Apple M2 Max vs Intel Core i5-13600KF

Processor comparisons   22-10-2022
   Let's say you are thinking about choosing a CPU, you will be able to make a decision after reading the comprehensive tests Apple M2 Max vs Intel Core i5-13600KF and understand which is better for games or normal use for rendering, machine learning, streaming, video editing, programming. Here is all information from real streaming and video editing tests or various benchmarks. A careful review of all the specifications, so that it can be easier to read, is made by the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of parallel examination in software tests like Gears 5, 7zip, 3DMark, VeraCrypt, Prime95, GeekBench 6, 5.2, SuperPi, UserBenchmark, RealBench, MATLAB, DaVinci Resolve Studio, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, Blender, Furmark, WPrime, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), PassMark, PCMark 10, Handbrake, Dolphin Emulator, AIDA64, Blender.
   Gaming performance of processors in:

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

After reading the results these benchmarks and videos, you already be able to understand which CPU is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i5-13600KF 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 i5-13600KF

63%

This value shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i5-13600KF is 1% better than M2 Max. 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 i5-13600KF

58%

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. 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 summary table below.
List of other games in which CPU comparisons were performed: Battlefield V, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Forza Horizon 4, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), NBA 2K20, Horizon Zero Dawn, DOTA 2A, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Control, Half-Life: Alyx, Ghostrunner, Metro Exodus, League of Legends (LOL), Hitman 3, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Monster Hunter World.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	106.0	102.3
Valorant	120.4	116.2
Cyberpunk 2077	67.4	65.1
Apex Legends	113.2	109.2
Call of Duty Warzone	90.3	87.1
Overwatch	97.5	94.1
Red Dead Redemption 2	83.1	80.2
DOOM Eternal	60.2	58.1
Warzone	93.9	90.6
Assassin's Creed	101.2	97.6
Valheim	99.9	96.4

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 participating in the comparing not only were the equipped with 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. To be sure exactly how much performance the processor will be in games, if you get acquainted with the benchmarks that are made with the same video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

M2 Max

465%

Core i5-13600KF

45%

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 i5-13600KF as it consumes less power: 15W vs. 125W. Power consumption is particularly important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, it will be useful to know its TDP. 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

For example 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 performance, the CPU uses 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 find out whether the program 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 work, and all the benefit 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 M2 Max	Intel Core i5-13600KF
Cinbench 15 Single-core	389	390
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	2220	4188
Cinbench 20 Single-core	761	658
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	3801	9322
Cinbench 23 Single-core	2204	2352
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	17142	26841

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

	Apple M2 Max	Intel Core i5-13600KF
Single-Core	6536	2148
Multi-Core	42246	45756

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

	Apple M2 Max	Intel Core i5-13600KF
Single-Core	2096	1721
Multi-Core	17617	13972

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 newer the processor, 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. When the processor can be overclocked, increasing its performance, then it will continue to maintain maximum FPS even in new games. Accordingly, you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The economy are obvious!

	Apple M2 Max	Intel Core i5-13600KF
Announcement date	October 20, 2022	December 10, 2022
Type	Desktop;Laptop	Desktop
Socket	M2	FCLGA1700
Core name	8x Avalanche and 4x Blizzard	Raptor Lake
Architecture	hybrid (big.LITTLE)	x86
Generation	2	13
Turbo Frequency		5.1 MHz
Frequency	3.49 MHz	3.9 MHz
Cores	12	14
Threads	12	20
Bus rate		16 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	4 nm	7 nm
Transistors count	68000 millions	14200 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	15 W	125 W
Memory type	LPDDR5 - Up to 6400MHz	Up to DDR5 5600 MT/s Up to DDR4 3200 MT/s
Max. Memory	64 Gb	128 Gb
Memory Frequency	6400	6500
Memory bandwidth	412 GByte/s	89.6 GB/s
L1 cache	4MB	2 MB
L2 cache	24MB	8 MB
L3 cache	48MB	24 MB
Overclocking	No	No
Supports ECC	No	Yes
Part number

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here Core i5-13600KF is 10% better than M2 Max in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i5-13600KF has 2 more core than M2 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 M2 Max is better: 20
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i5-13600KF is better: 18
Although it should be understood that the summary data in the table above do not mean that taking them into account you should fully trust a simple comparison of these figures. Better to watch the video tests and read the opinion of of people who bought Apple M2 Max and Intel Core i5-13600KF before making a choice 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 i5-13600KF - all data

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

• Intel Core i5-13600KF specs and review.