Apple M2 vs Intel Core i5-12400

Processor comparisons   20-10-2022
   For example you are thinking about choosing a CPU, you will be able to make a decision after reading the detailed tests Apple M2 vs Intel Core i5-12400 and decide which is better for games or normal use for machine learning, streaming, video editing, rendering, programming. Here you can find useful information from real video editing and streaming tests or different benchmarks. A step-by-step analysis of all the technical characteristics, to make it easier to understand, is made by the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of parallel examination in special test applications such as World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, Prime95, RealBench, Blender, VeraCrypt, MATLAB, PassMark, Handbrake, AIDA64, Dolphin Emulator, Gears 5, GeekBench 6, 5.2, UserBenchmark, 3DMark, DaVinci Resolve Studio, Furmark, WPrime, PCMark 10, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), SuperPi, 7zip, Blender.
   And how good the processors are in games:

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

After looking at the data of all benchmarks and videos, you already be able to understand which processor is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i5-12400 or Apple M2.

Summary benchmark results

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

59%

Core i5-12400

57%

This shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, M2 is 3% better than Core i5-12400. The data source is several popular tests. Detailed information can be found below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

55%

Core i5-12400

55%

The maximum result in this parameter is 100 percent, which is the performance of the most powerful processor currently available. And of course, 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 less popular games in which processors were compared: League of Legends (LOL), Monster Hunter World, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, DOTA 2A, Forza Horizon 4, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), NBA 2K20, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Ghostrunner, Hitman 3, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Horizon Zero Dawn, Metro Exodus, Half-Life: Alyx, Control, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Battlefield V.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	97.4	97.5
Valorant	110.7	110.8
Cyberpunk 2077	62.0	62.0
Apex Legends	104.1	104.1
Call of Duty Warzone	83.0	83.1
Overwatch	89.7	89.7
Red Dead Redemption 2	76.4	76.4
DOOM Eternal	55.4	55.4
Warzone	86.4	86.4
Assassin's Creed	93.0	93.0
Valheim	91.9	91.9

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 amounts of RAM and different video cards. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 2K, 4K or FullHD. Therefore, 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

535%

Core i5-12400

91%

To make a final decision 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 is more energy efficient than the Core i5-12400 since it has less power consumption: 12W vs. 65W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, you need 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

Let's say you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for programming, streaming, video editing or video rendering, machine learning, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to reach maximum efficiency, the CPU 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 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 advantages 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	Intel Core i5-12400
Cinbench 15 Single-core	298	337
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	1586	2465
Cinbench 20 Single-core	558	808
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	2699	5598
Cinbench 23 Single-core	2057	1889
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	10520	18452

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

	Apple M2	Intel Core i5-12400
Single-Core	4095	4427
Multi-Core	29665	25834

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

	Apple M2	Intel Core i5-12400
Single-Core	1929	1785
Multi-Core	9243	9275

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the most helpful 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 benefits from the presence of overclocking. When the processor can be overclocked, thereby increasing its performance, then it will continue to maintain maximum FPS in the newest games. It turns out that there is no longer a need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The savings are obvious!

	Apple M2	Intel Core i5-12400
Announcement date	October 18, 2022	January 07, 2022
Type	Laptop	Desktop
Socket	M2	FCBGA1744
Core name	4 x Avalanche and 4 x Blizzard	Alder Lake
Architecture	hybrid (big.LITTLE)	x86
Generation	2	12
Turbo Frequency		4.4 MHz
Frequency	3.49 MHz	3.3 MHz
Cores	8	6
Threads	8	12
Bus rate		8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	5 nm	7 nm
Transistors count	20000 millions	10200 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	12 W	65 W
Memory type	LPDDR5 - Up to 6400MHz	Up to DDR5 4800 MT/s Up to DDR4 3200 MT/s
Max. Memory		128 Gb
Memory Frequency	2400
Memory bandwidth		76.8 GB/s
L1 cache	2MB
L2 cache	12MB
L3 cache	16MB	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 is 5% better than Core i5-12400 in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that M2 has 2 more core than Core i5-12400. 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 is better: 12
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i5-12400 is better: 17
However, it should be understood that all the figures in the article above do not mean that taking them into account you should completely trust a simple comparison of these numbers. Be sure to watch the testing video and read the opinion of real owners of Apple M2 and Intel Core i5-12400 before making a choice which CPU to buy for gaming and which not.

Apple M2 - all data

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

• Apple M2 specs and review.

Intel Core i5-12400 - all data

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

• Intel Core i5-12400 specs and review.