Intel Core i5-13420H vs Intel Core i7-8700 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Intel Core i5-13420H and Intel Core i7-8700 are separated by roughly six years of silicon evolution, and the benchmark data reflects that gap clearly. Across 17 head-to-head comparisons, the i5-13420H claims 16 wins, with the i7-8700 taking only one. The overall average benchmark scores are close, 18511 for the i5-13420H versus 18223 for the i7-8700, but the distribution of wins reveals a lopsided contest in most workload types.

The most dramatic margin appears in PassMark data encryption. The i5-13420H scores 11559 against 4488 for the i7-8700, a delta of 157.6%. This is the single largest percentage gap in the comparison, suggesting the newer chip's AES-NI and related instruction throughput is far ahead. In practical terms, this translates to faster disk encryption, VPN traffic handling, and any workload that relies on cryptographic operations.

Cinebench R15 multicore also shows a commanding lead: 1738 for the i5-13420H versus 1091 for the i7-8700, a 59.3% advantage. The single-core R15 result follows the same pattern, 238 versus 153, a 55.6% delta. These older Cinebench versions tend to reward raw clock speed and per-core efficiency, where the i5-13420H's modern Raptor Lake architecture holds a clear edge.

PassMark floating point math is another decisive win: 42806 versus 27839, a 53.8% delta. The i5-13420H also dominates prime number finding, scoring 52 versus 35, a 48.6% improvement. Multithread performance in PassMark shows 17475 versus 12756, a 37% lead, while physics simulation scores 1012 versus 732, a 38.3% gap.

The more recent Cinebench R23 multicore test narrows the gap considerably. The i5-13420H scores 11084, only 2.4% ahead of the i7-8700's 10829. This suggests that in heavily threaded, sustained workloads, the older six-core chip remains competitive, likely due to its higher base clock of 3.20 GHz versus 2.10 GHz for the i5-13420H. However, R23 single-core still favors the newer part: 1689 versus 1528, a 10.5% delta.

PassMark integer math gives the i5-13420H a 29.6% win (58156 versus 44881), and single-thread performance shows a 29.2% advantage (3396 versus 2629). Data compression favors the i5-13420H by 12% (209450 versus 187009), and extended instructions see a modest 3.7% lead (12897 versus 12432).

The sole victory for the i7-8700 comes in PassMark random string sorting, where it scores 23963 against 22045 for the i5-13420H, an 8% margin. This is an unusual result, as string sorting typically favors memory bandwidth and cache behavior. The i7-8700's memory bandwidth is listed at 42.7 GB/s, while the i5-13420H's bandwidth is not specified in the database, which may partially explain this outlier.

Where Each One Wins

For users focused on single-thread responsiveness, everyday application snappiness, and lightly threaded productivity, the i5-13420H is the clear choice. Its 29.2% lead in PassMark single-thread and 10.5% lead in Cinebench R23 single-core indicate faster per-core execution, which benefits web browsing, office documents, and legacy software that cannot use many threads.

The i5-13420H is also the stronger pick for encryption-heavy workflows, as the 157.6% advantage in PassMark data encryption demonstrates. For anyone handling encrypted storage, secure communications, or virtual private network traffic, this difference is substantial. Similarly, the 53.8% lead in floating-point math makes it better suited for scientific calculations, financial modeling, and any workload relying on heavy numerical computation.

Multithreaded rendering and video encoding generally favor the i5-13420H, but the margin depends on the specific benchmark. The 59.3% lead in Cinebench R15 multicore and 32.2% lead in Cinebench R20 multicore suggest a strong advantage in older renderers, while the R23 multicore gap of only 2.4% indicates that the newest encoding pipelines may be more balanced. The i5-13420H's 8 cores and 12 threads versus the i7-8700's 6 cores and 12 threads give it a core-count advantage, though both parts support the same thread count.

The i7-8700's only notable strength is in random string sorting, where it beats the i5-13420H by 8%. This is a niche workload, but for database indexing, text processing, or certain sorting algorithms, the older chip retains a slight edge. Its higher base clock of 3.20 GHz likely contributes to this result, as sorting tasks often rely on sustained clock speeds rather than burst performance.

For gaming, the benchmark data is indirect but informative. The i5-13420H's PassMark physics score of 1012 versus 732 for the i7-8700 suggests better game physics simulation, while the single-thread lead helps with frame pacing in CPU-bound titles. The i5-13420H also pairs with a newer integrated GPU, Iris Xe Graphics 80EU, versus the UHD Graphics 630 in the i7-8700, though dedicated graphics cards would negate this difference.

Architecture Differences

The i5-13420H is built on Intel's Raptor Lake architecture, specifically the Raptor Lake-H variant for mobile platforms, while the i7-8700 uses the older Coffee Lake design. The process node difference is significant: 10 nm for Raptor Lake versus 14 nm for Coffee Lake. This allows the newer chip to pack more transistors into a smaller area, though the database does not list transistor counts for either part. The i7-8700 does have a recorded die size of 154 mm², while the i5-13420H's die size is not specified.

