Intel Core i3-13500 Performance Equals i7-12700K in Max Power Mode

Intel’s 13th Gen Core CPUs are currently available in stores in Asia. The new Core i3-13500 CPU is scheduled to launch officially just over a week later. Luckily, we have the latest report on the 14-core i5-13500, which is one of the most interesting desktop CPUs from the 13th Gen series.

Known JagatOC overclocker, Alva Jonathan, has obtained the Intel i5-13500, and provided some first-hand information about the 14-core CPU.

Jonathan mentions that he purchased the i3-13500 CPU for as little as $270. The Intel Core i5-13500 CPU has 14 cores– 6 Performance and 8 Efficient. This is a major improvement considering that its predecessor, the i5-12500, had no Efficient cores. Atop this, the i3-1500 might be using the Alder Lake C0 die. 

The i5-13500 CPU is part of the 65W TDP series, which applies to PL1 (Power Limit 1) or Processor Base Power. The CPU also supports PL2 (Power Limit 2) or Max Turbo Power of 154W. Intel will soon incorporate an option to increase the time period till which CPUs can perform with maximum power into selected existing and upcoming CPUs.

Jonathan noted that the i3-13500 CPU shows a massive performance difference of 1.5 GHz when running in maximum power mode, i.e., all cores are engaged simultaneously. With the default 65W TDP, the all-core boost can range somewhere between 2.9 to 3.0 GHz. However, with maximum TDP, the boost clock can go up to 4.5 GHz.

When running at 4.5 GHz, the i3-13500 reaches a multi-core performance at par with the i7-12700K processor, whereas when in default 65W mode, it matches the i5-12600K. 

Here are Jonathan’s quick notes on the Intel i5-13500 CPU:

• Run on MSI PRO Z690-A DDR4 (1.90 BIOS), and GSkill TridentZ RGB DDR4-3600 2x16GB
• Seems like an Alder Lake C0 die with 2 less P-Core
• Default detected power config is 65W PL1/154W PL2
• Increasing PL1 from default 65W to Max/Unlimited mode will give massive clock boost
• Max Clock 1-Core 4.8GHz (P-Core)
• Sustained All-core Clock on default 65W Mode 2.9-3GHz P-Core, 2.9GHz E-Core
• Sustained All-core Clock on Max/unlimited PL1 4.5GHz P-Core, 3.5GHz E-Core
• Default 65W Mode might be feasible for Stock Heatsink 
• Unlimited/Max PL1 Power IS NOT RECOMMENDED for Stock Heatsink 
• 65W Multi-Core Performance almost match an i5-12600K on Cinebench R23
• Max/Unlimited Power Multi-Core Performance slightly below i7-12700K
• Single-Core close to i5-12600K.

Overall, the i3-13500 offers a pretty decent performance. Although the 14-core CPU might run on low-end H610 boards, Jonathan does warn users to ensure that the power limit is 65W, and not maxed out. For optimum multi-core usage, he recommends pairing the i3-13500 with the mid-range B660 chipset and 120mm Tower HSF, with maximum power limit on the board.

About Intel

Intel Corporation is an American multinational corporation and technology company headquartered in Santa Clara, California, in Silicon Valley. It is the world’s largest semiconductor chip manufacturer on the basis of revenue, and is the developer of the x86 series of microprocessors – the processors found in most personal computers (PCs).

Incorporated in Delaware, Intel ranked No. 46 in the 2018 Fortune 500 list of the largest United States corporations by total revenue.