Intel Core i5-13500 and Core i5-13400 punch above their weight class in PassMark's CPU benchmark

Previous rumours suggested that Intel would launch three Raptor Lake processors at its upcoming Intel Innovation event, the Core i5-13600K, Core i7-13700K and Core i9-13900K. As always, the lower end of the Raptor Lake stack would be announced afterwards, likely starting at CES 2022. A comprehensive leak also confirmed the specifications of almost all processors in the lineup. Now, the entry-level Core i5-13500 and Core i5-13400 have shown up on the PassMark database.

Prolific leaker @TUM_APISAK stumbled upon both processors on the benchmarking platform. The Intel Core i5-13500 nets an average score of 4,033 on the single-core tests, almost as much as the Core i7-12700KF (4,049). Similarly, the Core i5-13400 gets 3,899, putting it above the Core i5-12600 (3,818). For overall performance, the Core i5-13500 scores 30,650, and the Core i5-13400 stands at 26,355. The former is within spitting distance of the Core i7-12700, and the latter almost catches up to the Core i5-12600K.

It is worth noting that the Core i5-13500 (6P cores, 8E cores, 2.5 GHz base clock, 65 W TDP) and Core i5-13400 (6P cores, 4E cores, 2.5 GHz base clock, 65 W TDP) are expected to reuse an Alder Lake die and may not receive some of the perks enjoyed by their higher-end counterparts, such as added E cores. Both processors punch perform remarkable better than predecessors primarily due to the new Raptor Cove and improved Gracemont cores.

While Zen 4 has the potential to snatch the "fastest CPU of the generation" crown from Intel, the same might not hold true across all price points. The Alder Lake-based Core i5-12500 and Core i5-12400 were quite affordable with their sub-US$300 price tag and made for excellent budget CPUs. Their successors are shaping up to carry forward that legacy and cement Intel's position in the previously AMD dominated low-cost processor market.

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