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 i5-13600

2023

Why buy it

✅+27.3% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen AI Max PRO 385.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (24 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $255 MSRP, while Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌18.2% higher power demand at 65W vs 55W.

Ryzen AI Max PRO 385

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +8.1% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 24 MB).
✅Draws 55W instead of 65W, a 10W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (16,500 vs 21,000).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-13600.

Core i5-13600

2023

Ryzen AI Max PRO 385

2025

Why buy it

✅+27.3% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen AI Max PRO 385.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +8.1% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 24 MB).
✅Draws 55W instead of 65W, a 10W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (24 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $255 MSRP, while Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌18.2% higher power demand at 65W vs 55W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (16,500 vs 21,000).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-13600.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 better than Core i5-13600?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 is ahead with a 8.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-13600 pulls ahead with 27.3% better Cinebench R23 multi-core. Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 also has the bigger cache pool with 33.3% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 24 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-13600 is the better fit. You are getting 27.3% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 14 cores and 20 threads.

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

Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-13600 makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $255 MSRP, and it gives you a 8.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Core i5-13600 is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 27.3% better Cinebench R23 multi-core. Core i5-13600 is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (123.5 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 AI Max PRO 385 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2023) and 33.3% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 24 MB). 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 i5-13600 Benchmark Check

Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-13600	Ryzen AI Max PRO 385
1080p
low	260 FPS	277 FPS
medium	250 FPS	243 FPS
high	208 FPS	209 FPS
ultra	179 FPS	179 FPS
1440p
low	222 FPS	233 FPS
medium	191 FPS	185 FPS
high	153 FPS	153 FPS
ultra	135 FPS	134 FPS
4K
low	154 FPS	162 FPS
medium	131 FPS	129 FPS
high	101 FPS	100 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	86 FPS

Open Core i5-13600 Open Ryzen AI Max PRO 385

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-13600	Ryzen AI Max PRO 385
1080p
low	609 FPS	684 FPS
medium	518 FPS	565 FPS
high	440 FPS	460 FPS
ultra	402 FPS	417 FPS
1440p
low	525 FPS	591 FPS
medium	465 FPS	514 FPS
high	396 FPS	422 FPS
ultra	341 FPS	360 FPS
4K
low	309 FPS	352 FPS
medium	277 FPS	311 FPS
high	263 FPS	286 FPS
ultra	231 FPS	251 FPS

Open Core i5-13600 Open Ryzen AI Max PRO 385

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-13600	Ryzen AI Max PRO 385
1080p
low	648 FPS	788 FPS
medium	527 FPS	788 FPS
high	467 FPS	706 FPS
ultra	405 FPS	594 FPS
1440p
low	591 FPS	788 FPS
medium	486 FPS	644 FPS
high	425 FPS	559 FPS
ultra	370 FPS	472 FPS
4K
low	434 FPS	562 FPS
medium	373 FPS	459 FPS
high	334 FPS	408 FPS
ultra	285 FPS	338 FPS

Open Core i5-13600 Open Ryzen AI Max PRO 385

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-13600	Ryzen AI Max PRO 385
1080p
low	787 FPS	788 FPS
medium	787 FPS	788 FPS
high	726 FPS	788 FPS
ultra	645 FPS	781 FPS
1440p
low	787 FPS	788 FPS
medium	702 FPS	768 FPS
high	608 FPS	673 FPS
ultra	529 FPS	590 FPS
4K
low	555 FPS	609 FPS
medium	504 FPS	541 FPS
high	449 FPS	486 FPS
ultra	390 FPS	426 FPS

Open Core i5-13600 Open Ryzen AI Max PRO 385

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-13600 and Ryzen AI Max PRO 385

Core i5-13600

The Core i5-13600 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 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 5 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): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 31,499 points. Launch price was $255.

Ryzen AI Max PRO 385

The Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Strix Halo (2025) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: FP11. Thermal design power (TDP): 55 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 31,508 points. Launch price was $499.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-13600 packs 14 cores / 20 threads, while the Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Core i5-13600 has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5 GHz on the Core i5-13600 versus 5 GHz on the Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 — identical boost frequencies (base: 2.7 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Core i5-13600 uses the Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 uses Strix Halo (2025) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-13600 scores 31,499 against the Ryzen AI Max PRO 385's 31,508 — a 0% lead for the Ryzen AI Max PRO 385. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 21,000 vs 16,500 (24% advantage for the Core i5-13600). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,900 vs 2,886, a 41.2% lead for the Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 12,000 vs 14,136 (16.3% advantage for the Ryzen AI Max PRO 385). L3 cache: 24 MB (total) on the Core i5-13600 vs 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen AI Max PRO 385.

Feature	Core i5-13600	Ryzen AI Max PRO 385
Cores / Threads	14 / 20+75%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	5 GHz	5 GHz
Base Clock	2.7 GHz	3.6 GHz+33%
L3 Cache	24 MB (total)	32 MB (total)+33%
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)	Strix Halo (2025)
PassMark	31,499	31,508
Cinebench R23 Multi	21,000+27%	16,500
Geekbench 6 Single	1,900	2,886+52%
Geekbench 6 Multi	12,000	14,136+18%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-13600 uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 uses FP11 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-4800 memory speed. The Core i5-13600 supports up to 192 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 40% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i5-13600) vs 8 (Ryzen AI Max PRO 385). Both provide 20 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: Z790,B760,Z690,B660 (Core i5-13600) and Strix Halo platform (Ryzen AI Max PRO 385).

Feature	Core i5-13600	Ryzen AI Max PRO 385
Socket	LGA1700	FP11
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800	LPDDR5x-8000
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB+50%	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	8+300%
ECC Support	Yes	No
PCIe Lanes	20	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-13600) vs AMD-V (Ryzen AI Max PRO 385). Both include integrated graphics — Intel UHD Graphics 770 (Core i5-13600) and Radeon 8050S (Ryzen AI Max PRO 385) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-13600 targets High-end Productivity Desktop, Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 targets Enterprise AI Mobile. Direct competitor: Core i5-13600 rivals Ryzen 7 7700; Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 rivals M3 Max.

Feature	Core i5-13600	Ryzen AI Max PRO 385
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	Intel UHD Graphics 770	Radeon 8050S
Unlocked	No	Yes
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	AMD-V
Target Use	High-end Productivity Desktop	Enterprise AI Mobile