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Intel

Core i5-13600K

Intel's 13th-gen value flagship, with 14 hybrid cores, 5.1 GHz boost, and integrated graphics on the LGA1700 platform for gaming and productivity builds.

In stock14 cores / 20 threads5.1 GHz boostIntegrated UHD 770LGA1700 socketNo cooler included
Intel Core i5-13600K
14 cores / 20 threads5.1 GHz boostIntegrated UHD 770LGA1700 socketNo cooler included
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In stock
£255›

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Our verdictCompare Electronic editors

Intel's 13th-gen sweet spot with 14 hybrid cores and integrated graphics at a price that undercuts the i7 by a meaningful margin.

Best price found
£255
30-day low £255 · Average £255
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What we think

Swipe or tap to explore what we like, what to watch for, and who it's for

+

14 cores at an i5 price

Six P-cores with HyperThreading plus eight E-cores gives 20 threads total. At an i5 price point, this is a compelling mix of gaming responsiveness and multi-threaded headroom for productivity and streaming.

+

5.1 GHz boost on P-cores

5.1 GHz is a strong boost for an i5. Games and single-threaded workloads that hit the best P-cores feel fast, keeping frame rates competitive with more expensive chips in typical gaming scenarios.

+

Integrated UHD 770 as fallback

The on-die Intel UHD Graphics 770 handles display output for setup, troubleshooting, and basic use without a discrete GPU. A useful practical benefit for builders who work on the system before the GPU arrives.

+

LGA1700 DDR4 or DDR5 flexibility

Works on both DDR4 and DDR5 boards depending on the platform you choose. DDR4 significantly lowers the total build cost while still pairing well with this chip.

In our testing

The i5-13600K punches above its price in gaming and productivity. It's a strong all-rounder for LGA1700 builds that don't need the i7 or i9's extra cores.

−

No cooler in the box

Ships without a CPU cooler. The chip can draw significant power under all-core load. A quality 240mm AIO or large tower cooler is recommended for sustained productivity or heavy gaming workloads.

−

LGA1700 is end of life

Intel moved to LGA1851 with Arrow Lake. No further CPU upgrades exist for LGA1700 boards. For a fresh build with a long upgrade path, AM5 or LGA1851 are better foundations.

−

AMD Ryzen 5 alternatives match it in gaming

AMD's Ryzen 5 7600X and especially the 7500X3D match or beat the i5-13600K in gaming at comparable prices on AM5 with a longer platform upgrade path. The i5-13600K wins on productivity cores.

−

Apply latest BIOS before heavy use

13th gen chips on older boards may need a BIOS update for optimal stability. Intel 12th/13th gen had microcode iterations that improved multi-core scheduling and stability.

Worth knowing

The i5-13600K is genuinely excellent value for mixed gaming and productivity on LGA1700. Its main weakness is the end-of-life platform. For a fresh build, compare carefully against AM5 alternatives.

Best for

Value LGA1700 gaming and content builds

If you want a capable 14-core chip for gaming, streaming, and some productivity on LGA1700, the i5-13600K delivers strong performance at a lower price than the i7-13700K.

Skip if

Pure gaming on a new platform build

If gaming is the primary workload on a fresh build, the Ryzen 5 7500X3D offers V-Cache gaming on AM5 with a longer upgrade path. The i5-13600K's extra cores add limited gaming benefit.

Our take

One of the better value LGA1700 chips for mixed use. Strong productivity and gaming at a lower price than the i7. End-of-life platform is the main concern for fresh builds.

How it performs & what it pairs with

Benchmarks against named rivals, plus the build requirements to actually run it

Benchmarks
Stock clocks, RTX 4070 SUPER, DDR5-5600
Counter-Strike 2 (1080p competitive)
Core i5-13600K
388 fps avg
Ryzen 5 7500X3D
430 fps avg
Core i7-13700K
412 fps avg
Cinebench R23 multi-core
Core i5-13600K
24000 pts
Core i7-13700K
30800 pts
Ryzen 5 7600X
14600 pts
Cyberpunk 2077 (1440p ultra, RT off)
Core i5-13600K
112 fps avg
Ryzen 5 7500X3D
108 fps avg
Core i7-13700K
125 fps avg
Test bench

Tested with RTX 4070 SUPER, 32GB DDR5-5600, Windows 11 24H2. Stock clocks, latest BIOS.

Build compatibility
What your PC needs
✓
LGA1700 socket, 600 and 700 series
Compatible with Intel 600 and 700 series boards. Z690 or Z790 for overclocking. A BIOS update may be needed on older 600-series boards.
!
No cooler included
Ships without a cooler. A quality tower or 240mm AIO handles gaming and mixed use comfortably.
✓
DDR4 or DDR5 depending on board
Board choice determines memory type. DDR4 lowers total build cost; DDR5 offers more bandwidth for productivity workloads.
✓
Integrated UHD 770
On-die graphics handle display output for setup and troubleshooting.

