Apple M1 Pro vs Intel Core i9-11900K

Processor comparisons 21-10-2022

   For example you can't decide which CPU to buy, you can make a decision by looking at the Apple M1 Pro vs Intel Core i9-11900K tests and decide which is better for games or normal use for machine learning, video editing, programming, streaming, rendering. Here you can find all information from real video editing and streaming tests or several benchmarks. A step-by-step analysis of all the specifications, to make it easier to understand, is made by the table.
   From the video comparison, you can get the results of parallel examination in software tests like World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, MATLAB, Prime95, Dolphin Emulator, Blender, GeekBench 6, 5.2, VeraCrypt, PassMark, RealBench, 7zip, PCMark 10, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), Gears 5, DaVinci Resolve Studio, Furmark, 3DMark, SuperPi, Blender, UserBenchmark, AIDA64, WPrime, Handbrake.
   And how good the processors are in games:

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

After reading the results of parallel benchmarks and videos, you already be able to figure out which processor is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i9-11900K or Apple M1 Pro.

Summary benchmark results

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

M1 Pro

59%

Core i9-11900K

58%

This value shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, M1 Pro is 1% better than Core i9-11900K. The data source is several popular tests. Detailed information can be found below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

M1 Pro

57%

Core i9-11900K

57%

For the maximum in this test, the results of the most powerful processor in the site database are taken. And it is clear that 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. And if it seems to you that the selected CPU has a small game result, look at the FPS that it produces in real games in the final table below.
List of less popular games in which processors were compared: DOTA 2A, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Forza Horizon 4, Monster Hunter World, Metro Exodus, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), League of Legends (LOL), Microsoft Flight Simulator, NBA 2K20, Half-Life: Alyx, Battlefield V, Control, Ghostrunner, Horizon Zero Dawn, Hitman 3.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	101.0	100.9
Valorant	114.8	114.6
Cyberpunk 2077	64.3	64.2
Apex Legends	107.9	107.8
Call of Duty Warzone	86.1	86.0
Overwatch	93.0	92.9
Red Dead Redemption 2	79.2	79.1
DOOM Eternal	57.4	57.3
Warzone	89.5	89.4
Assassin's Creed	96.4	96.3
Valheim	95.3	95.2

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 Pro

358%

Core i9-11900K

52%

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 Pro is more energy efficient than the Core i9-11900K as it consumes less power: 16W vs. 125W. 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 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 Pro	Intel Core i9-11900K
Cinbench 15 Single-core	304	284
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	1716	2575
Cinbench 20 Single-core	590	636
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	2936	5725
Cinbench 23 Single-core	2233	1653
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	11512	16475

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

	Apple M1 Pro	Intel Core i9-11900K
Single-Core	5046	3801
Multi-Core	32596	28166

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

	Apple M1 Pro	Intel Core i9-11900K
Single-Core	1723	1961
Multi-Core	12737	12631

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the most useful will be the the possibility of overclocking it and release date of the processor. The later the processor is released, the longer it will last you. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system later. 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 even 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 Pro	Intel Core i9-11900K
Announcement date	October 07, 2021	February 21, 2021
Type	Laptop	Desktop
Socket	M1	FCLGA1200
Core name	8x Firestorm and 2x Icestorm	Rocket Lake
Architecture	hybrid (big.LITTLE)	x86
Generation	1	11
Turbo Frequency		5.3 MHz
Frequency	3.2 MHz	3.5 MHz
Cores	10	8
Threads	10	16
Bus rate		8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	5 nm	14 nm
Transistors count	34000 millions	9800 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	16 W	125 W
Memory type	LPDDR5 - Up to 6400MHz	DDR4-3200
Max. Memory	32 Gb	128 Gb
Memory Frequency	6400	3200
Memory bandwidth	208 GByte/s	50 GB/s
L1 cache	4MB
L2 cache	24MB	4 MB
L3 cache	24MB	16 MB
Overclocking	No	Yes
Supports ECC	No	No
Part number	APL1103

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here Core i9-11900K is 8% better than M1 Pro in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that M1 Pro has 2 more core than Core i9-11900K. 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 Pro is better: 24
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i9-11900K is better: 14
Although it should be realized that the summary data in the text above do not mean that you should be guided entirely by them and trust a simple comparison of these figures. Be sure to watch the video tests and read the opinion of real owners of Apple M1 Pro and Intel Core i9-11900K before making a selection which of the processors to buy for gaming.

Apple M1 Pro - all data

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

• Apple M1 Pro specs and review.

Intel Core i9-11900K - all data

• Call of Duty: Warzone gaming benchmark
• Apex Legends gaming benchmark
• GTA 5 gaming benchmark
• Valorant gaming benchmark
• Red Dead Redemption 2 gaming benchmark
• Roblox gaming benchmark
• Overwatch gaming benchmark
• Fortnite gaming benchmark
• Assassin's Creed gaming benchmark
• DOOM Eternal gaming benchmark
• PUBG gaming benchmark
• Cyberpunk 2077 gaming benchmark

• Intel Core i9-11900K specs and review.