medium	123 FPS	248 FPS
high	99 FPS	192 FPS
ultra	84 FPS	157 FPS
4K
low	81 FPS	193 FPS
medium	74 FPS	156 FPS
high	59 FPS	115 FPS
ultra	46 FPS	103 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Ryzen 9 5900X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Ryzen 9 5900X
1080p
low	545 FPS	772 FPS
medium	464 FPS	647 FPS
high	389 FPS	508 FPS
ultra	356 FPS	450 FPS
1440p
low	458 FPS	619 FPS
medium	403 FPS	536 FPS
high	345 FPS	443 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	364 FPS
4K
low	280 FPS	365 FPS
medium	247 FPS	318 FPS
high	231 FPS	289 FPS
ultra	204 FPS	255 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Ryzen 9 5900X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Ryzen 9 5900X
1080p
low	530 FPS	832 FPS
medium	449 FPS	645 FPS
high	415 FPS	558 FPS
ultra	375 FPS	459 FPS
1440p
low	490 FPS	721 FPS
medium	422 FPS	565 FPS
high	382 FPS	488 FPS
ultra	343 FPS	407 FPS
4K
low	393 FPS	511 FPS
medium	331 FPS	421 FPS
high	296 FPS	374 FPS
ultra	246 FPS	308 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Ryzen 9 5900X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Ryzen 9 5900X
1080p
low	626 FPS	974 FPS
medium	626 FPS	974 FPS
high	626 FPS	934 FPS
ultra	626 FPS	826 FPS
1440p
low	626 FPS	959 FPS
medium	626 FPS	843 FPS
high	598 FPS	726 FPS
ultra	521 FPS	617 FPS
4K
low	535 FPS	694 FPS
medium	492 FPS	621 FPS
high	439 FPS	541 FPS
ultra	382 FPS	437 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Ryzen 9 5900X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-13400F and Ryzen 9 5900X

Core i5-13400F

The Core i5-13400F 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 10 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 20 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR5, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 25,029 points. Launch price was $196.

Ryzen 9 5900X

The Ryzen 9 5900X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 5 November 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Vermeer (Zen3) (2020−2022) architecture. It features 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 105 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 38,955 points. Launch price was $549.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-13400F packs 10 cores / 16 threads, while the Ryzen 9 5900X offers 12 cores / 24 threads — the Ryzen 9 5900X has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Core i5-13400F versus 4.8 GHz on the Ryzen 9 5900X — a 4.3% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 5900X (base: 2.5 GHz vs 3.7 GHz). The Core i5-13400F uses the Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen 9 5900X uses Vermeer (Zen3) (2020−2022) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-13400F scores 25,029 against the Ryzen 9 5900X's 38,955 — a 43.5% lead for the Ryzen 9 5900X. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 16,211 vs 21,000 (25.7% advantage for the Ryzen 9 5900X). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,407 vs 2,174, a 10.2% lead for the Core i5-13400F that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 11,408 vs 11,888 (4.1% advantage for the Ryzen 9 5900X). L3 cache: 20 MB (total) on the Core i5-13400F vs 64 MB on the Ryzen 9 5900X.

Feature	Core i5-13400F	Ryzen 9 5900X
Cores / Threads	10 / 16	12 / 24+20%
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz	4.8 GHz+4%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	3.7 GHz+48%
L3 Cache	20 MB (total)	64 MB+220%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+150%	512K (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	7 nm, 12 nm
Architecture	Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024)	Vermeer (Zen3) (2020−2022)
PassMark	25,029	38,955+56%
Cinebench R23 Multi	16,211	21,000+30%
Geekbench 6 Single	2,407+11%	2,174
Geekbench 6 Multi	11,408	11,888+4%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-13400F uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 9 5900X uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 on the Core i5-13400F versus DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen 9 5900X — the Core i5-13400F supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i5-13400F supports up to 192 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 40% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-13400F) vs 24 (Ryzen 9 5900X) — the Ryzen 9 5900X offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-13400F) and A320,B350,X370,B450,X470,B550,X570 (Ryzen 9 5900X).

Feature	Core i5-13400F	Ryzen 9 5900X
Socket	LGA1700	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200+25%	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB+50%	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	24+20%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 9 5900X has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-13400F) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 9 5900X). Primary use case: Core i5-13400F targets Gaming, Ryzen 9 5900X targets Workstation. Direct competitor: Core i5-13400F rivals Ryzen 5 7600; Ryzen 9 5900X rivals Core i9-12900K.

Feature	Core i5-13400F	Ryzen 9 5900X
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	No	Yes
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	AMD-V
Target Use	Gaming	Workstation

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-13400F launched at $196 MSRP, while the Ryzen 9 5900X debuted at $549. On MSRP ($196 vs $549), the Core i5-13400F is $353 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-13400F delivers 127.7 pts/$ vs 71.0 pts/$ for the Ryzen 9 5900X — making the Core i5-13400F the 57.1% better value option.