Apple M1 Max vs Intel Core i7-12700

Processor comparisons 21-10-2022

   Let's say you are thinking about choosing a CPU, you will be able to make a decision after reading the comprehensive tests Apple M1 Max vs Intel Core i7-12700 and understand which is better for games or simple use for rendering, machine learning, video editing, programming, streaming. Here is all information from real streaming and video editing tests or several benchmarks. A step-by-step analysis of all the specifications, to make it easier to understand, is presented in the form of the table.
   From the video comparison, you can get the results of joint testing in software tests such as Gears 5, MATLAB, VeraCrypt, RealBench, 3DMark, Prime95, DaVinci Resolve Studio, PCMark 10, 7zip, UserBenchmark, Furmark, WPrime, Dolphin Emulator, GeekBench 6, 5.2, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, Handbrake, PassMark, Blender, SuperPi, AIDA64, Blender.
   And how good the CPUs are in games:

Fortnite
DOOM: Eternal
Call of Duty: Warzone and Modern Warfare
Halo Infinite
Rainbow Six Siege
Grand Theft Auto V
Last Man Standing
Valorant
World of Warcraft: Shadowlands
Watch Dogs Legion
Overwatch
Assassin's Creed Valhalla
Borderlands 3
Cyberpunk 2077
Apex Legends
Death Stranding
Fallout 76
Red Dead Redemption 2
Valheim

After looking at the data of joint benchmarks and videos, you can already make an briefed decision about which CPU is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i7-12700 or Apple M1 Max.

Summary benchmark results

As a percentage of the maximum value based on a sample from the entire base of all processors
Processor Benchmark

M1 Max

60%

Core i7-12700

59%

The number of this parameter shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, M1 Max is 1% better than Core i7-12700. The data source is several popular tests. Detailed information can be found below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

M1 Max

57%

Core i7-12700

56%

For the maximum in this test, the results of the most powerful processor in the site database are taken. And of course, this is a server processor, on which no one will run games. Because the cost of this processor reaches several tens of thousands of dollars. Therefore, if you think that the selected CPU has a low game result, just look at the FPS that it produces in real games in the summary table below.
List of other games in which processors were compared: NBA 2K20, Forza Horizon 4, Control, League of Legends (LOL), Hitman 3, Horizon Zero Dawn, Battlefield V, DOTA 2A, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Metro Exodus, Ghostrunner, Half-Life: Alyx, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Monster Hunter World, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG).

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	101.3	100.0
Valorant	115.1	113.7
Cyberpunk 2077	64.5	63.7
Apex Legends	108.2	106.9
Call of Duty Warzone	86.3	85.3
Overwatch	93.2	92.1
Red Dead Redemption 2	79.4	78.4
DOOM Eternal	57.6	56.8
Warzone	89.8	88.7
Assassin's Creed	96.7	95.5
Valheim	95.5	94.4

The numbers in this table indicate the maximum FPS that was received on the device with the corresponding processor. Depending on the configuration of the computer (RAM size and Video Card) and graphics quality settings (Ultra, Medium, Normal), the results may differ quite significantly. We recommend that you better study the results of the Cinebench, GeekBench and Passmark becnmarks.
The computers that were in the comparisons not only did they have different video cards and different amounts of RAM. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 2K, 4K or FullHD. So the game benchmark data is approximate. But all video cards met the average system requirements of games. You will get more accurate information about how powerful the processor will be in games, if you compare it in one assembly with the video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

M1 Max

332%

Core i7-12700

85%

To make a final decision on which processor is better, you should also consider the generation of its core. It is clear that the newer the generation, the better the performance of the processor in games and benchmarks, as well as its energy efficiency. In this case the M1 Max is more energy efficient than the Core i7-12700 as it consumes less power: 18W vs. 65W. Power consumption is particularly important for laptops. And TDP should be taken into account when choosing a processor cooling system. It is necessary to calculate so that the TDP data specified in the cooler specification is greater than the TDP of the compared processor.

Software benchmarks

Let's say you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for streaming, machine learning, programming, video editing or video rendering, then first of all you need to pay attention to the performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, the CPU includes all cores and threads that it has to the maximum to achieve maximum performance. You will learn this data from the benchmark tables below. Before you take into account the data from these tests, be sure to find out whether the program that you are going to use on your computer can work in multi-threaded mode. Because there are still many programs that can use only one core to run, and all the advantages of multi-core mode are unused.

Cinebench 23, 20 an 15
The results of this benchmark show Single-threaded and Multi-threaded CPU performance

	Apple M1 Max	Intel Core i7-12700
Cinbench 15 Single-core	313	431
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	1811	3140
Cinbench 20 Single-core	617	1029
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	3106	7127
Cinbench 23 Single-core	2360	2408
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	12204	23496

Passmark
This popular benchmark displays Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Apple M1 Max	Intel Core i7-12700
Single-Core	5344	5637
Multi-Core	34572	32896

GeekBench 6, 5.2
This benchmark shows Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Apple M1 Max	Intel Core i7-12700
Single-Core	1793	1667
Multi-Core	13028	11810

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the most helpful will be the release date of the processor and the possibility of overclocking it. The later the processor is released, the longer it will last in your computer. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system in the future. The same benefits from the presence of overclocking. When the processor can be overclocked, thereby increasing its performance, then it will continue to maintain maximum FPS in new games. Accordingly, you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The savings are obvious!

	Apple M1 Max	Intel Core i7-12700
Announcement date	October 07, 2021	January 07, 2022
Type	Laptop;Desktop	Desktop
Socket	M1	FCLGA1700
Core name	8x Firestorm and 2x Icestorm	Alder Lake
Architecture	hybrid (big.LITTLE)	x86
Generation	1	12
Turbo Frequency		4.9 MHz
Frequency	3.2 MHz	3.6 MHz
Cores	10	12
Threads	10	20
Bus rate		8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	5 nm	7 nm
Transistors count	57000 millions	10200 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	18 W	65 W
Memory type	LPDDR5 - Up to 6400MHz	Up to DDR5 4800 MT/s Up to DDR4 3200 MT/s
Max. Memory	64 Gb	128 Gb
Memory Frequency	6400
Memory bandwidth	409 GByte/s	76.8 GB/s
L1 cache	4MB
L2 cache	24MB	12 MB
L3 cache	48MB	25 MB
Overclocking	No	No
Supports ECC	No	No
Part number	APL1105

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here Core i7-12700 is 11% better than M1 Max in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i7-12700 has 2 more core than M1 Max. Also keep in mind that high CPU frequency affects battery life through power consumption (relevant for laptops).

Result:
The number of parameters for which Apple M1 Max is better: 21
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i7-12700 is better: 16
However, it should be realized that all the number in the text above do not mean that taking them into account you should undividedly trust a simple comparison of these figures. Better to watch benchmarks video and read the opinion of real owners of Apple M1 Max and Intel Core i7-12700 before making a selection which of the CPUs to buy for gaming.

Apple M1 Max - all data

• Cinebench r15 score
• Cinebench r20 score
• Cinebench r23 score
• GeekBench 6, 5.2 score

• Apple M1 Max specs and review.

Intel Core i7-12700 - all data

• Cinebench r15 score
• Cinebench r20 score
• Cinebench r23 score
• GeekBench 6, 5.2 score

• Intel Core i7-12700 specs and review.