Core i5-13500 Vs Ryzen 5 7600: Which Is Better?

With the Ryzen 7000 series debut, AMD has brought competition again against Intel. In this comparison, we will pin the Core i5-13500 vs Ryzen 7600 to see which processor best suits your use case.

Key Takeaways

• The Ryzen 5 7600 pulled through in the gaming tests with about 15% more average FPS.
• On average, the i5-13500 ran about 10 degrees cooler than the Ryzen 5 7600.
• The power consumption between these CPUs was comparable overall but fluctuated game-to-game.
• The MSRP of the Ryzen 5 7600 is misleading as it exclusively supports only DDR5 memory and AM5 motherboards, bringing the platform cost up significantly.

Ryzen 5 7600 Vs Core i5-13500 Specs

Comparison Table

Core Count And Clock Speeds

The Core i5-13500 has a huge advantage over the Ryzen 5 7600 because of its increased core count. The i5-13500 has 6 performance cores and 8 efficiency cores totaling 20 threads. Meanwhile, the Ryzen 5 7600 has only 6 cores and 12 threads.

The performance cores on the i5 are clocked at 2.5 GHz as a base and 4.8 GHz as a boost, whereas the efficiency cores have a base of 1.80 GHz and a boost of up to 3.5 GHz.

The Ryzen processor has cores limited to 3.8 GHz at the base and about 5.1 GHz at boost speeds.

One trick up AMD’s sleeve is the ability to overclock all its processors, whereas Intel reserves overclocking for only its K series of chips.

Architecture

The Ryzen 5 7600 utilizes the “Zen4” CPU architecture, while the core i5-13500 uses the “Alder Lake” architecture. Zen 4 is AMD’s latest technology, while the i5-13500’s Alder Lake refresh uses last year’s tech.

The Zen 4 architecture brings minor improvements over the Zen 3 architecture from last year. It employs TSMC’s 5nm manufacturing processing. This allows for exceptional efficiency and performance. One of the better improvements with this architecture is that all the processors have onboard graphics.

On the other hand, Alder Lake Refresh S, used in the 13500, is an improvement of last year’s design which innovated by using two types of cores to improve performance and efficiency simultaneously.

This architecture is Intel’s take on the Hybrid Core Architecture that builds on concepts introduced last year and is inspired by ARM chips found in smartphones. This CPU design is called significant.LITTLE technology allows Intel to cram Efficiency and Performance cores in the same processor. This processor is based on the Intel 10 manufacturing process.

Also Read: Core i5-13500 Vs i5-13400

CPU Sockets

The i5-13500 employs the FCLGA1700 CPU socket used by last year’s 12th gen processors. It has 1700 pins to support four channels of DDR4/DDR5 RAM. This socket is compatible with only the 12th gen chips.

In contrast, AMD uses the AM5 socket for its 7000 series CPUs, which adds DDR5 support. This new feature also marks removing DDR4 support from AMD’s chips. This socket also marks AMD’s shift from a PGA to an LGA interface.

Additionally, it has 1718 connection pins that facilitate data transfer between the CPU and other computer components. Motherboards with the AM5 socket only support the Ryzen 7000 series of chips.

If you’re wondering what the differences between AM4 and AM5 are, read our comparison guide.

Also Read: BEST LGA 1700 CPU Coolers.

Memory

Intel and AMD now support DDR5 memory with up to 128 gigabytes for their processors. Including DDR5 in their CPU design is a significant step forward in the tech industry, even if it’s not yet widely adopted due to its cost.

The AMD processor’s maximum memory speed is 5200 mega transfers per second, while the Intel chip has a slightly lower speed at 4800 mega transfers per second for DDR5 RAM. The Intel chip has a maximum bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s, and the bandwidth on the Ryzen is estimated to be around 83.2 GB/s.

AM4 series chips require DDR5, while the Intel chip can still use DDR4.

If you want to see how the latest RAM technology compares against DDR4, read our article on DDR4 vs DDR5.

TDP 

TDP is the recommended amount of power your CPU will utilize in specific workloads. PL1 refers to your base TPD and PL2 is your boost TDP.

The PL1 rating on both these processors is 65W. The i5-13500 has a PL2 rating of 154 W, whereas the Ryzen 5 7600 has a PL2 rating of only 88W.

AMD bundles the Wraith Stealth CPU cooler with the Ryzen 5 7600, whereas Intel provides the PCG 2020C thermal solution for the Core i5-13500. Both these coolers provide excellent cooling for a stock CPU fan.

