The Intel Core i5-13400F is the objective winner of this comparison, securing more wins across the evaluated specifications. Its most significant advantage is its total core count, which is 150% higher than that of the Intel Core i3-13100F. While the latter component maintains a 44% advantage in MSRP, the former provides a substantial increase in processing hardware that outweighs the cost-saving benefits of the lower-tier model in a direct head-to-head evaluation of technical capabilities.

Users prioritizing budget efficiency should select the Intel Core i3-13100F to take advantage of its lower MSRP. Conversely, those who require higher core counts for their computing tasks should choose the Intel Core i5-13400F. By weighing the 150% core advantage against the 44% cost advantage, buyers can align their purchase with either a focus on minimizing initial expenditure or maximizing the total number of available processing cores for their specific system requirements.