Apple M2 Max vs Intel Core i7-12800HL

Processor comparisons   22-10-2022
   Let's say you have difficulties with the choice of a CPU, you will solve them by reading the detailed tests Apple M2 Max vs Intel Core i7-12800HL and understand which is better for games or normal use for video editing, programming, machine learning, rendering, streaming. Here you can find useful information from various benchmarks or real video editing and streaming tests. A step-by-step analysis of all the technical characteristics, to make it easier to understand, is summarized in the table.
   From the video comparison, you can get the results of parallel examination in special test applications such as PassMark, GeekBench 6, 5.2, SuperPi, UserBenchmark, MATLAB, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), Dolphin Emulator, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, Furmark, WPrime, 3DMark, Handbrake, Blender, Blender, VeraCrypt, RealBench, AIDA64, Prime95, 7zip, PCMark 10, DaVinci Resolve Studio, Gears 5.
   Gaming performance of CPUs in:

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

After looking at the data these benchmarks and videos, you already be able to know which processor is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i7-12800HL 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 i7-12800HL

60%

This shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, M2 Max is 3% better than Core i7-12800HL. 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 i7-12800HL

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

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	106.0	100.6
Valorant	120.4	114.3
Cyberpunk 2077	67.4	64.0
Apex Legends	113.2	107.4
Call of Duty Warzone	90.3	85.7
Overwatch	97.5	92.6
Red Dead Redemption 2	83.1	78.9
DOOM Eternal	60.2	57.1
Warzone	93.9	89.1
Assassin's Creed	101.2	96.0
Valheim	99.9	94.8

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 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: 4K, 2K 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 compare it in one assembly with the video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

M2 Max

465%

Core i7-12800HL

128%

To make a finishing resolution 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 M2 Max is more energy efficient than the Core i7-12800HL as it consumes less power: 15W vs. 45W. Power consumption is especially 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 plan to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for streaming, video rendering or video editing, programming, machine learning, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to reach maximum performance, the processor uses all cores and threads that it has. You will learn this data from the benchmark tables below. Before using the data from these tests, be sure to make sure that the program that you are going to use on your computer can work in multi-threaded mode. Because 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 i7-12800HL
Cinbench 15 Single-core	389	448
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	2220	3274
Cinbench 20 Single-core	761	1072
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	3801	7432
Cinbench 23 Single-core	2204	2510
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	17142	24506

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

	Apple M2 Max	Intel Core i7-12800HL
Single-Core	6536	5878
Multi-Core	42246	34310

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

	Apple M2 Max	Intel Core i7-12800HL
Single-Core	2096	1738
Multi-Core	17617	12317

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the most useful will be the release date of the processor and the possibility of overclocking it. The newer the processor, the longer it will last you. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system in the future. The same can be said about overclocking. If the processor can be overclocked, thereby increasing its performance, then it will continue to maintain maximum FPS in the newest games. Accordingly, you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The savings are obvious!

	Apple M2 Max	Intel Core i7-12800HL
Announcement date	October 20, 2022	September 28, 2022
Type	Desktop;Laptop	Embedded
Socket	M2	FCBGA1744
Core name	8x Avalanche and 4x Blizzard	Alder Lake
Architecture	hybrid (big.LITTLE)	x86
Generation	2	12
Turbo Frequency		4.8 MHz
Frequency	3.49 MHz	2.4 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	45 W
Memory type	LPDDR5 - Up to 6400MHz	Up to DDR5 4800 MT/s Up to DDR4 3200 MT/s
Max. Memory	64 Gb	64 Gb
Memory Frequency	6400
Memory bandwidth	412 GByte/s	51.2 GB/s
L1 cache	4MB
L2 cache	24MB
L3 cache	48MB	24 MB
Overclocking	No	No
Supports ECC	No	No
Part number		Expansion Options

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here M2 Max is 31% better than Core i7-12800HL in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i7-12800HL 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 i7-12800HL is better: 12
Although it should be realized that all the number in the article above do not mean that you should be guided entirely by them and trust a simple quantitative comparison. Better to watch benchmarks video and read the opinion of of people who bought Apple M2 Max and Intel Core i7-12800HL 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 i7-12800HL - all data

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

• Intel Core i7-12800HL specs and review.