CPU Comparison

The Intel Core i5-13420H and Intel Core 7 360 represent two distinct design philosophies within Intel’s mobile lineup. The i5-13420H is a 13th-generation Raptor Lake-H part built for higher sustained performance, while the Core 7 360 is a newer Wildcat Lake chip engineered for efficiency. Benchmark data shows a near-even split in wins, with the i5-13420H taking 10 of 17 head-to-head tests and the Core 7 360 taking 7, yet the nature of those wins reveals starkly different strengths. Both processors land at the 72nd percentile among all CPUs, with average benchmark scores of 18511 for the i5-13420H and 18374 for the Core 7 360, placing them within 0.7% of each other overall.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most dramatic disparity appears in integer-heavy workloads. In PassMark integer math, the Core i5-13420H scores 58156 against 34238 for the Core 7 360, a commanding 69.9% advantage. This is the largest single delta in the entire comparison and reflects the i5’s higher core count and thread count. Data compression tells a similar story: the i5-13420H posts 209450 versus 142877, a 46.6% lead. Random string sorting also favors the i5-13420H by 25%, with scores of 22045 versus 17636. These results collectively indicate that the i5-13420H is substantially better at tasks involving parallel integer operations and data manipulation.

Conversely, the Core 7 360 wins decisively in single-threaded and scalar workloads. In PassMark single-thread, it scores 4274 against 3396 for the i5-13420H, a 20.5% advantage. The Cinebench R23 single-core test shows a similar pattern: 1924 versus 1689, a 12.2% lead for the Core 7 360. In the find prime numbers test, the Core 7 360 achieves 120 versus a mere 52 for the i5-13420H, a 56.7% blowout. This suggests the Core 7 360’s newer architecture, built on a 3 nm process, delivers far superior per-core efficiency and raw single-thread capability.

Multi-threaded results are mixed and workload-dependent. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the Core 7 360 wins with 13634 versus 11084 for the i5-13420H, an 18.7% margin. However, in Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i5-13420H wins with 1738 versus 1374, a 26.5% lead. The gap narrows significantly in Cinebench R20 multi-core, where the i5-13420H scores 6013 versus 5726, just 5% ahead. This inconsistency suggests the two chips scale differently across rendering workloads, with the Core 7 360 showing better scaling in the newer R23 version. PassMark multithread favors the i5-13420H by 12.4%, posting 17475 versus 15544, reinforcing its edge in general parallel throughput.

Floating-point math and physics favor the Core 7 360. It wins floating-point math with 44963 versus 42806, a 4.8% margin, and physics with 1213 versus 1012, a 16.6% lead. The i5-13420H takes smaller victories in data encryption (3.5%), extended instructions (4.1%), and the older Cinebench R15 single-core test (23.3%). In Cinebench R20 single-core, the i5-13420H wins by 5% with 848 versus 808. The pattern is clear: the i5-13420H dominates in integer and compression tasks, while the Core 7 360 excels in single-thread, floating-point, and the more modern Cinebench R23 suite.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide between these two processors is fundamental. The Core i5-13420H uses the Raptor Lake-H design on a 10 nm process node, while the Core 7 360 uses the Wildcat Lake codename on a 3 nm node. This process advantage gives the Core 7 360 a significant efficiency and single-thread edge, despite having fewer cores. The i5-13420H packs 8 cores and 12 threads, whereas the Core 7 360 has only 6 cores and 6 threads, meaning it lacks hyper-threading entirely. This explains the i5’s substantial lead in parallel integer workloads.

Cache hierarchies differ markedly. The i5-13420H allocates 80 KB of L1 cache per core and 2 MB of L2 per core, with a shared 12 MB L3 pool. The Core 7 360 features 192 KB of L1 per core and 2.5 MB of L2 per core, but only 6 MB of shared L3. The larger per-core L1 and L2 on the Core 7 360 contribute to its superior single-thread performance, while the i5’s larger L3 helps in cache-sensitive multi-threaded tasks. Memory support also diverges: the i5-13420H supports DDR4 and DDR5 over a dual-channel bus, while the Core 7 360 supports only DDR5 and LPDDR5X over a single-channel bus. The Core 7 360 has a rated memory bandwidth of 59.7 GB/s, a figure not provided for the i5-13420H.

PCIe connectivity differs as well. The i5-13420H offers Gen 5 with 8 lanes (CPU only), while the Core 7 360 provides Gen 4 with 6 lanes. This gives the i5 a potential advantage in storage and GPU bandwidth, though the Core 7 360’s lower power envelope suggests it targets thinner, more power-constrained designs. Integrated graphics also differ: the i5-13420H uses Iris Xe Graphics with 80 execution units, while the Core 7 360 uses Intel Xe3 Graphics with 2 Xe cores. The Core 7 360’s launch MSRP is $426, and its release date is 2026-04-15, whereas the i5-13420H launched on 2023-01-03 with no MSRP listed. The i5 uses socket Intel BGA 1744, while the Core 7 360 uses Intel BGA 1516.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i5-13420H has an average benchmark score of 18511, compared to 18374 for the Intel Core 7 360, a difference of roughly 0.7%.

