Apple M2 Pro vs Intel Core i7-12700

Processor comparisons 22-10-2022

   If you can't decide which CPU to buy, you can make a choice by looking at the Apple M2 Pro vs Intel Core i7-12700 tests and understand which is better for games or simple use for rendering, machine learning, streaming, video editing, programming. Here is useful information from many benchmarks or real video editing and streaming tests. A thorough analysis of all the specifications, so that it can be easier to understand, is made by the table.
   From the video comparison, you can get the results of parallel examination in software tests such as GeekBench 6, 5.2, VeraCrypt, PCMark 10, AIDA64, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), Furmark, UserBenchmark, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, Blender, DaVinci Resolve Studio, RealBench, MATLAB, Gears 5, PassMark, WPrime, SuperPi, Dolphin Emulator, Handbrake, 7zip, Blender, 3DMark, Prime95.
   And how good the processors are in games:

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

After looking at the data of all benchmarks and videos, you already be able to know which CPU is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i7-12700 or Apple M2 Pro.

Summary benchmark results

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

M2 Pro

61%

Core i7-12700

59%

This parameter shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, M2 Pro is 3% better than Core i7-12700. The data source is several popular tests. Detailed information can be found below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

M2 Pro

59%

Core i7-12700

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

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	104.8	100.0
Valorant	119.1	113.7
Cyberpunk 2077	66.7	63.7
Apex Legends	111.9	106.9
Call of Duty Warzone	89.3	85.3
Overwatch	96.5	92.1
Red Dead Redemption 2	82.2	78.4
DOOM Eternal	59.5	56.8
Warzone	92.9	88.7
Assassin's Creed	100.0	95.5
Valheim	98.8	94.4

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 tested computers not only did they have 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. 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 Pro

496%

Core i7-12700

85%

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 Pro is more energy efficient than the Core i7-12700 since it has less power consumption: 14W vs. 65W. 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

For example you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for video rendering or video editing, streaming, programming, machine learning, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, the CPU uses 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 check whether the software you are going to use on your computer supports multi-threaded mode. Since there are still many programs that can 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 Pro	Intel Core i7-12700
Cinbench 15 Single-core	366	431
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	2078	3140
Cinbench 20 Single-core	714	1029
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	3555	7127
Cinbench 23 Single-core	2063	2408
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	16023	23496

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

	Apple M2 Pro	Intel Core i7-12700
Single-Core	6111	5637
Multi-Core	39485	32896

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

	Apple M2 Pro	Intel Core i7-12700
Single-Core	2085	1667
Multi-Core	16467	11810

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 in your computer. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system later. The same can be said about overclocking. If the processor can be overclocked, increasing its performance, then it will still be able to produce maximum FPS in the newest games. The savings are obvious! Accordingly, there is no longer a need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer.

	Apple M2 Pro	Intel Core i7-12700
Announcement date	October 20, 2022	January 07, 2022
Type	Desktop;Laptop	Desktop
Socket	M2	FCLGA1700
Core name	8x Avalanche and 4x Blizzard	Alder Lake
Architecture	hybrid (big.LITTLE)	x86
Generation	2	12
Turbo Frequency		4.9 MHz
Frequency	3.49 MHz	3.6 MHz
Cores	12	12
Threads	12	20
Bus rate		8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	4 nm	7 nm
Transistors count	42000 millions	10200 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	14 W	65 W
Memory type	LPDDR5 - Up to 6400MHz	Up to DDR5 4800 MT/s Up to DDR4 3200 MT/s
Max. Memory	32 Gb	128 Gb
Memory Frequency	6400
Memory bandwidth	208 GByte/s	76.8 GB/s
L1 cache	4MB
L2 cache	24MB	12 MB
L3 cache	36MB	25 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 Core i7-12700 is 3% better than M2 Pro 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 Pro is better: 23
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i7-12700 is better: 13
Although it should be understood that all the figures in the article above do not mean that taking them into account you should undividedly trust a simple comparison of these figures. Be sure to watch the video tests and read the opinion of of people who bought Apple M2 Pro and Intel Core i7-12700 before making a decision which of the processors to buy for gaming.

Apple M2 Pro - all data

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

• Apple M2 Pro specs and review.

Intel Core i7-12700 - all data

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

• Intel Core i7-12700 specs and review.