Intel Core i5-13500 vs Intel Core i9-11900 Comparison

The Intel Core i9-11900 and Intel Core i5-13500 are desktop processors from different generations. The i9-11900 is a Rocket Lake part on Socket 1200, while the i5-13500 is a Raptor Lake part on Socket 1700. The database records 17 head-to-head benchmark comparisons between them. The i5-13500 wins 14 of those tests, while the i9-11900 wins 3. Both processors sit at the 82nd percentile of all CPUs, with average benchmark scores of 32226 for the i9-11900 and 31510 for the i5-13500. This close average masks a wide divergence in individual test results.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The i5-13500 dominates the Passmark suite. In floating point math, it scores 80198 against 48948, a 39% advantage. In physics, it scores 1645 against 977, a 40.6% advantage. In find prime numbers, it scores 102 against 63, a 38.2% advantage. Data encryption shows a 37.6% lead (22333 vs 13942). Data compression is 27.1% ahead (391249 vs 285159). Integer math is 22.6% ahead (108320 vs 83893). Random string sorting is 22.7% ahead (42759 vs 33054). Extended instructions are 18% ahead (23956 vs 19654). The multithread score is 28.2% ahead (31285 vs 22456). Even single-thread Passmark shows a 12.7% lead (3865 vs 3373).

In Cinebench, the results are split. The i5-13500 wins R15 multi-core by 20.5% (2405 vs 1913) and R20 multi-core by 27.5% (10990 vs 7973). It also wins R20 single-core by 27.5% (1551 vs 1125). However, the i9-11900 wins R15 single-core by 5.5% (270 vs 256). The most striking results are in R23. The i9-11900 wins R23 multi-core by 30.3% (18985 vs 14573) and R23 single-core by 50.6% (2680 vs 1780). This is a dramatic reversal from the R20 results. The database shows that the i9-11900's R23 scores are exceptionally high relative to its other Cinebench results, while the i5-13500's R23 scores are lower than its R20 scores would suggest. This indicates a workload-specific advantage for the i9-11900 in the R23 test.

The i5-13500 also has a higher single-thread Passmark score (3865 vs 3373), which is a 12.7% lead. The i9-11900's boost clock is higher (5.20 GHz vs 4.80 GHz), but that does not translate into a win in the single-thread Passmark test. Overall, the i5-13500 wins 14 of 17 tests. The i9-11900 wins only 3: R15 single-core, R23 multi-core, and R23 single-core. The R23 wins are substantial, but they are isolated.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core i5-13500 has 14 cores and 20 threads. The Intel Core i9-11900 has 8 cores and 16 threads.

Q: Which processor wins in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The Intel Core i9-11900 wins with a score of 18985, which is 30.3% ahead of the i5-13500's 14573.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i9-11900 boosts to 5.20 GHz, while the Intel Core i5-13500 boosts to 4.80 GHz.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: The Intel Core i5-13500 supports ECC memory. The Intel Core i9-11900 does not.

Q: What are the average benchmark scores for these two processors?

A: The Intel Core i9-11900 has an average benchmark score of 32226. The Intel Core i5-13500 has an average score of 31510. Both are at the 82nd percentile.

Q: Which processor has a larger L3 cache?

A: The Intel Core i5-13500 has 24 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel Core i9-11900 has 16 MB of shared L3 cache.

The Verdict

The data points decisively toward the Intel Core i5-13500 for most users. It wins 14 of 17 head-to-head tests, including every Passmark test and both Cinebench R15 and R20 multi-core tests. Its advantages in physics (40.6%), floating point math (39%), and data encryption (37.6%) are substantial. It also offers more cores (14 vs 8), more threads (20 vs 16), a larger L3 cache (24 MB vs 16 MB), and support for DDR5 and ECC memory. The i5-13500 is an active product, while the i9-11900 is end-of-life.

The i9-11900's only wins are in Cinebench R23 (both multi-core and single-core) and R15 single-core. The R23 single-core win is particularly large at 50.6%, but it does not carry over to other single-thread tests. The i9-11900 also has a higher boost clock (5.20 GHz vs 4.80 GHz), but that does not result in a win in the Passmark single-thread test, where the i5-13500 leads by 12.7%. For a user prioritizing the specific Cinebench R23 workload, the i9-11900 has a clear edge. For all other measured workloads, the i5-13500 is the stronger performer. The i5-13500's higher core count and newer architecture give it a broad advantage. The i9-11900's R23 results are an anomaly in the dataset, not a general trend. Therefore, the i5-13500 is the recommended choice for general computing, content creation, and multi-threaded tasks. The i9-11900 is only preferable for users who specifically rely on Cinebench R23 scores.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in several key specifications. The i9-11900 has 8 cores and 16 threads, while the i5-13500 has 14 cores and 20 threads. Both have a base clock of 2.50 GHz, but the i9-11900 boosts to 5.20 GHz, while the i5-13500 boosts to 4.80 GHz. Both have a TDP of 65 W. The i9-11900 uses Socket 1200, while the i5-13500 uses Socket 1700. The i9-11900 is built on a 14 nm process with a die size of 276 mm², while the i5-13500 uses a 10 nm process with a die size of 215 mm². The i9-11900 has 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 512 KB of L2 cache per core, while the i5-13500 has 80 KB of L1 and 1.25 MB of L2 per core. The i9-11900 has 16 MB of shared L3, while the i5-13500 has 24 MB. The i9-11900 supports DDR4 memory with a bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s, while the i5-13500 supports both DDR4 and DDR5, with no bandwidth figure recorded in the database. The i9-11900 does not support ECC, while the i5-13500 does. The i9-11900 has PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes, while the i5-13500 has PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes. The integrated graphics are UHD Graphics 750 on the i9-11900 and UHD Graphics 770 on the i5-13500. The i9-11900 is end-of-life, while the i5-13500 is active. The i9-11900 was released on 2021-03-15, and the i5-13500 on 2023-01-03. The launch MSRP for the i9-11900 is $439, and for the i5-13500 it is $242. The part numbers are SRKNJ and SRMBM, respectively.

Architecture Differences

The architectural differences are significant. The i9-11900 is based on Rocket Lake, while the i5-13500 is based on Raptor Lake. The i9-11900 is a Core i9 part from the Rocket Lake-S generation, while the i5-13500 is a Core i5 from the Raptor Lake generation. The process node differs: 14 nm for the i9-11900 and 10 nm for the i5-13500. Both are manufactured by Intel. The i5-13500 has a smaller die size (215 mm²) despite having more cores, which reflects the denser 10 nm process. The cache hierarchy is also different. The i5-13500 has larger per-core L1 (80 KB vs 64 KB) and L2 (1.25 MB vs 512 KB) caches, and a larger shared L3 (24 MB vs 16 MB). The i5-13500 adds support for DDR5 memory and ECC, which the i9-11900 lacks. The PCIe interface is newer on the i5-13500, with Gen 5 support, while the i9-11900 uses Gen 4. The integrated graphics are also newer on the i5-13500 (UHD 770 vs UHD 750). These architectural changes explain the i5-13500's broad performance lead in most benchmarks, despite the i9-11900's higher boost clock.