Q: Why does the Core i5-13420H win so many more head-to-head tests?

A: The i5-13420H wins 10 of 17 tests, largely due to its 8 cores and 12 threads versus 6 cores and 6 threads on the Core 7 360. This allows it to dominate in parallel integer math (69.9% lead), data compression (46.6% lead), and random string sorting (25% lead).

Q: What explains the Core 7 360’s strong single-thread performance?

A: The Core 7 360 uses a newer 3 nm process node and features larger per-core caches (192 KB L1 and 2.5 MB L2) compared to the i5-13420H’s 10 nm node and 80 KB L1 / 2 MB L2. This yields a 20.5% lead in PassMark single-thread and a 12.2% lead in Cinebench R23 single-core.

Q: How do the two chips compare in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The Core 7 360 wins this test with a score of 13634 versus 11084 for the i5-13420H, an 18.7% margin, despite having fewer cores. This suggests the Core 7 360’s architecture scales better in this specific rendering workload.

Q: Are these processors suitable for the same types of devices?

A: The i5-13420H has a 45 W TDP and supports dual-channel DDR4/DDR5, indicating it targets performance laptops. The Core 7 360 has a 15 W TDP and supports single-channel DDR5/LPDDR5X, suggesting it is aimed at thinner, more power-efficient ultraportables.

Q: Which processor has better support for modern memory standards?

A: The Core 7 360 supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X, while the i5-13420H supports both DDR4 and DDR5. The Core 7 360 also has a specified memory bandwidth of 59.7 GB/s, though it uses a single-channel bus.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i5-13420H | Intel Core 7 360 |

|---|---|---|

| Cores | 8 | 6 |

| Threads | 12 | 6 |

| Base Clock | 2.10 GHz | 1.50 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 4.60 GHz | 4.80 GHz |

| TDP | 45 W | 15 W |

| Socket | Intel BGA 1744 | Intel BGA 1516 |

| Codename | Raptor Lake-H | Wildcat Lake |

| Process Node | 10 nm | 3 nm |

| L1 Cache | 80 KB (per core) | 192 KB (per core) |

| L2 Cache | 2 MB (per core) | 2.5 MB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 12 MB (shared) | 6 MB (shared) |

| Memory Support | DDR4, DDR5 | DDR5, LPDDR5X |

| Memory Bus | Dual-channel | Single-channel |

| Memory Bandwidth | Not specified | 59.7 GB/s |

| PCIe | Gen 5, 8 Lanes | Gen 4, 6 Lanes |

| Integrated Graphics | Iris Xe Graphics 80EU | Intel Xe3 Graphics (2 Xe) |

| Release Date | 2023-01-03 | 2026-04-15 |

| Launch MSRP | Not specified | $426 |

| Part Number | SRMHX | SAE3E |

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i5-13420H is the clear winner for multi-threaded productivity and content creation workloads that can exploit its 8 cores and 12 threads. Its 69.9% lead in integer math, 46.6% lead in data compression, and 25% lead in random string sorting make it ideal for database operations, file archiving, and spreadsheet processing. The 12.4% advantage in PassMark multithread and 5% lead in Cinebench R20 multi-core further support this, alongside solid wins in data encryption (3.5%) and extended instructions (4.1%). The i5’s dual-channel memory support and PCIe Gen 5 connectivity also make it better suited for systems that need higher bandwidth for storage and expansion.

The Intel Core 7 360, by contrast, excels in single-threaded responsiveness and efficiency-oriented tasks. Its 20.5% lead in PassMark single-thread and 12.2% lead in Cinebench R23 single-core make it the better choice for everyday applications like web browsing, office document editing, and light coding, where per-core speed matters more than raw core count. The 56.7% advantage in find prime numbers and 16.6% lead in physics indicate strong scalar and floating-point performance. Its 18.7% win in Cinebench R23 multi-core is notable, suggesting modern rendering workloads that scale well with fast cores rather than many threads will benefit from this chip. The 4.8% lead in floating-point math and the 15 W TDP also position the Core 7 360 as the superior option for fanless or passively cooled ultraportables where battery life and thermal output are critical constraints.

For gamers or users running lightly-threaded applications, the Core 7 360’s higher boost clock of 4.80 GHz versus 4.60 GHz provides a tangible edge. However, for users who regularly compile code, render video, or work with large datasets, the i5-13420H’s additional cores and threads deliver substantially better throughput. The choice ultimately hinges on workload type: the i5-13420H wins where parallel processing dominates, while the Core 7 360 wins where single-thread speed and power efficiency take priority.