Apple M2 Max vs Intel Core i5-12600H

Processor comparisons 22-10-2022

   If you can't decide which processor to buy, you can make a decision by looking at the Apple M2 Max vs Intel Core i5-12600H tests and see which is better for games or simple use for machine learning, rendering, streaming, programming, video editing. Here you can find useful information from real video editing and streaming tests or different benchmarks. A step-by-step analysis of all the specifications, 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 software tests like DaVinci Resolve Studio, Gears 5, Dolphin Emulator, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, 7zip, GeekBench 6, 5.2, VeraCrypt, Handbrake, 3DMark, SuperPi, Blender, WPrime, Blender, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), Prime95, Furmark, PCMark 10, RealBench, UserBenchmark, PassMark, AIDA64, MATLAB.
   And how good the CPUs are in games:

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

After reading the results of all benchmarks and videos, you already be able to understand which processor is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i5-12600H or Apple M2 Max.

Summary benchmark results

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

M2 Max

62%

Core i5-12600H

58%

The number of this parameter shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, M2 Max is 6% better than Core i5-12600H. The data source is several popular tests. More detailed information of the benchmarks is below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

M2 Max

60%

Core i5-12600H

55%

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 play games. Because this processor costs 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: Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Ghostrunner, Monster Hunter World, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Battlefield V, DOTA 2A, League of Legends (LOL), NBA 2K20, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Half-Life: Alyx, Hitman 3, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Microsoft Flight Simulator, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Horizon Zero Dawn, Forza Horizon 4, Control, Metro Exodus.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	106.0	98.4
Valorant	120.4	111.8
Cyberpunk 2077	67.4	62.6
Apex Legends	113.2	105.1
Call of Duty Warzone	90.3	83.8
Overwatch	97.5	90.5
Red Dead Redemption 2	83.1	77.1
DOOM Eternal	60.2	55.9
Warzone	93.9	87.2
Assassin's Creed	101.2	93.9
Valheim	99.9	92.8

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 tested computers not only did they have different amounts of RAM and different video cards. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: FullHD, 2K or 4K. 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

M2 Max

465%

Core i5-12600H

145%

To make a final decision 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 M2 Max is more energy efficient than the Core i5-12600H since it has less power consumption: 15W vs. 40W. Power consumption is particularly important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, it will be useful to know its TDP. You need to buy a cooler that has the TDP data specified in the specification was greater than the TDP of the compared processor.

Software benchmarks

If you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for video editing or video rendering, machine learning, streaming, programming, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, the CPU includes all threads and cores that it has to the maximum to achieve maximum efficiency. You will learn this data from the benchmark tables below. Before you take into account the data from these tests, be sure to make sure that the software that you are going to use on your computer can work in multi-threaded mode. Since there are still many programs that use only one core to run, and all the benefit of multi-core mode turns out to be unnecessary.

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

	Apple M2 Max	Intel Core i5-12600H
Cinbench 15 Single-core	389	360
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	2220	2626
Cinbench 20 Single-core	761	860
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	3801	5963
Cinbench 23 Single-core	2204	2013
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	17142	19657

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

	Apple M2 Max	Intel Core i5-12600H
Single-Core	6536	4715
Multi-Core	42246	27519

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

	Apple M2 Max	Intel Core i5-12600H
Single-Core	2096	1746
Multi-Core	17617	10166

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 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, increasing its performance, then it will continue to maintain maximum FPS in the newest games. The savings are obvious! It turns out that there is no longer a need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer.

	Apple M2 Max	Intel Core i5-12600H
Announcement date	October 20, 2022	January 07, 2022
Type	Desktop;Laptop	Laptop
Socket	M2	FCBGA1744
Core name	8x Avalanche and 4x Blizzard	Alder Lake
Architecture	hybrid (big.LITTLE)	x86
Generation	2	12
Turbo Frequency		4.5 MHz
Frequency	3.49 MHz	3.3 MHz
Cores	12	12
Threads	12	16
Bus rate		8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	4 nm	7 nm
Transistors count	68000 millions	10200 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	15 W	40 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
Memory bandwidth	412 GByte/s	45.8 GB/s
L1 cache	4MB
L2 cache	24MB
L3 cache	48MB	18 MB
Overclocking	No	No
Supports ECC	No	No
Part number

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here M2 Max is 5% better than Core i5-12600H in terms of CPU frequency. 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 M2 Max is better: 26
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i5-12600H is better: 9
Although it should be understood that all the number in the table above do not mean that taking them into account you should fully trust a simple comparison of these figures. Be sure to watch benchmarks video and read the opinion of of people who bought Apple M2 Max and Intel Core i5-12600H before making a decision which CPU to buy for gaming and which not.

Apple M2 Max - all data

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

• Apple M2 Max specs and review.

Intel Core i5-12600H - all data

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

• Intel Core i5-12600H specs and review.