The final issue with Intel's best budget gaming chip has now been laid to rest
The Intel Core i5 13400F is a 92% scorin'(opens in new tab), frame-rate spewin' prince among gaming CPUs. But one very slight but nagging doubt remains. You're not totally sure what you're getting when you buy a 13400F.
That's because Intel sells 13400F processors based on both Alder Lake and Raptor Lake CPU dies. The specs are ostensibly the same. The same clocks and core counts, even the same cache sizes. But could there be hidden differences?
Hwcooling.net(opens in new tab) has gone deep on the subject, comparing the two 13400F variants in forensic detail. The verdict is in and… it turns out the chips are pretty much the same. But also a little different.
It's worth recalling that Intel has been transparent about all this. That 13400Fs based on both Alder Lake and Raptor Lake dies exist is no secret. But nor did Intel detail any differences of real substance.
It's also worth noting that, apparently, the vast majority of 13400F chips are in fact based on older Alder Lake dies. That includes all the review samples Intel sent back at launch, including the one Jacob put through its paces(opens in new tab).
Slightly contrary to what you might expect, Alder Lake variants are the C0 stepping, while Raptor Lake are B0 stepping. As for how to differentiate the two aside from the stepping, well, Raptor Lake chips are only available as bare OEM CPUs with no coolers.
On the chips themselves, Alder Lake CPUs have the 'SRMBN" code stencilled on the heat spreader while Raptor Lake chips read «SRMBG».
Alder Lake versions can be had in that format or also bundled with a cooler in a prettified retail box. So, a boxed 13400F is definitely Alder Lake. A bare chip might be either.
With all that in mind, how do the two variants stack up?
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