Intel Core i5-13400F vs Intel Core i5-13450HX vs Intel Core i9-13980HX

Intel Core i5-13400F

The Intel Core i5-13400F is a mid-range desktop processor of the Raptor Lake series. It includes a hybrid architecture for the CPU cores with combined 10 cores. Six fast Golden Cove / Raptor Cove performance cores (P-cores) with HyperThreading and a clock speed of 3.5 - 5.1 GHz and four Gracemont efficiency cores without HyperThreading and a clock speed of 2.6 - 3.9 GHz. The 13400F can be based on the older Alder Lake chips (at least for early models) or the newer Raptor Lake chips. The F-series of CPUs do not integrate a iGPU.

The performance is clearly higher than the old Core i5-12400F due to the additional four E-cores. These help in multi-threaded workloads and the higher boost core of the p-cores help for single threaded workloads.

The power consumption of the 13400F is rated at 65 Watt for sustained workloads (PL1) and 148 Watt for short bursts (PL2).

Intel Core i5-13450HX

The Intel Core i5-13450HX is a fast mid-range mobile processor of the Raptor Lake series. Is was announced in early 2023. The CPU integrates 6 fast Raptor Cove performance cores (P-cores) with HyperThreading and 4 Gracemont efficiency cores without HyperThreading. The P-Cores clock between 2.4 GHz (base) up to 4.6 GHz (single core boost, all-core 4.5 GHz). The smaller E-Cores clock between 1.8 and 3.4 GHz. All cores can access the combined 20 MB L3 cache (compared to the 36 MB of the i9 models).

Compared to Alder Lake, Raptor Lake offers improved P-Cores (Raptor Cove micro-architecture) with bigger Caches and more E-Cores (same Gracemont micro-architecture). Furthermore, the chip supports faster DDR5 memory (up to 5600 MHz for the 13980HX, but only 4800 MHz for the i5).

Performance

While we have not tested a single system built around the 13450HX as of August 2023, we have tested several systems featuring the Core i5-12600K, a CPU with very similar specs (six P-cores mated to four E-cores, both running at insignificantly faster clock speeds than what the 13450HX has). Based on that, we expect the 13450HX to be 10% to 15% behind the Ryzen 7 7840HS and the Ryzen 9 7940HS, as far as multi-thread benchmark scores are concerned.

Your mileage may vary depending on how competent the system's cooling solution is and how high the CPU power limits are.

Power consumption

The chip's "minimum assured" power consumption sits at 45 W. Its Turbo power consumption is not supposed to go over 157 W and its "base" power consumption is supposed to be around 55 W. Most laptop makers will probably go for a value much higher than 55 W to extract as much performance out of the chip as possible.

The i5-13450HX is built with Intel's 4th generation 10 nm process marketed as Intel 7 for average, as of early 2023, energy efficiency.

Intel Core i9-13980HX

The Intel Core i9-13980HX is a fast high-end mobile processor of the Raptor Lake-HX series. Is was announced in early 2023 and is based on the desktop Core i9-13000K with combined 24 cores and 32 threads. Eight fast Raptor Cove performance cores (P-cores) with HyperThreading that clock between 2.2 GHz (base) to 5.6 GHz (single core Turbo). The sixteen Gracemont cores are smaller and slower and optimized for efficiency. They clock between 1.6 GHz (base) and 4 GHz (Turbo).

Compared to Alder Lake, Raptor Lake offers improved P-Cores (Raptor Cove micro-architecture) with bigger Caches and more E-Cores (same Gracemont micro-architecture). Furthermore, the chip supports faster DDR5 memory (up to 5600 MHz for the 13980HX).

Performance

The average 13980HX in our database is in the same league as the Core i9-13950HX and the Ryzen 9 7845HX, as far as multi-thread benchmark scores are concerned.

Thanks to its decent cooling solution and a long-term CPU power limit of 143 W, the Alienware m18 R1 is among the fastest systems built around the 13980HX that we know of. It can be at least 10% faster in CPU-bound workloads than the slowest system featuring the same chip in our database, as of August 2023.

The CPU is still produced on a further improved 10nm FinFET process (Intel 7) that allows the higher clock speeds. The power consumption is specified at 55W base power up to 157 Watt max. Turbo power.