Intel Core 5 220H vs Intel Core i5-13500T Comparison

The Intel Core i5-13500T and Intel Core 5 220H are two active Raptor Lake-based processors that target different market segments but land remarkably close in overall performance. The i5-13500T is a 35W desktop part with 14 cores and 20 threads, while the Core 5 220H is a 45W mobile chip with 12 cores and 16 threads. Despite the desktop part’s higher core count, the mobile chip’s higher boost clock and newer Raptor Lake Refresh architecture narrow the gap considerably. The data shows a split decision: the i5-13500T wins 12 of 17 head-to-head benchmarks, but the Core 5 220H takes the most recent Cinebench R23 results and a few specialized workloads. Both processors sit at the 80th percentile among all CPUs, with average benchmark scores of 28670 and 28574 respectively — a difference of only 0.3%.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most decisive victory for the Intel Core i5-13500T comes in floating-point math, where it scores 61640 against the Core 5 220H’s 51671, a 19.3% advantage. Integer math follows a similar pattern, with the desktop chip posting 84427 versus 73555, a 14.8% lead. The extended instructions test shows a 13.4% gap (16599 vs 14642), and data compression favors the i5-13500T by 9.4% (271348 vs 247921). These results indicate that the i5-13500T’s additional cores and larger 24MB L3 cache translate directly into throughput advantages for compute-heavy and data-intensive tasks.

The Core 5 220H fights back with a 24.8% win in the PassMark physics test (1478 vs 1112), which is its largest margin of victory. It also wins the prime numbers workload by 11% (82 vs 73) and takes both Cinebench R23 tests: multicore by 1.5% (11198 vs 11028) and singlecore by 5.3% (1853 vs 1754). The R23 multicore result is particularly notable because it flips the expected outcome — the 12-core mobile chip outpaces the 14-core desktop chip in this specific rendering workload, likely due to the 220H’s 4.90GHz boost clock versus the 13500T’s 4.60GHz.

In Cinebench R15 and R20, the i5-13500T reclaims the multicore wins, with a 6% margin in R15 (1945 vs 1835) and a 2.5% margin in R20 (8011 vs 7812). The R20 singlecore test also goes to the i5-13500T by 2.5% (1130 vs 1102), which is surprising given the 220H’s higher boost clock. The PassMark single-thread test, however, reverses that finding: the i5-13500T wins by 5.1% (3580 vs 3405). The remaining benchmarks are closer — multithread favors the i5-13500T by 3.5% (22654 vs 21884), encryption by 2.1% (15543 vs 15216), and random string sorting by 1.6% (28893 vs 28438).

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i5-13500T has an average benchmark score of 28670, while the Intel Core 5 220H scores 28574. The difference is 0.3%, placing both at the 80th percentile among all CPUs.

Q: Does the Core 5 220H ever beat the i5-13500T in multicore performance?

A: Yes, in the Cinebench R23 multicore test, the Core 5 220H scores 11198 versus 11028 for the i5-13500T, a 1.5% advantage. However, the i5-13500T wins the R15 multicore by 6% and the R20 multicore by 2.5%.

Q: What is the core and thread configuration of each processor?

A: The Intel Core i5-13500T has 14 cores and 20 threads. The Intel Core 5 220H has 12 cores and 16 threads. Both use Intel’s 10 nm process node.

Q: How do their integrated graphics compare?

A: The i5-13500T features UHD Graphics 770, while the Core 5 220H features Iris Xe Graphics 80EU. No benchmark scores are provided for either integrated GPU, so direct performance comparison is not possible from this data.

Q: Are these processors unlocked for overclocking?

A: No, both the Intel Core i5-13500T and the Intel Core 5 220H have locked multipliers.

Q: What is the launch MSRP for each processor?

A: The Intel Core i5-13500T has a launch MSRP of $232. The Intel Core 5 220H has a launch MSRP of $342.

Architecture Differences

Both processors share the Raptor Lake architecture and Intel’s 10 nm process node, but they diverge in several key aspects. The i5-13500T uses the Raptor Lake-S codename with a 215 mm² die size, while the Core 5 220H uses the Raptor Lake-H codename with no die size listed. The desktop part belongs to the Core 13th Gen series with a Raptor Lake generation label, whereas the mobile part is labeled Core 5 with a Raptor Lake Refresh generation. This refresh designation explains the 220H’s higher 4.90GHz boost clock versus the 13500T’s 4.60GHz, despite the desktop chip having a lower 1600MHz base clock compared to the 220H’s 2700MHz base.