Also Read: How To Lower CPU Temperature?

Integrated Graphics

The AMD Ryzen 5 7600 features integrated Radeon Graphics with a base frequency of 400 MHz and a turbo of 2200 MHz, consisting of 2 execution units, 128 Shader Units, and a maximum GPU memory of 8GB.

On the other hand, the Intel Core i5-13500 comes with UHD Graphics 770 clocked at 300 MHz with a boost of 1.55 GHz, containing 32 execution units, 256 Shader Units, and a maximum VRAM of 64 GB for the iGPU.

Both CPUs support up to 8k displays via a DP and up to three monitors simultaneously.

Overall, the i5-13500 and Ryzen 7600 both have capable systems in place for integrated graphics, though the i5 is a little bit better if we talk about raw performance.

Core i5-13500 Vs Ryzen 7600: Gaming Benchmarks 

This comparison section will test the gaming performance of two CPUs. All of these tests have been performed on a test bench, the specifications of which are listed below:

• Motherboard: Z790 (GIGABYTE Z790 AORUS MASTER), X670 (GIGABYTE X670 Aorus Master)
• RAM: SK Hynix DDR5-4800 CL40 8GB x 2ea (16GB)
• SSD: SEAGATE Firecuda 520 2TB
• Graphics Card: Geforce RTX 3090 Ti
• PSU: 1050W
• OS: Windows 11 Pro

All of these games in our Core i5-13500 vs Ryzen 7600 comparison were tested with 1080p High settings.

Player Unknown’s Battleground

• The Ryzen 5 7600 faired better in this title, having an average of about 264 FPS, while the Core i5-13500 managed to keep an average of 240 FPS.
• The 1% lows in PUBG were identical, 148 FPS.
• Regarding peak temperatures, the 7600 ran much warmer than the 13500, with a peak of 57°C, while the Core i5-13500 had a peak of 52°C.
• These processors had comparable power draw. The Ryzen 5 7600 drew 44 Watts of power, whereas the i5-13500 drew about 43 Watts.

Overwatch 2

• Looking at the results in this game, the Ryzen 5 7600 had an average framerate of about 349 FPS, and the i5-13500 managed a frame rate of about 331 FPS. 
• This time around, Intel scored much worse, the 1% lows, 241 fps compared to the Ryzen 7’s 269 fps.
• In this game, the Ryzen 5 7600 had a CPU temperature of around 56°C, while the i5-13500 ran noticeably cooler at 44°C.
• While running this game, the i5 used 44 watts of power, while the Ryzen 7 consumed around 52 watts.

Also Read: Ryzen 5 7600X Vs Core i5-13400 [Benchmarks]

COD: Modern Warfare II

• Modern Warfare II had the Ryzen 5 7600 output an average framerate of about 157 FPS, and the Intel i5-13500 managed a frame less at 156 FPS. 
• Intel once again came slightly behind in the 1% lows, 118 FPS compared to the Ryzen 5’s 124 FPS.
• During gameplay, the Ryzen 5 7600 recorded a CPU temperature of approximately 53°C, whereas the i5-13500 ran a much cooler once again with a temperature of 43°C.
• While playing MW II, the i5 utilized 63 W of power, while the Ryzen 7 drew much less at about 46 W.

Spider-Man Remastered

• Marvel’s Spider-Man showed the same trend, with the 7600 having an average of 218 FPS while the 13500 managed to get only 198 fps. 
• The i5 had better 1% lows, 105 FPS, compared to the Ryzen 5’s 98 FPS.
• Benchmarking this game resulted in the Ryzen 5 7600 recording a CPU temperature of approximately 65°C, whereas the i5-13500 ran cooler once again with a temperature of 53°C.
• During the gameplay of Marvel’s Spider-Man, the i5 consumed 65 W of power, while the Ryzen 5 drew approximately 49 W.

LostArk

• In LostArk, the Ryzen 5 7600 had an average of about 395 FPS, whereas the i5-13500 had an average of 337 FPS.
• The 1% lows were again higher on the 7600, 193 vs 186 on the i5-13500.
• The temperatures were again significantly higher on the Ryzen, with a peak of 54°C, while the i5-13500 stayed cool at about 42°C.
• Power draw was much more similar in this test than the other parameters. The i5-13500 had a power draw of about 50 Watts, whereas the Ryzen 5 7600 had a power draw of 47 Watts.

