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

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (37,655 vs 51,665).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (24 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $329 MSRP, while Ryzen 9 9850HX mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌127.3% higher power demand at 125W vs 55W.

Ryzen 9 9850HX

2025

Why buy it

✅+166.7% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 24 MB).
✅Draws 55W instead of 125W, a 70W reduction.
✅40% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Core i5-13600K

2022

Ryzen 9 9850HX

2025

Why buy it

✅+166.7% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 24 MB).
✅Draws 55W instead of 125W, a 70W reduction.
✅40% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (37,655 vs 51,665).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (24 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $329 MSRP, while Ryzen 9 9850HX mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌127.3% higher power demand at 125W vs 55W.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 9 9850HX better than Core i5-13600K?

Yes. Ryzen 9 9850HX is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 1.1% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 37.2% 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 9 9850HX is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 1.1% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 9 9850HX is the better fit. You are getting 37.2% better PassMark, backed by 12 cores and 24 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 166.7% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 24 MB).

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

Ryzen 9 9850HX is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-13600K makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen 9 9850HX is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $329 MSRP, and it gives you a 1.1% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-13600K is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (114.5 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 9850HX is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2022), 166.7% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 24 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 12 cores / 24 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 i5-13600K Benchmark Check

Ryzen 9 9850HX Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-13600K	Ryzen 9 9850HX
1080p
low	281 FPS	268 FPS
medium	264 FPS	244 FPS
high	220 FPS	208 FPS
ultra	188 FPS	180 FPS
1440p
low	235 FPS	253 FPS
medium	198 FPS	207 FPS
high	158 FPS	163 FPS
ultra	138 FPS	146 FPS
4K
low	159 FPS	175 FPS
medium	133 FPS	144 FPS
high	102 FPS	107 FPS
ultra	90 FPS	96 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open Ryzen 9 9850HX

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-13600K	Ryzen 9 9850HX
1080p
low	632 FPS	669 FPS
medium	533 FPS	576 FPS
high	450 FPS	433 FPS
ultra	416 FPS	375 FPS
1440p
low	540 FPS	564 FPS
medium	474 FPS	503 FPS
high	403 FPS	391 FPS
ultra	351 FPS	312 FPS
4K
low	316 FPS	318 FPS
medium	282 FPS	288 FPS
high	269 FPS	255 FPS
ultra	238 FPS	219 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open Ryzen 9 9850HX

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-13600K	Ryzen 9 9850HX
1080p
low	663 FPS	849 FPS
medium	543 FPS	678 FPS
high	477 FPS	600 FPS
ultra	414 FPS	514 FPS
1440p
low	600 FPS	678 FPS
medium	499 FPS	542 FPS
high	434 FPS	469 FPS
ultra	376 FPS	397 FPS
4K
low	441 FPS	484 FPS
medium	381 FPS	400 FPS
high	344 FPS	360 FPS
ultra	295 FPS	302 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open Ryzen 9 9850HX

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-13600K	Ryzen 9 9850HX
1080p
low	941 FPS	1072 FPS
medium	941 FPS	966 FPS
high	923 FPS	843 FPS
ultra	831 FPS	760 FPS
1440p
low	941 FPS	842 FPS
medium	850 FPS	747 FPS
high	738 FPS	652 FPS
ultra	651 FPS	566 FPS
4K
low	651 FPS	619 FPS
medium	588 FPS	553 FPS
high	529 FPS	487 FPS
ultra	437 FPS	421 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open Ryzen 9 9850HX

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-13600K and Ryzen 9 9850HX

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 9850HX

The Ryzen 9 9850HX is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Fire Range-HX (Zen 5) (2025) architecture. It features 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 5.2 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: FL1. Thermal design power (TDP): 55 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 51,665 points. Launch price was $499.

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Processing Power

The Core i5-13600K packs 14 cores / 20 threads, while the Ryzen 9 9850HX offers 12 cores / 24 threads — the Core i5-13600K has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.1 GHz on the Core i5-13600K versus 5.2 GHz on the Ryzen 9 9850HX — a 1.9% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 9850HX (base: 3.5 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Core i5-13600K uses the Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen 9 9850HX uses Fire Range-HX (Zen 5) (2025) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-13600K scores 37,655 against the Ryzen 9 9850HX's 51,665 — a 31.4% lead for the Ryzen 9 9850HX. L3 cache: 24 MB on the Core i5-13600K vs 64 MB (total) on the Ryzen 9 9850HX.

Feature	Core i5-13600K	Ryzen 9 9850HX
Cores / Threads	14 / 20+17%	12 / 24
Boost Clock	5.1 GHz	5.2 GHz+2%
Base Clock	3.5 GHz+17%	3 GHz
L3 Cache	24 MB	64 MB (total)+167%
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)	Fire Range-HX (Zen 5) (2025)
PassMark	37,655	51,665+37%

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Memory & Platform

The Core i5-13600K uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 9 9850HX uses FL1 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-5600 on the Core i5-13600K versus 5600 on the Ryzen 9 9850HX — the Ryzen 9 9850HX supports 199.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 192 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-13600K) vs 28 (Ryzen 9 9850HX) — the Ryzen 9 9850HX offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel 600 series,Intel 700 series (Core i5-13600K) and FL1 (Ryzen 9 9850HX).

Feature	Core i5-13600K	Ryzen 9 9850HX
Socket	LGA1700	FL1
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-5600	5600+111900%
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB+104857500%	192
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	28+40%

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Only the Ryzen 9 9850HX supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-13600K) vs VT-x, VT-d, AMD-V (Ryzen 9 9850HX). Both include integrated graphics — UHD Graphics 770 (Core i5-13600K) and AMD Radeon 610M (Ryzen 9 9850HX) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-13600K targets Desktop. Direct competitor: Ryzen 9 9850HX rivals Core Ultra 7 255HX.