Cache hierarchies differ meaningfully. The i5-13500T has 1.25MB of L2 cache per core and 24MB of shared L3 cache. The Core 5 220H has 2MB of L2 cache per core but only 18MB of shared L3 cache. Both have 80KB of L1 cache per core. The larger L3 on the desktop part likely contributes to its wins in data compression and math workloads, while the larger per-core L2 on the mobile part may help with certain latency-sensitive tasks.

Memory support is identical: both support DDR4 and DDR5 in dual-channel configuration, and neither supports ECC memory. PCIe lanes differ substantially, with the i5-13500T offering Gen 5 with 20 lanes (CPU only) versus the Core 5 220H’s Gen 5 with 8 lanes (CPU only). The socket and market segment also differ: the i5-13500T uses Intel Socket 1700 for desktop, while the Core 5 220H uses Intel BGA 1744 for mobile. The TDP reflects this split — 35W for the desktop part and 45W for the mobile part.

The Verdict

The data supports a clear but nuanced conclusion. For users prioritizing raw compute throughput, the Intel Core i5-13500T is the stronger choice, winning 12 of 17 benchmarks with decisive margins in floating-point math (19.3%), integer math (14.8%), and extended instructions (13.4%). Its larger 24MB L3 cache and 14-core/20-thread configuration deliver consistent multi-threaded advantages across Cinebench R15, R20, and PassMark workloads.

The Intel Core 5 220H, however, wins the most modern rendering test — Cinebench R23 multicore by 1.5% — and dominates the physics simulation benchmark by 24.8%. Its higher boost clock and Raptor Lake Refresh architecture give it an edge in single-core Cinebench tests (R15 by 5.7%, R23 by 5.3%). For workloads that favor newer optimizations or physics calculations, the 220H is the better performer.

Both chips sit at the 80th percentile with nearly identical average scores (28670 vs 28574, a 0.3% gap), so the choice comes down to workload profile and platform. The i5-13500T is a desktop processor with a launch MSRP of $232 and 20 PCIe Gen 5 lanes, making it suitable for systems with discrete GPUs and expansion cards. The Core 5 220H is a mobile processor with a launch MSRP of $342, an 8-lane PCIe Gen 5 connection, and a 45W TDP, indicating it is designed for laptops where power and space are constrained.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in several specification fields. The i5-13500T has 14 cores and 20 threads, while the 220H has 12 cores and 16 threads. Base clocks are 1600MHz for the i5-13500T and 2700MHz for the 220H; boost clocks are 4.60GHz and 4.90GHz respectively. TDP is 35W for the desktop part and 45W for the mobile part. The i5-13500T uses Intel Socket 1700, while the 220H uses Intel BGA 1744.

Cache configurations differ: the i5-13500T has 1.25MB L2 per core and 24MB L3 shared, while the 220H has 2MB L2 per core and 18MB L3 shared. PCIe lanes are 20 for the i5-13500T versus 8 for the 220H, both Gen 5. Integrated graphics are UHD Graphics 770 for the i5-13500T and Iris Xe Graphics 80EU for the 220H. The die size is 215 mm² for the i5-13500T, with no die size listed for the 220H. Release dates are January 3, 2023 for the i5-13500T and December 17, 2024 for the 220H. Part numbers are SRMBQ and SRQ6SQ5MM respectively.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i5-13500T is the clear winner for multi-threaded productivity and mathematical workloads. Its 19.3% lead in floating-point math and 14.8% lead in integer math make it the better choice for scientific computing, financial modeling, and any task that executes large numbers of arithmetic operations. The 13.4% advantage in extended instructions suggests superior performance for SIMD-heavy code, while the 9.4% data compression win points to strengths in file archiving and database operations. The 20 PCIe Gen 5 lanes also make it the better option for systems requiring multiple high-bandwidth peripherals.

The Intel Core 5 220H wins in physics simulation by a wide 24.8% margin, making it the better pick for physics-based workloads such as certain game engines, particle systems, or engineering simulations. Its 11% advantage in prime number finding indicates better performance in integer-heavy sequential tasks. The Cinebench R23 wins — 1.5% multicore and 5.3% singlecore — suggest the 220H may be the better choice for the latest rendering applications that use current optimizations. The higher 4.90GHz boost clock gives it an edge in bursty single-threaded workloads, even though the PassMark single-thread test favors the i5-13500T by 5.1%. Its 45W TDP and mobile BGA socket mean it is the only one of the two that fits in laptop designs, while the i5-13500T remains a desktop-only option.