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 $233 less on MSRP ($196 MSRP vs $429 MSRP).
✅Delivers 13.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 127.7 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($196 MSRP vs $429 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 7900 across 8 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (16,211 vs 24,600).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (20 MB vs 64 MB).
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 9 7900 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Ryzen 9 7900

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +36.7% higher average FPS across 8 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+220% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 20 MB).
✅40% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon Graphics (Raphael), while Core i5-13400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 112.3 vs 127.7 PassMark/$ ($429 MSRP vs $196 MSRP).

Core i5-13400F

2023

Ryzen 9 7900

2023

Why buy it

✅Costs $233 less on MSRP ($196 MSRP vs $429 MSRP).
✅Delivers 13.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 127.7 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($196 MSRP vs $429 MSRP).

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +36.7% higher average FPS across 8 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+220% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 20 MB).
✅40% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon Graphics (Raphael), while Core i5-13400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 7900 across 8 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (16,211 vs 24,600).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (20 MB vs 64 MB).
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 9 7900 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 112.3 vs 127.7 PassMark/$ ($429 MSRP vs $196 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 9 7900 better than Core i5-13400F?

Yes. Ryzen 9 7900 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 36.7% average FPS lead across 8 shared CPU game tests in our data, 51.7% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, 92.4% 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, Ryzen 9 7900 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 36.7% more average FPS across 8 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 9 7900 is the better fit. You are getting 51.7% 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 7900 is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-13400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen 9 7900 is 118.9% more expensive on MSRP at $429 MSRP versus $196 MSRP, and it gives you a 36.7% average FPS lead across 8 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-13400F is also 13.7% better value on MSRP (127.7 vs 112.3 PassMark/$), 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?

Ryzen 9 7900 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting 220% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 20 MB) and more multi-core headroom with 12 cores / 24 threads instead of 10/16. 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 7900 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Ryzen 9 7900
1080p
low	171 FPS	288 FPS
medium	158 FPS	259 FPS
high	132 FPS	218 FPS
ultra	112 FPS	190 FPS
1440p
low	143 FPS	270 FPS
medium	123 FPS	218 FPS
high	99 FPS	170 FPS
ultra	84 FPS	152 FPS
4K
low	81 FPS	187 FPS
medium	74 FPS	151 FPS
high	59 FPS	113 FPS
ultra	46 FPS	101 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Ryzen 9 7900

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Ryzen 9 7900
1080p
low	545 FPS	706 FPS
medium	464 FPS	599 FPS
high	389 FPS	450 FPS
ultra	356 FPS	389 FPS
1440p
low	458 FPS	593 FPS
medium	403 FPS	522 FPS
high	345 FPS	406 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	322 FPS
4K
low	280 FPS	335 FPS
medium	247 FPS	298 FPS
high	231 FPS	264 FPS
ultra	204 FPS	226 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Ryzen 9 7900

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Ryzen 9 7900
1080p
low	530 FPS	876 FPS
medium	449 FPS	699 FPS
high	415 FPS	608 FPS
ultra	375 FPS	518 FPS
1440p
low	490 FPS	702 FPS
medium	422 FPS	562 FPS
high	382 FPS	481 FPS
ultra	343 FPS	408 FPS
4K
low	393 FPS	499 FPS
medium	331 FPS	414 FPS
high	296 FPS	372 FPS
ultra	246 FPS	312 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Ryzen 9 7900

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Ryzen 9 7900
1080p
low	626 FPS	1125 FPS
medium	626 FPS	987 FPS
high	626 FPS	860 FPS
ultra	626 FPS	765 FPS
1440p
low	626 FPS	892 FPS
medium	626 FPS	774 FPS
high	598 FPS	677 FPS
ultra	521 FPS	580 FPS
4K
low	535 FPS	644 FPS
medium	492 FPS	570 FPS
high	439 FPS	503 FPS
ultra	382 FPS	434 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Ryzen 9 7900

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-13400F and Ryzen 9 7900

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 7900

The Ryzen 9 7900 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 14 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023) architecture. It features 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 5.4 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: AM5. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-5200. Passmark benchmark score: 48,168 points. Launch price was $429.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-13400F packs 10 cores / 16 threads, while the Ryzen 9 7900 offers 12 cores / 24 threads — the Ryzen 9 7900 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Core i5-13400F versus 5.4 GHz on the Ryzen 9 7900 — a 16% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 7900 (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 7900 uses Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023) (5 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-13400F scores 25,029 against the Ryzen 9 7900's 48,168 — a 63.2% lead for the Ryzen 9 7900. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 16,211 vs 24,600 (41.1% advantage for the Ryzen 9 7900). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,407 vs 2,800, a 15.1% lead for the Ryzen 9 7900 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 11,408 vs 18,000 (44.8% advantage for the Ryzen 9 7900). L3 cache: 20 MB (total) on the Core i5-13400F vs 64 MB (total) on the Ryzen 9 7900.

Feature	Core i5-13400F	Ryzen 9 7900
Cores / Threads	10 / 16	12 / 24+20%
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz	5.4 GHz+17%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	3.7 GHz+48%
L3 Cache	20 MB (total)	64 MB (total)+220%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+25%	1 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	5 nm-29%
Architecture	Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024)	Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023)
PassMark	25,029	48,168+92%
Cinebench R23 Multi	16,211	24,600+52%
Geekbench 6 Single	2,407	2,800+16%
Geekbench 6 Multi	11,408	18,000+58%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-13400F uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 9 7900 uses AM5 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 memory speed. 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 28 (Ryzen 9 7900) — the Ryzen 9 7900 offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-13400F) and AMD X670E,AMD X670,AMD B650E,AMD B650,AMD A620 (Ryzen 9 7900).

Feature	Core i5-13400F	Ryzen 9 7900
Socket	LGA1700	AM5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200	DDR5-5200
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB+50%	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	28+40%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 9 7900 has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Ryzen 9 7900 supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-13400F) vs true (Ryzen 9 7900). The Ryzen 9 7900 includes integrated graphics (Radeon Graphics (Raphael)), while the Core i5-13400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-13400F targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-13400F rivals Ryzen 5 7600; Ryzen 9 7900 rivals Core i9-13900.

Feature	Core i5-13400F	Ryzen 9 7900
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	Radeon Graphics (Raphael)
Unlocked	No	Yes
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	true
Target Use	Gaming	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-13400F launched at $196 MSRP, while the Ryzen 9 7900 debuted at $429. On MSRP ($196 vs $429), the Core i5-13400F is $233 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-13400F delivers 127.7 pts/$ vs 112.3 pts/$ for the Ryzen 9 7900 — making the Core i5-13400F the 12.9% better value option.