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 $2,303 less on MSRP ($196 MSRP vs $2,499 MSRP).
✅Delivers 194.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 127.7 vs 43.4 PassMark/$ ($196 MSRP vs $2,499 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 350W, a 285W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen Threadripper 9970X.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen Threadripper 9970X across 9 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (16,211 vs 76,136).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Ryzen Threadripper 9970X, which brings 32 cores / 64 threads and 92 PCIe lanes.

Ryzen Threadripper 9970X

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +43.2% higher average FPS across 9 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 32 cores / 64 threads, plus 92 PCIe lanes vs 20.
✅360% more PCIe lanes (92 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 43.4 vs 127.7 PassMark/$ ($2,499 MSRP vs $196 MSRP).
❌438.5% higher power demand at 350W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-13400F.

Core i5-13400F

2023

Ryzen Threadripper 9970X

2025

Why buy it

✅Costs $2,303 less on MSRP ($196 MSRP vs $2,499 MSRP).
✅Delivers 194.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 127.7 vs 43.4 PassMark/$ ($196 MSRP vs $2,499 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 350W, a 285W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen Threadripper 9970X.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +43.2% higher average FPS across 9 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 32 cores / 64 threads, plus 92 PCIe lanes vs 20.
✅360% more PCIe lanes (92 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen Threadripper 9970X across 9 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (16,211 vs 76,136).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Ryzen Threadripper 9970X, which brings 32 cores / 64 threads and 92 PCIe lanes.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 43.4 vs 127.7 PassMark/$ ($2,499 MSRP vs $196 MSRP).
❌438.5% higher power demand at 350W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-13400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen Threadripper 9970X better than Core i5-13400F?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Ryzen Threadripper 9970X makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Core i5-13400F is the better mainstream desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and day-to-day practicality.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen Threadripper 9970X is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 43.2% more average FPS across 9 shared CPU game tests. It also has a big cache advantage at 128 MB vs 20 MB.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen Threadripper 9970X is the better fit. You are getting 369.7% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 32 cores and 64 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 540% larger total L3 cache (128 MB vs 20 MB).

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

Ryzen Threadripper 9970X is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-13400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen Threadripper 9970X is 1175.0% more expensive on MSRP at $2,499 MSRP versus $196 MSRP, and it gives you a 43.2% average FPS lead across 9 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-13400F is also 194.5% better value on MSRP (127.7 vs 43.4 PassMark/$), 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 Threadripper 9970X is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2023), 3D V-Cache and a much larger 128 MB L3 cache instead of 20 MB, more multi-core headroom with 32 cores / 64 threads instead of 10/16, and AVX-512 support for heavier modern compute workloads. 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 Threadripper 9970X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Ryzen Threadripper 9970X
1080p
low	171 FPS	314 FPS
medium	158 FPS	289 FPS
high	132 FPS	240 FPS
ultra	112 FPS	203 FPS
1440p
low	143 FPS	278 FPS
medium	123 FPS	231 FPS
high	99 FPS	178 FPS
ultra	84 FPS	158 FPS
4K
low	81 FPS	191 FPS
medium	74 FPS	158 FPS
high	59 FPS	121 FPS
ultra	46 FPS	107 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Ryzen Threadripper 9970X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Ryzen Threadripper 9970X
1080p
low	545 FPS	818 FPS
medium	464 FPS	697 FPS
high	389 FPS	542 FPS
ultra	356 FPS	472 FPS
1440p
low	458 FPS	674 FPS
medium	403 FPS	599 FPS
high	345 FPS	480 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	388 FPS
4K
low	280 FPS	377 FPS
medium	247 FPS	339 FPS
high	231 FPS	310 FPS
ultra	204 FPS	271 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Ryzen Threadripper 9970X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Ryzen Threadripper 9970X
1080p
low	530 FPS	891 FPS
medium	449 FPS	723 FPS
high	415 FPS	649 FPS
ultra	375 FPS	552 FPS
1440p
low	490 FPS	714 FPS
medium	422 FPS	580 FPS
high	382 FPS	508 FPS
ultra	343 FPS	427 FPS
4K
low	393 FPS	508 FPS
medium	331 FPS	419 FPS
high	296 FPS	375 FPS
ultra	246 FPS	311 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Ryzen Threadripper 9970X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-13400F	Ryzen Threadripper 9970X
1080p
low	626 FPS	1116 FPS
medium	626 FPS	1002 FPS
high	626 FPS	879 FPS
ultra	626 FPS	792 FPS
1440p
low	626 FPS	872 FPS
medium	626 FPS	768 FPS
high	598 FPS	674 FPS
ultra	521 FPS	587 FPS
4K
low	535 FPS	636 FPS
medium	492 FPS	568 FPS
high	439 FPS	504 FPS
ultra	382 FPS	437 FPS

