Apple M1 Max vs Intel Core i9-12900HK

Processor comparisons 21-10-2022

   Perhaps you can't decide which processor to buy, you can make a decision by looking at the Apple M1 Max vs Intel Core i9-12900HK tests and understand which is better for games or simple use for video editing, machine learning, streaming, programming, rendering. Here you can find useful information from different benchmarks or real video editing and streaming tests. A step-by-step analysis of all the technical characteristics, to make it easier to read, is presented in the form of the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of joint testing in synthetic type tests like GeekBench 6, 5.2, Blender, Dolphin Emulator, PCMark 10, MATLAB, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, SuperPi, RealBench, Gears 5, VeraCrypt, Prime95, 3DMark, Blender, 7zip, PassMark, UserBenchmark, DaVinci Resolve Studio, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), Handbrake, AIDA64, Furmark, WPrime.
   Gaming performance of processors in:

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

After looking at the data of all benchmarks and videos, you can already make an informed decision about which processor is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i9-12900HK 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 i9-12900HK

66%

This shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i9-12900HK is 9% better than M1 Max. 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 i9-12900HK

57%

The maximum result in this parameter is 100 percent, which is the performance of the most powerful processor at the moment. And of course, this is a server processor, on which no one will play 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 final table below.
List of other games in which processors were compared: NBA 2K20, Ghostrunner, Hitman 3, Half-Life: Alyx, DOTA 2A, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Monster Hunter World, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Battlefield V, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, League of Legends (LOL), Horizon Zero Dawn, Control, Metro Exodus, Forza Horizon 4, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	101.3	100.7
Valorant	115.1	114.4
Cyberpunk 2077	64.5	64.1
Apex Legends	108.2	107.5
Call of Duty Warzone	86.3	85.8
Overwatch	93.2	92.7
Red Dead Redemption 2	79.4	78.9
DOOM Eternal	57.6	57.2
Warzone	89.8	89.2
Assassin's Creed	96.7	96.1
Valheim	95.5	94.9

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 participating in the comparisons not only were the equipped with different amounts of RAM and different video cards. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 2K, FullHD or 4K. Therefore, the game benchmark data is approximate. But all video cards met the average system requirements of games. To be sure exactly how much performance 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 i9-12900HK

141%

To make a finishing resolution on which processor is better, you should also consider the generation of its core. The newer the processor generation, the better its performance in games and benchmarks, as well as its energy efficiency. In this case the M1 Max is more energy efficient than the Core i9-12900HK as it consumes less power: 18W vs. 45W. Power consumption is particularly important for laptops. And TDP should be taken into account when choosing a processor cooling system. It is necessary to count 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 machine learning, video rendering or video editing, programming, streaming, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to reach maximum efficiency, the CPU includes all threads and cores that it has. You will learn this data from the benchmark tables below. Before using the data from these tests, be sure to check whether the program you are going to use on your computer supports multi-threaded mode. Because there are still many programs that can use only one core to work, 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 i9-12900HK
Cinbench 15 Single-core	313	479
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	1811	5047
Cinbench 20 Single-core	617	800
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	3106	11221
Cinbench 23 Single-core	2360	2838
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	12204	32291

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

	Apple M1 Max	Intel Core i9-12900HK
Single-Core	5344	7395
Multi-Core	34572	55205

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

	Apple M1 Max	Intel Core i9-12900HK
Single-Core	1793	1916
Multi-Core	13028	12420

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the processor release date and overclocking capability will be the most useful. The newer the processor, 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. If the processor can be overclocked, increasing its performance, then it will still be able to produce maximum FPS in new games. It turns out that there is no longer a need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The savings are obvious!

	Apple M1 Max	Intel Core i9-12900HK
Announcement date	October 07, 2021	January 07, 2022
Type	Laptop;Desktop	Laptop
Socket	M1	FCBGA1744
Core name	8x Firestorm and 2x Icestorm	Alder Lake
Architecture	hybrid (big.LITTLE)	x86
Generation	1	12
Turbo Frequency		5 MHz
Frequency	3.2 MHz	3.8 MHz
Cores	10	14
Threads	10	20
Bus rate		16 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	5 nm	7 nm
Transistors count	57000 millions	12400 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	18 W	45 W
Memory type	LPDDR5 - Up to 6400MHz	Up to DDR5 4800 MT/s Up to DDR4 3200 MT/s Up to LPDDR5 5200 MT/s Up to LPDDR4x 4267 MT/s
Max. Memory	64 Gb	64 Gb
Memory Frequency	6400	6400
Memory bandwidth	409 GByte/s	108 GB/s
L1 cache	4MB	2 MB
L2 cache	24MB	8 MB
L3 cache	48MB	24 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 i9-12900HK is 15% better than M1 Max in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i9-12900HK has 4 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: 18
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i9-12900HK is better: 17
Although it should be realized that all the data that you have looked at here do not mean that taking them into account you should completely trust a simple quantitative comparison. Better to watch the testing video and read the opinion of real owners of Apple M1 Max and Intel Core i9-12900HK before making a selection which processor to buy for gaming and which not.

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 i9-12900HK - all data

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

• Intel Core i9-12900HK specs and review.