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

✅Better for gaming: +109.4% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+200% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 8 MB).
✅25% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $329 MSRP, while Ryzen Z2 Go mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌6150% higher power demand at 125W vs 2W.

Ryzen Z2 Go

2025

Why buy it

✅Draws 2W instead of 125W, a 123W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-13600K across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (12,188 vs 37,655).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 24 MB).

Core i5-13600K

2022

Ryzen Z2 Go

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +109.4% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+200% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 8 MB).
✅25% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Draws 2W instead of 125W, a 123W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $329 MSRP, while Ryzen Z2 Go mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌6150% higher power demand at 125W vs 2W.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-13600K across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (12,188 vs 37,655).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 24 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-13600K better than Ryzen Z2 Go?

Yes. Core i5-13600K is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 109.4% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data and 209% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i5-13600K is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 109.4% 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, Core i5-13600K is the better fit. You are getting 209% better PassMark, backed by 14 cores and 20 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 200% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 8 MB).

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

Core i5-13600K is the smarter buy today. Core i5-13600K is at an unclear MSRP at $329 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 109.4% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (114.5 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

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

Ryzen Z2 Go is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2022). 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 Z2 Go Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-13600K	Ryzen Z2 Go
1080p
low	281 FPS	176 FPS
medium	264 FPS	139 FPS
high	220 FPS	112 FPS
ultra	188 FPS	89 FPS
1440p
low	235 FPS	145 FPS
medium	198 FPS	113 FPS
high	158 FPS	91 FPS
ultra	138 FPS	73 FPS
4K
low	159 FPS	77 FPS
medium	133 FPS	65 FPS
high	102 FPS	52 FPS
ultra	90 FPS	40 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open Ryzen Z2 Go

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-13600K	Ryzen Z2 Go
1080p
low	632 FPS	286 FPS
medium	533 FPS	241 FPS
high	450 FPS	216 FPS
ultra	416 FPS	184 FPS
1440p
low	540 FPS	249 FPS
medium	474 FPS	213 FPS
high	403 FPS	194 FPS
ultra	351 FPS	163 FPS
4K
low	316 FPS	195 FPS
medium	282 FPS	172 FPS
high	269 FPS	143 FPS
ultra	238 FPS	119 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open Ryzen Z2 Go

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-13600K	Ryzen Z2 Go
1080p
low	663 FPS	305 FPS
medium	543 FPS	305 FPS
high	477 FPS	305 FPS
ultra	414 FPS	305 FPS
1440p
low	600 FPS	305 FPS
medium	499 FPS	305 FPS
high	434 FPS	305 FPS
ultra	376 FPS	305 FPS
4K
low	441 FPS	305 FPS
medium	381 FPS	305 FPS
high	344 FPS	277 FPS
ultra	295 FPS	220 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open Ryzen Z2 Go

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-13600K	Ryzen Z2 Go
1080p
low	941 FPS	305 FPS
medium	941 FPS	305 FPS
high	923 FPS	305 FPS
ultra	831 FPS	305 FPS
1440p
low	941 FPS	305 FPS
medium	850 FPS	305 FPS
high	738 FPS	305 FPS
ultra	651 FPS	305 FPS
4K
low	651 FPS	305 FPS
medium	588 FPS	305 FPS
high	529 FPS	305 FPS
ultra	437 FPS	305 FPS

Open Core i5-13600K Open Ryzen Z2 Go

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-13600K and Ryzen Z2 Go

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 Z2 Go

The Ryzen Z2 Go is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Rembrandt R (2025) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 4.3 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 6 nm process technology. Thermal design power (TDP): 2 MB + 8 MB. Passmark benchmark score: 12,188 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-13600K packs 14 cores / 20 threads, while the Ryzen Z2 Go offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Core i5-13600K has 10 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.1 GHz on the Core i5-13600K versus 4.3 GHz on the Ryzen Z2 Go — a 17% clock advantage for the Core i5-13600K (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 Z2 Go uses Rembrandt R (2025) (6 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-13600K scores 37,655 against the Ryzen Z2 Go's 12,188 — a 102.2% lead for the Core i5-13600K. L3 cache: 24 MB on the Core i5-13600K vs 8 MB on the Ryzen Z2 Go.

Feature	Core i5-13600K	Ryzen Z2 Go
Cores / Threads	14 / 20+250%	4 / 8
Boost Clock	5.1 GHz+19%	4.3 GHz
Base Clock	3.5 GHz+17%	3 GHz
L3 Cache	24 MB+200%	8 MB
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)	2 MB
Process	Intel 7 nm	6 nm-14%
Architecture	Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022)	Rembrandt R (2025)
PassMark	37,655+209%	12,188
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	5,802
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,842
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	6,073

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both support up to DDR5-5600 memory speed. The Core i5-13600K supports up to 192 GB of RAM compared to 64 GB — 100% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-13600K) vs 16 (Ryzen Z2 Go) — the Core i5-13600K offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel 600 series,Intel 700 series (Core i5-13600K) and Rembrandt-R (Ryzen Z2 Go).

Feature	Core i5-13600K	Ryzen Z2 Go
Socket	LGA1700	—
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-5600	LPDDR5-6400
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB+200%	64 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20+25%	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Core i5-13600K has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-13600K) vs SVM (Ryzen Z2 Go). Both include integrated graphics — UHD Graphics 770 (Core i5-13600K) and Radeon 680M (Ryzen Z2 Go) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-13600K targets Desktop, Ryzen Z2 Go targets Budget. Direct competitor: Ryzen Z2 Go rivals Core Ultra 5 135U.