AMD Ryzen 5 6600H vs Intel Core i5-13400F Comparison

The benchmark data presents a stark contrast between the AMD Ryzen 5 6600H and the Intel Core i5-13400F. Across every single head-to-head comparison, the Intel processor secures the win, making the analysis less about which chip is faster and more about the magnitude of its dominance and the specific workloads where the gap is most pronounced. The AMD mobile chip, while holding its own in its market segment, is decisively outpaced by the Intel desktop part in this direct comparison.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The data is unambiguous: the Intel Core i5-13400F wins all 17 recorded head-to-head benchmarks, with zero wins for the AMD Ryzen 5 6600H. The most dramatic disparity appears in multi-threaded workloads. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the Intel chip scores 22604 against the AMD's 10322, a staggering 54.3% advantage. This pattern is consistent across other multi-threaded tests, with Geekbench multi-core showing a 32.7% lead for Intel (11068 vs 7444) and Passmark's multithread test revealing a 25.4% gap (25032 vs 18669). These results strongly suggest that the Intel processor's additional cores and threads provide a significant edge in heavily parallelized tasks.

The single-core story is equally one-sided, though the margins are generally smaller. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the Intel chip leads by 54.3% (3191 vs 1458), which is a substantial difference in performance per thread. The Passmark single-thread score shows a narrower, but still decisive, 12.5% lead for Intel (3634 vs 3178). This indicates that the Intel architecture also has a clear advantage in lightly-threaded applications that rely on raw clock speed and IPC, not just in multi-core scenarios.

Looking at more specialized workloads, the pattern of Intel dominance continues. In Passmark's floating-point math test, the Intel processor scores 60539, which is 39.2% higher than the AMD's 36796. The physics test shows a similar 38% gap (1437 vs 891). Even in integer math, where the difference is smaller, Intel still leads by 18.8% (79942 vs 64927). The data suggests the Intel chip is not just faster overall but also has a more capable execution engine across different types of calculations.

The margins in the remaining tests are still substantial. In data compression, the Intel chip leads by 26.2% (311364 vs 229879), while in data encryption it is 14% ahead (16608 vs 14277). Random string sorting shows a 25.5% lead for Intel (32076 vs 23888), and extended instructions see a 19.9% advantage (19847 vs 15903). Even the smallest gap, the 12.5% difference in Passmark single-thread performance, is a consistent indicator of the Intel chip's superiority in this matchup. The Cinebench R15 scores reinforce the trend, with Intel leading by 26.2% in multi-core and 27.1% in single-core.

The Verdict

From the data alone, the choice is clear. The Intel Core i5-13400F is the superior processor in every measurable aspect for this benchmark set. Its wins are not marginal; they are often decisive, particularly in multi-core performance where the 54.3% lead in Cinebench R23 is a massive gap. The Intel chip also posts a higher average benchmark score of 25292 compared to the AMD's 25550, but this is slightly misleading given the number of tests where the Intel chip has a clear advantage. The Intel chip's percentile ranking of 77 is nearly identical to the AMD's 78, placing both in a similar tier relative to all CPUs, but the head-to-head data shows a clear hierarchy within that tier.

The AMD Ryzen 5 6600H, in this comparison, is the underdog. It is a mobile processor with a 45W TDP, while the Intel chip is a desktop part with a 65W TDP. The data suggests that for any user prioritizing raw performance, the Intel Core i5-13400F is the definitive choice. The only consideration from the data is the difference in market segment, which implies the AMD chip is designed for a different class of device.

Where Each One Wins

Given that the Intel Core i5-13400F wins every benchmark, the analysis of "where each one wins" is straightforward. However, the data does show where the Intel chip's advantages are most and least pronounced.

• Intel Core i5-13400F Wins: This processor wins in all tested categories. Its most significant victories are in multi-threaded rendering and computing, as shown by the Cinebench R23 multi-core test (54.3% ahead) and Geekbench multi-core (32.7% ahead). It also excels in physics calculations (38% ahead) and floating-point math (39.2% ahead), making it a stronger choice for simulation and scientific workloads. For everyday tasks and single-threaded applications, its lead is smaller but still present, indicating a higher level of general responsiveness.

