Intel Core i5-13600 vs Intel Core i9-9960X

Processor comparisons 12-11-2022

   You may have difficulties with the choice of a processor, you will solve them by reading the detailed tests Intel Core i5-13600 vs Intel Core i9-9960X and understand which is better for games or simple use for video editing, machine learning, rendering, programming, streaming. Here is all information from different benchmarks or real streaming and video editing tests. A thorough analysis of all the specifications, so that it can be easier to understand, is summarized in the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of joint testing in special testing software such as WPrime, Handbrake, 7zip, RealBench, Furmark, VeraCrypt, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, AIDA64, SuperPi, UserBenchmark, DaVinci Resolve Studio, GeekBench 6, 5.2, Blender, PassMark, MATLAB, PCMark 10, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), Blender, Gears 5, Prime95, Dolphin Emulator, 3DMark.
   And how good the processors are in games:

Grand Theft Auto V
World of Warcraft: Shadowlands
Death Stranding
Call of Duty: Warzone and Modern Warfare
Apex Legends
Rainbow Six Siege
Valorant
Red Dead Redemption 2
Fortnite
Borderlands 3
Assassin's Creed Valhalla
Fallout 76
Last Man Standing
DOOM: Eternal
Valheim
Cyberpunk 2077
Watch Dogs Legion
Overwatch
Halo Infinite

After looking at the data these benchmarks and videos, you can already make an briefed decision about which processor is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i9-9960X or Intel Core i5-13600.

Summary benchmark results

As a percentage of the maximum value based on a sample from the entire base of all processors
Processor Benchmark

Core i5-13600

63%

Core i9-9960X

59%

This value shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i5-13600 is 6% better than Core i9-9960X. The data source is several popular tests. Detailed information can be found below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i5-13600

59%

Core i9-9960X

60%

The maximum result in this parameter is 100 percent, which is the performance of the most powerful processor currently available. And of course, this is a server processor, on which no one will play games. Because this processor costs several tens of thousands of dollars. Therefore, if you think that the selected CPU has a little game result, look at the FPS that it produces in real games in the final table below.
List of other games in which CPU comparisons were performed: Battlefield V, Forza Horizon 4, NBA 2K20, DOTA 2A, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Horizon Zero Dawn, Ghostrunner, League of Legends (LOL), Control, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Monster Hunter World, Hitman 3, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Half-Life: Alyx, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Metro Exodus.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	104.2	106.4
Valorant	118.4	120.9
Cyberpunk 2077	66.3	67.7
Apex Legends	111.3	113.6
Call of Duty Warzone	88.8	90.7
Overwatch	95.9	97.9
Red Dead Redemption 2	81.7	83.4
DOOM Eternal	59.2	60.5
Warzone	92.3	94.3
Assassin's Creed	99.5	101.6
Valheim	98.3	100.3

The numbers in this table indicate the maximum FPS that was received on the device with the corresponding processor. Depending on the configuration of the computer (RAM size and Video Card) and graphics quality settings (Ultra, Medium, Normal), the results may differ quite significantly. We recommend that you better study the results of the Cinebench, GeekBench and Passmark becnmarks.
The computers participating in the comparisons not only were the equipped with different video cards and different amounts of RAM. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 2K, FullHD or 4K. Therefore, the game benchmark data is approximate. But all video cards met the average system requirements of games. To be sure exactly how much performance the processor will be in games, if you get acquainted with the benchmarks that are made with the same video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

Core i5-13600

100%

Core i9-9960X

24%

To make a final decision on which processor is better, you should also consider the generation of its core. The newer the processor generation, the better its performance in games and benchmarks, as well as its energy efficiency. In this case the Core i5-13600 is more energy efficient than the Core i9-9960X since it has less power consumption: 65W vs. 165W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. And TDP should be taken into account when choosing a processor cooling system. You need to buy a cooler that has the TDP data specified in the specification was greater than the TDP of the compared processor.

Software benchmarks

If you plan to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for programming, streaming, video editing or video rendering, machine learning, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to achieve maximum efficiency, the CPU includes all cores and threads that it has. You will find out this data from the benchmark tables below. Before using the data from these tests, be sure to find out whether the program that you are going to use on your computer can work in multi-threaded mode. Since there are still many programs that can use only one core to work, and all the benefit of multi-core mode are unused.

Cinebench 23, 20 an 15
The results of this benchmark show Single-threaded and Multi-threaded CPU performance

	Intel Core i5-13600	Intel Core i9-9960X
Cinbench 15 Single-core	383	200
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	3979	2872
Cinbench 20 Single-core	637	457
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	8839	6671
Cinbench 23 Single-core	2241	1086
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	25423	22943

Passmark
This popular benchmark displays Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Intel Core i5-13600	Intel Core i9-9960X
Single-Core	2048	2684
Multi-Core	43328	30816

GeekBench 6, 5.2
This benchmark shows Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Intel Core i5-13600	Intel Core i9-9960X
Single-Core	1965	1230
Multi-Core	15871	18032

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the processor release date and overclocking capability will be the most helpful. The later the processor is released, the longer it will last you. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system later. The same can be said about overclocking. If the processor can be overclocked, increasing its performance, then it will still be able to produce maximum FPS in new games. It turns out that you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The economy are obvious!

	Intel Core i5-13600	Intel Core i9-9960X
Announcement date	December 10, 2022	January 01, 2019
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	FCLGA1700	FCLGA2066
Core name	Adler Lake	Skylake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	13	9
Turbo Frequency	4.9 MHz	4.4 MHz
Frequency	3.5 MHz	3.1 MHz
Cores	14	16
Threads	20	32
Bus rate	16 GT/s	8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	7 nm	14 nm
Transistors count	14200 millions	8600 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	65 W	165 W
Memory type	Up to DDR5 5600 MT/s Up to DDR4 3200 MT/s	DDR4-2666
Max. Memory	128 Gb	128 Gb
Memory Frequency	6500
Memory bandwidth	89.6 GB/s	85 GB/s
L1 cache	2 MB
L2 cache	12 MB
L3 cache	24 MB	22 MB
Overclocking	y	Yes
Supports ECC	Yes	No
Part number

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here Core i5-13600 is 11% better than Core i9-9960X in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i9-9960X has 2 more core than Core i5-13600. Also keep in mind that high CPU frequency affects battery life through power consumption (relevant for laptops).

Result:
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i5-13600 is better: 21
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i9-9960X is better: 16
However, it should be understood that the summary data in the text above do not mean that taking them into account you should totally trust a simple quantitative comparison. Better to watch the testing video and read the opinion of real owners of Intel Core i5-13600 and Intel Core i9-9960X before making a choice which of the processors to buy for gaming.

Intel Core i5-13600 - all data

• Cinebench r15 score
• Cinebench r20 score
• Cinebench r23 score
• GeekBench 6, 5.2 score

• Intel Core i5-13600 specs and review.

• Intel Core i9-9960X specs and review.