13th Gen Core i9-13900K vs 13th Gen Core i5-13600K
Short answer: which is best?
13th Gen Core i9-13900K is 97.2 % stronger than 13th Gen Core i5-13600K. 13th Gen Core i9-13900K ranks #8 of 102 measured processors at WhatFPS (13,199 CPU score over 2 verified runs). 13th Gen Core i5-13600K ranks #68 of 102 measured processors at WhatFPS (6,694 CPU score over 1 verified runs). The numbers are measured in 3 verified WhatFPS runs — not estimated, not self-reported.
Measured comparison
| Metric | 13th Gen Core i9-13900K | 13th Gen Core i5-13600K |
|---|---|---|
| CPU score (the processor's own performance) | 13,199 | 6,694 |
| Best rig (GAMING — whole PC) | 10,782 | 12,713 |
| Integer (MT) | 12.5 Gop/s | 4.4 Gop/s |
| Single-thread (1T) | 0.88 Gop/s | 0.41 Gop/s |
| Draw calls/s (DX11) | 9,342,700 | 6,035,316 |
| Cores / threads | 24 / 32 | 14 / 20 |
| L3 cache | 36 MB | 24 MB |
Fragz' verdict
The 13th Gen Core i9-13900K takes a commanding lead in this CPU showdown, outperforming the 13th Gen Core i5-13600K by 97.2% in overall component score. This significant performance gap is evident across critical gaming metrics, with the i9 showing superior single-thread performance at 0.88 Gop/s compared to the i5's 0.41 Gop/s, which directly translates to higher potential in games that favor single-core speed. It also pulls ahead in multi-threaded tasks, hitting 12.5 Gop/s in integer operations and pushing 9,342,700 draw calls per second, ensuring smoother background processes and better scene complexity handling. In the Supernova DX11 test, the i9 delivered 77.9 FPS against the i5's 50.3 FPS, reinforcing its gaming prowess, though we note the results come from a thin sample of just one to two verified runs. While the i5 offers a solid baseline, the i9 is the clear choice for gamers demanding top-tier CPU performance.
Generated October 31, 2026 from the 3 verified runs available then. The verdict is never silently rewritten — new numbers get a new verdict.
What the numbers mean
The CPU score is the processor's own performance — that is what we rank on. GAMING is the whole rig's score in the best PC we measured the processor in, and leans heavily on the graphics card. A strong processor in a weak PC gets a low GAMING score without being worse. We show both and never mix them.
All numbers come from our benchmark suite: four hand-built 3D scenes written directly against the graphics APIs in Rust, the same load on every PC. The methodology is open at https://whatfps.com/metodik
All measurements for 13th Gen Core i9-13900K · All measurements for 13th Gen Core i5-13600K