AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX vs Intel Core i5-13400F Comparison

# Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The dataset places the Intel Core i5-13400F and the AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX in direct competition across 23 benchmark workloads. The Intel part takes 21 of those workloads, while the AMD part manages 2. This is a decisive overall win for the desktop-oriented Intel chip. The head-to-head results are not subtle: the Intel Core i5-13400F leads in the vast majority of both synthetic and real-world application tests.

The most dramatic wins for the Intel Core i5-13400F come in multi-threaded, high-throughput scenarios. In the Cinebench R23 multi-core test, the Intel chip scores 22,604 against the AMD's 12,845, a 76% advantage. A similar pattern emerges in the Cinebench R20 multi-core test, where the Intel part scores 8,892 versus 2,106 for a 322% lead. The 3DMark 16-thread test shows a 12.7% edge (7,314 vs 6,490), and the 3DMark max-threads test shows a 12.6% lead (7,307 vs 6,487). Even the 2-thread and 4-thread 3DMark tests favor Intel, with 9.3% (1,880 vs 1,720) and 5.3% (3,459 vs 3,285) leads respectively.

The Intel chip also wins heavily in single-threaded tests. The Cinebench R23 single-core result is 3,191 versus 1,488, a 114.4% lead. The 3DMark single-thread test shows a 9% advantage (960 vs 881). Geekbench single-core is 26.9% higher for Intel (11,068 vs 8,720), and the PassMark single-thread score is 14.3% higher (3,634 vs 3,178). In the PassMark integer math test, the AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX actually takes a win with 86,735 versus 79,942 (an 8.5% advantage), and it also wins the data encryption test by 9.5% (18,188 vs 16,608). Those are the two bright spots for AMD in the entire comparison.

The Intel Core i5-13400F is particularly dominant in Cinebench R23 multi-core (22,604 vs 12,845, +76%), Cinebench R20 multi-core (8,892 vs 2,158, +312%), and the PassMark multithread test (25,032 vs 22,326, +12.1%). The Ryzen 9 5900HX does manage to win in Passmark integer math and data encryption, but those are the only two tests it takes. The Intel part also wins in the physics simulation test with a 58.1% lead (1,437 vs 909), and in the PassMark data compression test with an 8.2% lead (311,364 vs 287,793).

FAQ

Q: Which CPU is faster in multi-threaded workloads?

A: The Intel Core i5-13400F wins 21 of the 23 benchmark tests, including all multi-core tests. The most significant margin is in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where the Intel leads by 76%. The AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX only manages to win the Passmark integer math and Passmark data encryption tests.

Q: How much faster is the Intel Core i5-13400F in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The Intel Core i5-13400F scores 22,604, the AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX scores 12,845. The Intel part is 76% faster in this heavily threaded test.

Q: Does the AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX have any wins?

A: Yes. It wins in Passmark integer math (86,735 vs 79,942, or 8.5% higher) and Passmark data encryption (18,188 vs 16,608, or 9.5% higher). These two wins are it.

Q: What about single-threaded performance?

A: Intel dominates. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the Intel scores 3,191 versus 1,488, a 114.4% lead. In Geekbench single-core, the Intel is 26.9% ahead (11,068 vs 8,720). The Passmark single-thread test shows a 14.3% lead for Intel (3,634 vs 3,178).

Q: Which processor wins the most benchmarks?

A: The Intel Core i5-13400F wins 21 out of 23 benchmarks. The AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX only wins 2 benchmark tests, and those are isolated to Passmark integer math and Passmark data encryption.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i5-13400F is the dominant chip for compute-heavy, fully threaded workloads. It wins in all 3DMark variants, all Cinebench variants, Geekbench multi-core, Passmark multithread, Passmark physics, Passmark random string sorting, and Passmark single-thread tests. Its lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core is the largest of the entire comparison at +76%. It also wins in the 3DMark 16-thread test by 12.7%, and by 9% in the 3DMark single-thread test. This makes it the clear recommendation for anyone running modern multi-threaded render, physics, or content-creation tasks.

The AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX takes only two benchmarks: Passmark integer math and Passmark data encryption. In integer math, it leads by 8.5% (86,735 vs 79,942). In data encryption, it holds a 9.5% margin (18,188 vs 16,608). These wins point to a specific strength in cryptographic and integer-heavy algorithms, but that strength is not enough to offset the Intel chip's overwhelming lead in every other test category.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ substantially in their fundamental specifications, reflecting two very different design goals. The Intel Core i5-13400F is a desktop-class Raptor Lake part, while the AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX is a mobile Cezanne chip. The Intel chip has 10 cores and 16 threads, whereas the AMD has 8 cores and 16 threads. The Intel base clock is 2.50 GHz with a boost to 4.60 GHz; the AMD base clock is 3.30 GHz and a boost of 4.60 GHz. However, the AMD has a distinct TDP advantage: 45W versus 65W for the Intel part, which is important for cooling in smaller chassis.

The Intel Core i5-13400F uses the Intel Socket 1700 and Raptor Lake architecture, with a 10nm process node built by Intel itself. The AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX uses the AMD Socket FP6 and Zen 3 architecture, codename Cezanne, built on a 7nm process by TSMC. The AMD also has a larger transistor count: 10,700 million, versus no figures for Intel, and a larger die: 180 mm² versus 215 mm² for the Intel.

Memory support differs. The Intel Core i5-13400F supports both DDR4 and DDR5, while the AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX only supports DDR4. Both support dual-channel memory, but the AMD's memory bandwidth is listed at 68.3 GB/s, while no figure is given for the Intel part. The AMD also has unlocked multiplier, a feature not listed for the Intel. The AMD has integrated Radeon Graphics; the Intel has no integrated graphics. The Intel targets the Desktop market segment, while the AMD targets Mobile.

Architecture Differences

Node and process: The Intel Core i5-13400F is built on the Raptor Lake architecture (codename Raptor Lake-S), on a 10nm process. The AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX uses the Zen 3 architecture, codename Cezanne, on a 7nm process.

Cores and cache: The Intel chip has 10 cores and 16 threads, with 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 1.25 MB L2 per core, and 20 MB shared L3. The AMD has 8 cores and 16 threads, 64 KB L1 per core, 512 KB L2 per core, and 16 MB shared L3.

Memory and I/O: The Intel supports both DDR4 and DDR5 in dual-channel, while the AMD supports DDR4 only. The AMD's memory bandwidth is listed as 68.3 GB/s. On the PCIe side, the Intel has PCIe Gen 5 with 16 CPU-only lanes, while the AMD has PCIe Gen 3.

Integrated graphics: The AMD includes Radeon Graphics; the Intel has none.