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Abde Manaf

At HI Digital I test and write about different hardware configurations to show other PC users what they can expect from their build. My end goal is to educate the masses to make the right decision when they are looking for new PC parts to buy

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Intel’s Raptor Lake CPUs promise a great performance boost over the Alder Lake CPUs despite using the same processing node. In this comparison, I’ll check the performance of Core i7-12700K vs Core i5-13600K to determine if the stated claim is true.

Key Takeaways

• The Core i5-13600K outperformed the Core i7-12700K by 5.8% in my 1440p gaming benchmarks.
• Temperatures-wise, I found that the Core i7-12700K showed better thermal skills, running 4.7% cooler than the Core i5-13600K.
• Coming to MSRP, Intel launched the Core i5-13600K with a price tag of $319 and the Core i7-12700K for $409.

Comparison Table

Architectural Differences

1. Core/Thread Counts: The i7-12700K sports a total of 12 cores, including eight P-cores and four E-cores. In contrast, the i5-13600K has the same number of P-cores but increases the E-core count to six, totalling 14. As for the number of threads, the Core i5-13600K has 20 compared to 24 of the Core i7-12700K.
2. Clock Speeds: Moving on to the base frequencies, the i7-12700K clocks 3.6GHz (P-cores) and 2.7GHz (E-cores), while the i5-13600K clocks 3.5GHz (E-cores) and 2.6GHz (P-cores). Regarding boost frequencies, the i7-12700K boosts up to 5GHz (P-cores) and 3.8GHz (E-cores), while the i5-13600K can be pushed to 5.1GHz and 3.9GHz, respectively.
3. Memory Support: These processors support both DDR4 and DDR5 memories. The Core i5-13600K improves the DDR5 memory processing speed to 5600 MT/s, while the Core i7-12700K is limited to 4800 MT/s.
4. TDP: Both CPUs have a 125-watt base TDP. But on turbo, the i5-13600K pushes up to 181 watts, contrary to the 190 watts of the i7-12700K.

Gaming Benchmarks

A not-so-significant difference in specifications, but how does it impact the gaming performance? I’ll compare the two processors’ performance in six games at 1440P resolution to find out. All games have been tested at Ultra or equivalent preset.

Test Bench

Here’s what my test bench looks like.

• GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 
• Motherboard: MSI MAG B550 Tomahawk Gaming Motherboard
• RAM: XPG Lancer RGB 6000 DDR5
• SSD: XPG GAMMIX S70 BLADE 2TB NVMe SSD
• CPU Cooler: Lian Li GA-360B Galahad AIO 360 RGB Black
• PSU: Cooler Master V850 SFX Gold Full Modular, 850W

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla

• Starting my benchmarks with Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla, the i7-12700K maintained 75 FPS, while the i5-13600K outperformed it by 13.3%, delivering 85 FPS.
• Regarding the %1 low FPS, the Core i7-12700K racked up 61 FPS compared to the Core i5-13600K’s score of 63 FPS.
• Temperatures-wise, I observed that both the Core i5-13600K and i7-12700K kept cool at 61°C and 60°C, respectively.

Cyberpunk 2077

• In my Cyberpunk 2077 gameplay, the competition was fierce. Core i7-12700K scored 86 FPS on average, just one frame behind the Core i5-13600K at 87 FPS.
• Analyzing the %1 low FPS scores, I saw that the Core i7-12700K managed 63 FPS, leading the Core i5-13600K’s score of 57 FPS.
• In Cyberpunk 2077, the i5-13600K ran at 63°C, while the i7-12700K reached 65°C, making it 2 degrees hotter.

God Of War

• The i7-12700K consistently delivered 99 FPS, slightly outperforming the Core i5-13600K’s 96 FPS in my God of War test at 1440p resolution.
• The %1 low FPS figures I recorded in this benchmark are 85 FPS for Core i7-12700K and 82 FPS for Core i5-13600K.
• I analyzed that the Core i5-13600K maintained a cool 54°C, while the i7-12700K reached 56°C, running 2 degrees warmer. 