Open Core i5-13400F Open Ryzen Threadripper 9970X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-13400F and Ryzen Threadripper 9970X

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 Threadripper 9970X

The Ryzen Threadripper 9970X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 30 July 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Shimada Peak (2025) architecture. It features 32 cores and 64 threads. Base frequency is 4 GHz, with boost up to 5.4 GHz. L3 cache: 128 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: sTR5. Thermal design power (TDP): 350 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 108,377 points. Launch price was $2,499.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-13400F packs 10 cores / 16 threads, while the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X offers 32 cores / 64 threads — the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X has 22 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Core i5-13400F versus 5.4 GHz on the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X — a 16% clock advantage for the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X (base: 2.5 GHz vs 4 GHz). The Core i5-13400F uses the Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X uses Shimada Peak (2025) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-13400F scores 25,029 against the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X's 108,377 — a 125% lead for the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 16,211 vs 76,136 (129.8% advantage for the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,407 vs 3,220, a 28.9% lead for the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 11,408 vs 29,244 (87.7% advantage for the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X). L3 cache: 20 MB (total) on the Core i5-13400F vs 128 MB (total) on the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X.

Feature	Core i5-13400F	Ryzen Threadripper 9970X
Cores / Threads	10 / 16	32 / 64+220%
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz	5.4 GHz+17%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	4 GHz+60%
L3 Cache	20 MB (total)	128 MB (total)+540%
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)	Shimada Peak (2025)
PassMark	25,029	108,377+333%
Cinebench R23 Multi	16,211	76,136+370%
Geekbench 6 Single	2,407	3,220+34%
Geekbench 6 Multi	11,408	29,244+156%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-13400F uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X uses sTR5 (PCIe 4.0) — 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 1 TB — 197.9% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i5-13400F) vs 4 (Ryzen Threadripper 9970X). PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-13400F) vs 92 (Ryzen Threadripper 9970X) — the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X offers 72 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-13400F) and TRX50 (Ryzen Threadripper 9970X).

Feature	Core i5-13400F	Ryzen Threadripper 9970X
Socket	LGA1700	sTR5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200	DDR5-6400
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB	1 TB+433%
RAM Channels	2	4+100%
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	92+360%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-13400F) vs AMD-V, SVM (Ryzen Threadripper 9970X). Primary use case: Core i5-13400F targets Gaming, Ryzen Threadripper 9970X targets HEDT / Workstation. Direct competitor: Core i5-13400F rivals Ryzen 5 7600; Ryzen Threadripper 9970X rivals Xeon w7-3465X.

Feature	Core i5-13400F	Ryzen Threadripper 9970X
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	No	Yes
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	AMD-V, SVM
Target Use	Gaming	HEDT / Workstation

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-13400F launched at $196 MSRP, while the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X debuted at $2499. On MSRP ($196 vs $2499), the Core i5-13400F is $2303 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-13400F delivers 127.7 pts/$ vs 43.4 pts/$ for the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X — making the Core i5-13400F the 98.6% better value option.