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Shehryar Khan

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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Pros & Cons

Comparison Table

Architectural Differences

1. Process Node: The Core i5 13400 uses a 10nm processing node, which Intel has been using in their processors for a while now. On the other hand, the Ryzen 5 5600 uses a more advanced 7nm process, bringing some market competition.
2. Core Count: The Intel processor flexes its hybrid core architecture using 6 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores, which all total 16 threads. On the other hand, the 5600 keeps things simple using 6 performance cores, which total 12 threads.
3. Clock Speed: The performance cores of the Core i5 13400 have a base clock of around 2.5GHz, which is significantly lower than the 3.5GHz base clock of the Ryzen 5 5600. The boost clocks, however, are slightly higher on the 13400 at around 4.6Ghz, while the Ryzen 5 5600 maxes out around 4.4GHz.
4. L3 Cache: The Ryzen takes the win in terms of L3 cache with 32MB of super-fast memory onboard, while the Core i5 has 20MB. 
5. Memory: The Intel processor boasts support for both DDR4 and DDR5 memory, while the AMD chip can only run in conjunction with DDR4 RAM.

The barrage of chip releases from AMD and Intel recently has left much to be desired for most consumers, leaving the value-for-money proposition of older chips behind a memory of yesteryears. The Core i5 13400 vs Ryzen 5 5600 comparison will detail the difference between these two chips to help you get the best-performing budget processor out there.

Gaming Benchmarks – 1080p

These subsequent benchmark tests will paint a picture of the difference in performance between the Core i5 13400 vs Ryzen 5 5600. We have performed all tests on our trusty test bench, the specifications of which you can glace at below:

Test Bench

• Graphics Card – RTX 4090
• Motherboard – MSI MPG X570S Carbon MAX WiFi
• Motherboard – MSI MAG B760M Mortar Max WiFi
• Memory – Vengeance RGB Pro 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4 3600MHz C18
• CPU Cooler: Arctic Liquid Freezer II 360mm AIO
• Power Supply: be quiet! Dark Power Pro 13 1300W 

Watch Dogs: Legion

• The Core i5 13400 started off strong with an average framerate of 121 FPS in our test of Watch Dogs: Legion, while the Ryzen 5 5600 was a few steps behind with an average framerate of 113 FPS. The difference between the two chips was around 7% in this game.
• Coming to the 1% lows, the Core i5 13400 managed to snag another win with minimums of around 90 FPS, noticeably higher than the lows of the Ryzen 5 5600, which sat at around 86 FPS.

Total War: Warhammer III

• The difference swelled up to 21.5% in Total War: Warhammer III, with the Ryzen 5 5600 getting an average framerate of around 200 FPS, while the Core i5 flew past it with an average framerate of 243 FPS.
• The 1% lows were also a world apart on these two chips, with the Ryzen hovering around 148 FPS, while the Core i5 had minimums of around 169 FPS.

Hitman 3

• The losses of the Ryzen continued in Hitman 3 with an average framerate of 149 FPS, 9% lower than the budget CPU from Intel, which had an average framerate of around 163 FPS.
• The Ryzen 5 5600 had 1% lows of around 91 FPS, while the Core i5 13400 maintained a minimum framerate of around 97 FPS in graphically challenging scenes.

A Plague Tale: Requiem

• Our testing of this game showed that the Core i5 had an average framerate of around 105 FPS, which was leagues above the average framerate of the Ryzen 5 5600 at around 87 FPS. This game contributed to a 20% lead for the Intel processor.
• The minimum framerates of the Core i5 were around 92 FPS, which was also significantly higher than that of the Ryzen, which sat at around 76 FPS.

Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare II

• The Ryzen finally got a break in this game with an average framerate of 202 FPS, 5% higher than the Core i5’s average framerate of around 192 FPS. 
• The 1% lows were also substantially smoother on the AMD processor at around 153 FPS, while the Intel chip managed lows of around 127 FPS.