Red Dead Redemption 2

• In my next test game, Red Dead Redemption 2, the Core i7-12700K clocked 101 FPS, but the Core i5-13600K triumphed with an impressive 117 FPS, 16.8% higher.
• As for the %1 low FPS, the Core i5-13600K scored 89 FPS according to my test – keeping ahead by 8.5%.
• While tackling this game, the Core i5-13600K maintained a cool 59°C, but the i7-12700K ran even cooler at 52°C.

Horizon Zero Dawn

• During my Horizon Zero Dawn gaming test, the Core i7-12700K offered an average FPS of 131, outshining the Core i5-13600K by 2.3%, which scored 128 FPS.
• The Core i7-12700K outclasses its Raptor Lake competitor in terms of the %1 low score by producing 97 FPS compared to 92 FPS for the Core i5-13600K.
• In this gameplay, the Core i5-13600K ran hotter at 71°C, while the i7-12700K kept its cool at 60°C.

Watch Dogs Legion

• Watch Dogs: Legion was the last game I tested, and here, the Core i5-13600K excelled with almost 12% better average FPS, reaching 101 FPS, compared to the Core i7-12700K (89 FPS).
• Concerning the %1 low FPS score, the Core i7-12700K took the cake with 68 FPS, while the Core i5-13600K delivered only 66 FPS.
• The Core i5-13600K ran at 61°C during this gameplay while the i7-12700K remained at 59°C.

Overall Gaming Performance

Across my gaming benchmarks, the Core i7-12700K provided an average of 96.8 FPS, while the Core i5-13600K delivered 102.5 average FPS. Accounting for these figures, the Core i5-13600K is about 5.8% faster than the Core i7-12700K.

I was somewhat surprised as the Core i7-12700K (76 vs 74.8) scored better in terms of the %1 low FPS. The difference is only 1.6%, though.

Thermal Performance

During my gaming session, the average temperature of Core i7-12700K was 58.7°C in contrast with 61.5°C of the Core i5-13600K. So, the Core i5-13600K ran about 4.7% warmer across my 1440p gaming tests, which is quite surprising.

Price And Availability

Fortunately, both CPUs are available cheaper than their launch MSRP (as of November 2023). The Core i7-12700K can be yours for $300 at Amazon, while the i5-13600K would set you back about $270 at NewEgg. The current prices of these CPUs make the Core i5-13600K about 10.0% cheaper than the Core i7-12700K. Moreover, both processors are easily available in the market.

Core i7-12700K Vs Core i5-13600K: Which Processor Do I Recommend?

You’ve reached the end of the Core i7-12700K Vs Core i5-13600K, so it’s time for me to wrap up and determine the better CPU for you.

As I found out, the Core i5-13600K is cheaper than the Core i7-12700K, and it performed marginally better. Moreover, it supports faster DDR5 memory, has more cores, CPU PCIe 5.0 lanes, and a lower boost TDP rating.

Meanwhile, the only win of the Core i7-12700K was its thermal stability, as it maintained lower temperatures on average. Hence, I recommend the Core i5-13600K over the Core i7-12700K. 

Pros And Cons

More From Core i7-12700K:

• Core i7-13700K vs Core i7-12700K
• Ryzen 7 7700X Vs Core i7-12700K
• Core i7-12700K vs. Core i5-12600K

More From Core i5-13600K:

• Core i9-12900K Vs Core i5-13600K
• Core i5-13600k vs Core i5-12600k
• Core i5-14600K Vs Core i5-13600K

Abde Manaf

[How-To Guides Expert]

Laiba, our tech guru at HI Digital, simplifies and crafts How-To Guides with a Google IT Support Certificate. Beyond tech, she captures the city’s aesthetics through her lens. Join her journey where tech meets creativity!

Get In Touch: Laiba@hidgt.com