League Of Legends

• In the CPU-Intensicve game of League of Legends, the Ryzen 7 7600 had an average of about 252 FPS, whereas the i5-13500 had an average of 217 FPS.
• 1% lows were lower on the i5, with 143 FPS vs the Ryzen 5’s 158 FPS.
• When playing League of Legends, the Ryzen 5 7600 ran at 45°C, much hotter than the Core i5-13500 at about 42°C.
• The i5-13500 drew about 35 Watts of power in this game, while the Ryzen 5 7600 outperformed it while pulling only 32 Watts.

Also Check: Ryzen 5 7600X vs i5-12600K

Cyberpunk 2077

• Cyberpunk 2077 had the Ryzen 5 7600 giving an average of 158 FPS compared to the i5-13500’s 153 FPS average.
• The Ryzen had a 1% low score of 98 FPS, lower than the i5-13500’s score of 105 FPS.
• Temperatures differed significantly once again in Cyberpunk, with a peak of 71°C for the Ryzen, whereas the i5 peaked at a cool 58°C.
• The Ryzen 5 7600 drew 69 Watts of power, whereas the i5-13500 drew about 77 Watts.

Red Dead Redemption 2

• The Ryzen 5 7600 showed an average FPS of around 153 in RDR 2, whereas the i5-13500 showed an average FPS of 146.
• The 1% lows were also higher on the Ryzen, with 107 FPS compared to the i5-13500’s 97 FPS.
• Temperatures were significantly higher on the Ryzen, reaching a peak of 62°C, while the i5-13500 remained cool at around 55°C.
• Regarding the power draw, the i5-13500 consumed about 65 Watts, whereas the Ryzen 5 7600 consumed 53 Watts.

Overall Gaming Performance 

In this section, we will highlight the results of the Core i5-13500 vs Ryzen 7600 in the gaming tests performed above. 

Frame Rate

The Ryzen 5 7600 surprised us with its performance after the results we saw in the performance tests. The Ryzen was about 12% faster than the Core i5-13500 in our gaming benchmarks. The 1% lows were even starker, with a difference of about 15%. Overall, the Ryzen 7 7600 proved to have excellent performance for gaming.

Temperatures

Temperatures told a much different story than the performance. On average, the 13500 was 10°C cooler than the Ryzen 5 7600 in the 8 games we tested.

This is a huge difference, and it can be a huge benefit 3 or 5 years later when your CPU increasingly becomes the bottleneck for the system. Lower temperatures also allow for better access to overclocking, but sadly the i5-13500 is not suited for this task as it is not unlocked for overclocking.

Overall, the temperature difference may warrant buying the i5 over the Ryzen 5 for some use cases.

Related Guide: CPU Temperature While Gaming

Power Draw

Unlike the other two metrics, power draws were mostly similar between these two chips, with the i5-13500 being slightly less power-hungry. This does not factor in the enormous amount of performance the Ryzen 5 7600 could eke out with only a few more Watts of power.

Related Guide: Gaming PC Power Usage

Price And Availability

The Ryzen 5 7600 has an MSRP of about $230, whereas the Intel Core i5-13500 comes in at about $240.

These processors should be stocked up in any store you choose, whether online or in a traditional brick-and-mortar establishment. Remember that both these processors are relatively new, so nothing will likely come up if you go deal-hunting on used marketplaces.

Is Ryzen 7600 Better Than Core i5-13500?

• If you prioritize productivity performance, the Core i5-13500 would be the better choice, as it has many cores and runs cooler than the Ryzen 5 7600.
• However, if gaming performance is more important, the Ryzen 5 7600 has an edge with about 15% more average FPS. It is also worth noting that the AMD processor can be overclocked, whereas only Intel’s K series chips can be overclocked.
• As for the price, they do seem pretty comparable on paper, but it is important to remember that the Ryzen 5 7600 has a greater cost of entry because of its lack of RAM compatibility (DDR5 only).

Also Read: Ryzen 5 7600x vs Ryzen 5 5600x

Apart from this, you won’t have an AM5 motherboard lying around as it is a new platform. These two reasons give the i5-13500 a recommendation from us if you are on a budget as it is compatible with 12th gen motherboards and supports cheaper and more accessible DDR4 RAM.

At the end of the day, the choice of your new processor lies with you, so look at all your options before buying a new CPU.

Pros And Cons