The Intel Core i7-13700K is the objective winner of this comparison, securing more total spec victories than the Intel Core i5-12400. While the i5-12400 holds a 54% advantage in Max Turbo Power, the i7-13700K provides a more significant performance edge through its L2 Cache, which is 220% better than that of its counterpart. This substantial cache capacity serves as the most impactful technical advantage for the winning processor in this head-to-head evaluation.

Users prioritizing raw cache capacity for intensive tasks should select the Intel Core i7-13700K to leverage its superior L2 Cache architecture. Conversely, the Intel Core i5-12400 is the appropriate choice for those who specifically require the efficiency profile offered by its 54% advantage in Max Turbo Power. Selecting between these two components depends entirely on whether your workload benefits more from the increased cache size of the i7-13700K or the power specifications of the i5-12400.