Apple M2 Max vs Intel Core i7-12650HX

Processor comparisons   22-10-2022
   Let's say you can't decide which CPU to buy, you can make a choice after reading the comprehensive tests Apple M2 Max vs Intel Core i7-12650HX and see which is better for games or simple use for video editing, machine learning, programming, rendering, streaming. Here is all information from real streaming and video editing tests or different benchmarks. A careful analysis of all the technical characteristics, so that it can be easier to understand, is summarized in the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of joint testing in software tests such as RealBench, SuperPi, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, Dolphin Emulator, 7zip, AIDA64, VeraCrypt, WPrime, Blender, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), PassMark, Furmark, Blender, Prime95, Handbrake, DaVinci Resolve Studio, PCMark 10, MATLAB, 3DMark, GeekBench 6, 5.2, Gears 5, UserBenchmark.
   And how good the processors are in games:

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

After looking at the data of parallel benchmarks and videos, you already be able to understand which CPU is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i7-12650HX 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 i7-12650HX

59%

This value shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, M2 Max is 4% better than Core i7-12650HX. 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 i7-12650HX

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

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	106.0	100.2
Valorant	120.4	113.9
Cyberpunk 2077	67.4	63.8
Apex Legends	113.2	107.0
Call of Duty Warzone	90.3	85.4
Overwatch	97.5	92.2
Red Dead Redemption 2	83.1	78.6
DOOM Eternal	60.2	56.9
Warzone	93.9	88.8
Assassin's Creed	101.2	95.6
Valheim	99.9	94.5

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. 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 i7-12650HX

124%

To make a finishing choice 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 i7-12650HX since it has less power consumption: 15W vs. 55W. Power consumption is especially 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

If you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for machine learning, streaming, video editing or video rendering, programming, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to achieve maximum performance, the processor uses all threads and cores that it has. You will learn this data from the benchmark tables below. Before you take into account the data from these tests, be sure to check whether the software you are going to use on your computer supports multi-threaded mode. Because 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 i7-12650HX
Cinbench 15 Single-core	389	428
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	2220	3094
Cinbench 20 Single-core	761	1018
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	3801	7017
Cinbench 23 Single-core	2204	2373
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	17142	23118

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

	Apple M2 Max	Intel Core i7-12650HX
Single-Core	6536	5551
Multi-Core	42246	32362

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

	Apple M2 Max	Intel Core i7-12650HX
Single-Core	2096	2059
Multi-Core	17617	11959

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 i7-12650HX
Announcement date	October 20, 2022	June 24, 2022
Type	Desktop;Laptop	Laptop
Socket	M2	FCBGA1964
Core name	8x Avalanche and 4x Blizzard	Alder Lake
Architecture	hybrid (big.LITTLE)	x86
Generation	2	12
Turbo Frequency		4.7 MHz
Frequency	3.49 MHz	3.3 MHz
Cores	12	14
Threads	12	20
Bus rate		8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	4 nm	7 nm
Transistors count	68000 millions	10200 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	15 W	55 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	412 GByte/s	76.8 GB/s
L1 cache	4MB
L2 cache	24MB
L3 cache	48MB	24 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 i7-12650HX in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i7-12650HX 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: 24
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i7-12650HX is better: 13
However, it should be realized that the summary data in the table above do not mean that you should be guided entirely by them and trust a simple quantitative comparison. Be sure to watch benchmarks video and read the reviews of real owners of Apple M2 Max and Intel Core i7-12650HX before making a choice which of the CPUs to buy for gaming.

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 i7-12650HX - all data

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

• Intel Core i7-12650HX specs and review.