• AMD Ryzen 5 6600H Wins: The data shows no benchmark wins for the AMD processor. Its closest performance is in the Passmark single-thread test, where it trails by only 12.5%. This suggests that in purely single-threaded, lightly loaded scenarios, the performance gap is less severe. The data also shows that while it loses, its performance in integer math is comparatively competitive, with an 18.8% deficit. This could imply that for basic, non-intensive tasks, the user experience might not feel drastically different, despite the benchmark numbers.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in multi-core workloads?

A: The Intel Core i5-13400F is significantly faster. It outperforms the AMD Ryzen 5 6600H by 54.3% in Cinebench R23 multi-core and by 32.7% in Geekbench multi-core.

Q: Is the Intel chip also faster in single-threaded tasks?

A: Yes. The Intel Core i5-13400F leads by 54.3% in Cinebench R23 single-core and by 12.5% in the Passmark single-thread test.

Q: How many benchmark comparisons did the AMD processor win?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 6600H did not win any of the 17 head-to-head benchmark comparisons recorded.

Q: What is the difference in their average benchmark scores?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 6600H has an average benchmark score of 25550, while the Intel Core i5-13400F has a slightly lower average score of 25292.

Q: Where is the performance gap between the two processors the smallest?

A: The smallest difference is in the Passmark single-thread test, where the Intel chip leads by 12.5%.

Q: Does the AMD processor have a higher percentile ranking than the Intel chip?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 6600H has a percentile rank of 78, which is marginally higher than the Intel Core i5-13400F's rank of 77.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on fundamentally different architectures and for different platforms. The AMD Ryzen 5 6600H uses the Zen 3+ architecture, codenamed Rembrandt, and is manufactured on a 6 nm process at TSMC. In contrast, the Intel Core i5-13400F uses the Raptor Lake architecture, specifically Raptor Lake-S, and is built on a 10 nm process at Intel. These architectural choices have a direct impact on performance and efficiency.

A major difference lies in the core configuration. The AMD chip has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the Intel chip has 10 cores and 16 threads. This difference in core count is the most likely driver of the Intel chip's large lead in multi-threaded benchmarks. The Intel chip also has a larger L3 cache at 20 MB shared, compared to the AMD's 16 MB shared. Per-core cache sizes also differ, with Intel having 80 KB of L1 and 1.25 MB of L2 per core, while AMD has 64 KB of L1 and 512 KB of L2 per core.

Another significant difference is the integrated graphics. The AMD Ryzen 5 6600H includes a Radeon 660M integrated GPU, while the Intel Core i5-13400F has no integrated graphics, as indicated by its "F" suffix. This means the AMD chip can power a display without a discrete graphics card, while the Intel chip requires one. The memory support also differs, with the AMD chip supporting only DDR5, while the Intel chip supports both DDR4 and DDR5.

Specification Differences

The specifications of these two processors highlight their distinct target markets. The most obvious difference is the market segment, with the AMD Ryzen 5 6600H being a mobile processor and the Intel Core i5-13400F being a desktop processor. This is reflected in their TDPs, with the AMD chip rated at 45W and the Intel chip at 65W. The base clock speeds also differ, with the AMD chip running at 3.30 GHz and the Intel chip at 2.50 GHz, though the Intel chip has a slightly higher boost clock of 4.60 GHz compared to the AMD's 4.50 GHz.

The sockets are incompatible, with the AMD chip using AMD Socket FP7 and the Intel chip using Intel Socket 1700. Their process nodes are also different, with AMD at 6 nm and Intel at 10 nm. The die sizes are comparable, with the AMD chip at 208 mm² and the Intel chip at 215 mm². The PCIe support is a notable difference: the AMD chip offers Gen 4 with 20 lanes, while the Intel chip offers Gen 5 with 16 lanes. The Intel chip also has a defined launch MSRP of $196, while no launch MSRP is listed for the AMD chip. The Intel chip's release date is listed as 2023-01-03, while the AMD chip's release date is not provided.