Spider-Man Remastered

• The Ryzen 5 5600 lost once again in our test of Spider-Man Remastered by a margin of around 14% with a framerate of around 82 FPS on average, while the Intel chip had an average closer to around 94 FPS.
• As for the 1% lows, the 13400 maintained a minimum framerate of around 80 FPS, significantly higher than the 72 FPS of the 5600. The framerates were relatively low in this game because of the inclusion of Ray Tracing, which is why the difference in framerate was especially noticeable.

Shadow Of The Tomb Raider

• The average framerate of the Core i5 13400 was around 181 FPS, once again significantly higher than the Ryzen 5’s average framerate of around 170 FPS, specifically around the 6.5% mark.
• Minimum framerates fell short of the Ryzen once again at around 133 FPS, while the Core i5 13400 had minimums of 141 FPS.

Horizon Zero Dawn

• AMD got another big break in the PC port of Horizon Zero Dawn with an average framerate of 200 FPS, 16% higher than the 172 FPS average of the Core i5 13400. This makes sense, as the original version of this game was optimized for the PlayStation, which utilizes AMD hardware.
• The 1% lows were also significantly smoother on the AMD processor at around 141 FPS instead of the 124 FPS of the Core i5 13400.

Cyberpunk 2077

• The Ryzen 5 lost its magic once again with an average framerate of around 138 FPS, over 8% lower than the 150 FPS of the Core i5 13400.
• The 1% lows followed a similar pattern, with the Ryzen 5 getting a minimum of around 124 FPS when the going got tough, while the Core i5 was significantly faster with a minimum of around 136 FPS.

CS: GO

• Finally, we decided to test CS: GO to see the performance of these chips on an older game engine, and the Ryzen 5 5600 came out significantly ahead with an average framerate of 362 FPS, almost 9% higher than the 333 FPS average of the Core i5 13400.
• The 1% lows had even more difference between the two, with the Ryzen 5 5600 hanging out around 229 FPS, while the Intel went all the way down to around 170 FPS.

Overall Gaming Performance

Average Framerate

The total difference between the two chips came out to around 6%, which does not seem like a lot, but the Core i5 13400 came out ahead by a much greater margin at a greater frequency compared to the Ryzen 5 5600. There were multiple games with a double-digit advantage percentage of the 13400, making its gameplay feel much smoother on most games we tested. Bear in mind these averages do not include CS: GO, as the large difference in that game can skew our data findings.

1% Lows

The minimum framerates were closer on both chips with an advantage of around 3% for the Core i5 13400, but the Intel had some very substantial advantages in some games like A Plague Tale: Requiem.

Because the Intel processor gave much more consistent advantages in our testing, we have to crown it as the victor, at least regarding performance.

Winner: Intel's Core i5 13400

Power Consumption

The average power consumption of these two processors differs by around 10% or about 7 watts, which isn’t a massive difference at such low wattages. For most people, this rather minor difference between the two processors does not play massively to the ultimate purchasing decision.

Price And Value

Though both processors started their lifecycle with a relatively close price, the delta has grown larger. The Core i5 13400 is currently 57% more expensive than the Ryzen on Amazon, which makes a head-to-head comparison of such differently priced processors very hard. Still, the difference in price does not equal the increase in performance of the 13400, making the Ryzen 5 5600 the better value processor.

What We Recommend

Core i5 13400: For people on a tight budget, the Core i5 13400 is quite a capable little chip. It gives impressive performance in several games without putting too much stress on your wallet or your power supply. If you have the luxury of choosing between these two processors, we recommend the Core i5 13400.

Ryzen 5 5600: If you find yourself in a place where you cannot stretch your budget to get a Core i5 13400, the Ryzen offers something similar while being even better budget and power consumption-wise. The cherry on top of the deal this processor provides is how cheap it is on the used market, making it ideal for a budget build.

To encapsulate our findings, the performance of the Core i5 13400 is worth the extra money you would spend on this processor, but if you’re on a tighter budget, the Ryzen 5 5600 is a very good processor to spec in.

More From Core i5 13400

• Core i5-13400 Vs Ryzen 5 7600
• Ryzen 5 7600X Vs i5-13400
• Core i5 13400F Vs Core i5 13400

More From Ryzen 5 5600

• Core i3 13100 Vs Ryzen 5 5600

Shehryar Khan

[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