Cache hierarchy differs notably. The i5-13420H has 80 KB of L1 cache per core and 2 MB of L2 cache per core, while the i7-8700 has 64 KB of L1 per core and 256 KB of L2 per core. Both share 12 MB of L3 cache, which is an important similarity. The larger L2 cache on the i5-13420H likely contributes to its strong performance in integer math and floating-point workloads, as more data can be held closer to the execution units.

The i5-13420H supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory, while the i7-8700 is limited to DDR4. Both use dual-channel memory buses. The i7-8700 has a listed memory bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s, while the i5-13420H's bandwidth is not recorded in the database. The newer chip's PCIe implementation is also more advanced: Gen 5 with 8 lanes (CPU only) versus Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only) for the i7-8700. This affects connectivity for storage devices and expansion cards, though the lane count is lower on the newer part.

The i5-13420H integrates Iris Xe Graphics 80EU, while the i7-8700 uses UHD Graphics 630. Both are integrated solutions, but the Iris Xe architecture offers significantly better graphical throughput for light gaming and media tasks. The i5-13420H is a mobile part with a 45 W TDP, while the i7-8700 is a desktop chip with a 65 W TDP. The lower TDP on the i5-13420H is notable given its higher benchmark performance, indicating better power efficiency.

The i5-13420H uses the Intel BGA 1744 socket, while the i7-8700 uses Intel Socket 1151. These are physically incompatible platforms, and neither processor has an unlocked multiplier. The production status differs as well: the i5-13420H is active, while the i7-8700 is end-of-life. The release dates are 2023-01-03 for the i5-13420H and 2017-10-04 for the i7-8700.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i5-13420H | Intel Core i7-8700 |

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

| Cores | 8 | 6 |

| Threads | 12 | 12 |

| Base Clock | 2.10 GHz | 3.20 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 4.60 GHz | 4.60 GHz |

| TDP | 45 W | 65 W |

| Socket | Intel BGA 1744 | Intel Socket 1151 |

| Architecture | Raptor Lake | Coffee Lake |

| Process Node | 10 nm | 14 nm |

| L1 Cache | 80 KB (per core) | 64 KB (per core) |

| L2 Cache | 2 MB (per core) | 256 KB (per core) |

| Memory Support | DDR4, DDR5 | DDR4 |

| Memory Bandwidth | Not specified | 42.7 GB/s |

| PCIe | Gen 5, 8 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 3, 16 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | Iris Xe Graphics 80EU | UHD Graphics 630 |

| Market Segment | Mobile | Desktop |

| Production Status | Active | End-of-life |

| Release Date | 2023-01-03 | 2017-10-04 |

| Launch MSRP | None listed | $303 |

| Part Number | SRMHX | SR3QS |

The core count difference is the most straightforward: 8 cores for the i5-13420H versus 6 for the i7-8700, with both offering 12 threads. The base clock is substantially higher on the i7-8700 (3.20 GHz versus 2.10 GHz), but the boost clocks match at 4.60 GHz. This explains why the R23 multicore results are so close, as the older chip can sustain higher clocks at its 65 W TDP, while the i5-13420H relies on more cores and better per-core efficiency within a 45 W envelope.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has better single-thread performance?

A: The Intel Core i5-13420H leads in every single-thread test. PassMark single-thread shows 3396 versus 2629, a 29.2% advantage. Cinebench R23 single-core gives 1689 versus 1528, a 10.5% lead.

Q: How do the two chips compare in multi-threaded workloads?

A: The i5-13420H wins most multi-threaded tests, but the margin varies. Cinebench R15 multicore shows a 59.3% lead, R20 shows 32.2%, but R23 narrows to just 2.4%. PassMark multithread favors the i5-13420H by 37%.

Q: Is there any workload where the i7-8700 wins?

A: Yes, in PassMark random string sorting, the i7-8700 scores 23963 versus 22045 for the i5-13420H, an 8% advantage. This is the only benchmark among the 17 compared where the older chip comes out ahead.

Q: What is the difference in encryption performance?

A: The i5-13420H is vastly superior in PassMark data encryption, scoring 11559 versus 4488 for the i7-8700, a 157.6% delta. This indicates much faster AES and cryptographic instruction handling.

Q: Do both processors support the same memory?

A: No. The i5-13420H supports both DDR4 and DDR5, while the i7-8700 supports only DDR4. Both use dual-channel memory buses, and the i7-8700 has a listed bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s, while the i5-13420H's bandwidth is not specified.

Q: Which processor has more L2 cache?

A: The i5-13420H has 2 MB of L2 cache per core, while the i7-8700 has 256 KB per core. L3 cache is identical at 12 MB shared for both.