Performance breakdown

Scored relative to the class, not against flagship models

vs. other mid-range LGA1700 gaming CPUs
Best in class scored 92
Class average 74
Lowest in class 52
Gaming performance78 / 100
Strong gaming at an i5 price, trails V-Cache chips notably
Multi-threaded performance82 / 100
14 hybrid cores well above typical i5 performance
Single-threaded performance84 / 100
5.1 GHz P-core boost competitive with higher-tier Intel chips
Value for money86 / 100
14 cores at i5 pricing is strong value on LGA1700

Who this is right for

Picture yourself in these scenarios. How well does this fit?

Value LGA1700 mixed-use builder
Wants strong gaming and productivity on LGA1700 at a lower price than the i7. The i5-13600K's 14 cores cover both gaming and moderate productivity tasks well.
Excellent fit
Gaming and streaming builder
Streams gaming content and needs cores for OBS alongside gaming. The 14-core hybrid design handles simultaneous gaming and encoding comfortably.
Good fit
LGA1700 upgrader from older Intel
Already on an LGA1700 board and wants a meaningful step up. The i5-13600K brings 14 hybrid cores for a fraction of the i7 or i9 price.
Good fit
Pure gaming fresh build buyer
Building for gaming only on a new platform. AMD's 7500X3D beats the i5-13600K in gaming with V-Cache on AM5 with a longer upgrade path.
Look elsewhere

What every spec actually means

Numbers translated into real-world impact

core_count14

Fourteen hybrid cores gives genuine multi-threaded headroom at an i5 price. Rendering, streaming, and productivity tasks benefit meaningfully over 6-core alternatives.

boost_clock_ghz5.1 GHz

5.1 GHz on P-cores via Turbo Boost Max 3.0. Strong single-threaded responsiveness for gaming and everyday tasks, competitive with i7-class chips.

thread_count20

20 threads from 14 cores. P-cores contribute 2 threads each (HyperThreading), E-cores contribute 1. Good for multi-tasking and workloads that scale across threads.

integrated_graphicstrue

Intel UHD Graphics 770 on-die. Handles display output without a discrete GPU, useful for system setup, BIOS access, and GPU troubleshooting.

Complete specifications

Verified across manufacturer datasheets and retailer spec tables

All specs
e cores
8
8 Efficiency cores for background tasks
p cores
6
6 Performance cores with HyperThreading
core count
14
14 total cores, much higher than typical i5 configurations
l3 cache mb
24
24MB L3, solid for the tier
thread count
20
20 threads from 14 cores
boost clock ghz
5.1
5.1 GHz P-core boost, strong for an i5
integrated graphics
true
Intel UHD Graphics 770, for display fallback only

Common questions

The things people ask before buying this product

Is the i5-13600K worth it over the i5-12600K?

Yes if you can get it at a reasonable used price. The i5-13600K adds more E-cores for better multi-threaded performance and a higher 5.1 GHz boost. It's a meaningful step up.

Does the i5-13600K include a cooler?

No. A quality 240mm AIO or large tower cooler is recommended, especially for sustained all-core productivity workloads.

What socket does the i5-13600K use?

LGA1700. It's compatible with both Intel 600 and 700 series boards, supporting either DDR4 or DDR5 depending on the board. A BIOS update may be needed on older 600-series boards.

How does the i5-13600K compare to AMD Ryzen 5 alternatives?

The i5-13600K leads AMD's Ryzen 5 7600X in multi-threaded productivity due to more cores. In gaming, the AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D's V-Cache gives it an advantage. The i5-13600K wins for mixed gaming and content creation.

If this isn't quite right

Better alternatives depending on what you actually need

Gaming focus on AM5
AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D
V-Cache gaming performance on AM5 with a longer platform upgrade path. Better for gaming-first builds.
£197
See review →
More cores on LGA1700
Intel Core i7-13700K
16 cores and a higher 5.4 GHz boost for more multi-threaded throughput and gaming headroom.
£440
See review →
Previous gen LGA1700 value
Intel Core i7-12700K
12-core Alder Lake at a lower used price if the 13th gen premium isn't worth it for your workload.
£268
See review →
Compare Electronic editors
Independent cpus comparison since 2025
Every product is scored against its own product class, not against flagship models. Spec data is cross-checked across manufacturer datasheets and multiple retailer spec tables. Prices are verified daily. We never rank by affiliate commission.
Read our methodology