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

✅+29.2% higher PassMark.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 16 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $329 MSRP, while Ryzen 9 7940H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌257.1% higher power demand at 125W vs 35W.

Ryzen 9 7940H

2023

Why buy it

✅Draws 35W instead of 125W, a 90W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (29,151 vs 37,655).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 24 MB).

Core i5-13600K

2022

Ryzen 9 7940H

2023

Why buy it

✅+29.2% higher PassMark.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 16 MB).

Why buy it

✅Draws 35W instead of 125W, a 90W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $329 MSRP, while Ryzen 9 7940H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌257.1% higher power demand at 125W vs 35W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (29,151 vs 37,655).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 24 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 9 7940H better than Core i5-13600K?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen 9 7940H is ahead with a 1.4% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-13600K pulls ahead with 29.2% better PassMark. Core i5-13600K also has the bigger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 16 MB).

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 29.2% 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?

Ryzen 9 7940H is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-13600K makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen 9 7940H is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $329 MSRP, and it gives you a 1.4% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Core i5-13600K is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 29.2% better PassMark. Core i5-13600K is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (114.5 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

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

Ryzen 9 7940H is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2022). That makes it the safer long-term pick.

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 9 7940H Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-13600K	Ryzen 9 7940H
1080p
low	281 FPS	268 FPS
medium	264 FPS	241 FPS
high	220 FPS	206 FPS
ultra	188 FPS	176 FPS
1440p
low	235 FPS	234 FPS
medium	198 FPS	191 FPS
high	158 FPS	158 FPS
ultra	138 FPS	138 FPS
4K
low	159 FPS	160 FPS
medium	133 FPS	132 FPS
high	102 FPS	102 FPS
ultra	90 FPS	89 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open Ryzen 9 7940H

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-13600K	Ryzen 9 7940H
1080p
low	632 FPS	502 FPS
medium	533 FPS	417 FPS
high	450 FPS	360 FPS
ultra	416 FPS	319 FPS
1440p
low	540 FPS	439 FPS
medium	474 FPS	385 FPS
high	403 FPS	332 FPS
ultra	351 FPS	282 FPS
4K
low	316 FPS	291 FPS
medium	282 FPS	267 FPS
high	269 FPS	251 FPS
ultra	238 FPS	216 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open Ryzen 9 7940H

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-13600K	Ryzen 9 7940H
1080p
low	663 FPS	729 FPS
medium	543 FPS	729 FPS
high	477 FPS	729 FPS
ultra	414 FPS	650 FPS
1440p
low	600 FPS	729 FPS
medium	499 FPS	637 FPS
high	434 FPS	548 FPS
ultra	376 FPS	464 FPS
4K
low	441 FPS	534 FPS
medium	381 FPS	460 FPS
high	344 FPS	409 FPS
ultra	295 FPS	344 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open Ryzen 9 7940H

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-13600K	Ryzen 9 7940H
1080p
low	941 FPS	729 FPS
medium	941 FPS	729 FPS
high	923 FPS	729 FPS
ultra	831 FPS	729 FPS
1440p
low	941 FPS	729 FPS
medium	850 FPS	729 FPS
high	738 FPS	716 FPS
ultra	651 FPS	631 FPS
4K
low	651 FPS	619 FPS
medium	588 FPS	553 FPS
high	529 FPS	496 FPS
ultra	437 FPS	434 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open Ryzen 9 7940H

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-13600K and Ryzen 9 7940H

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 9 7940H

The Ryzen 9 7940H is manufactured by AMD. It was released in Janeiro 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Phoenix (2023−2024) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 4 GHz, with boost up to 5.2 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: FP8. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-5600. Passmark benchmark score: 29,151 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-13600K packs 14 cores / 20 threads, while the Ryzen 9 7940H offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Core i5-13600K has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.1 GHz on the Core i5-13600K versus 5.2 GHz on the Ryzen 9 7940H — a 1.9% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 7940H (base: 3.5 GHz vs 4 GHz). The Core i5-13600K uses the Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen 9 7940H uses Phoenix (2023−2024) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-13600K scores 37,655 against the Ryzen 9 7940H's 29,151 — a 25.5% lead for the Core i5-13600K. L3 cache: 24 MB on the Core i5-13600K vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 9 7940H.

Feature	Core i5-13600K	Ryzen 9 7940H
Cores / Threads	14 / 20+75%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	5.1 GHz	5.2 GHz+2%
Base Clock	3.5 GHz	4 GHz+14%
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)	Phoenix (2023−2024)
PassMark	37,655+29%	29,151
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	17,200
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,646
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	13,495

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Memory & Platform

The Core i5-13600K uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 9 7940H uses FP8 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-5600 memory speed. The Ryzen 9 7940H 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. Both provide 20 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: Intel 600 series,Intel 700 series (Core i5-13600K) and FP7,FP7r2,FP8 (Ryzen 9 7940H).

Feature	Core i5-13600K	Ryzen 9 7940H
Socket	LGA1700	FP8
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-5600	DDR5-5600
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB	256 GB+33%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Only the Ryzen 9 7940H supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-13600K) vs AMD-V, SVM (Ryzen 9 7940H). Both include integrated graphics — UHD Graphics 770 (Core i5-13600K) and Radeon 780M (Ryzen 9 7940H) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-13600K targets Desktop, Ryzen 9 7940H targets High-performance Gaming Laptop. Direct competitor: Ryzen 9 7940H rivals Core i9-13900H.

Feature	Core i5-13600K	Ryzen 9 7940H
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 770	Radeon 780M
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	AMD-V, SVM
Target Use	Desktop	High-performance Gaming Laptop