Apple M2 vs Intel Core i5-12490F

Processor comparisons 20-10-2022

   Perhaps you can't decide which CPU to buy, you can make a choice by looking at the Apple M2 vs Intel Core i5-12490F tests and see which is better for games or simple use for machine learning, streaming, programming, rendering, video editing. Here is useful information from different benchmarks or real video editing and streaming tests. A step-by-step analysis of all the specifications, to make it easier to read, is presented in the form of the table.
   From the video comparison, you can get the results of parallel examination in software tests like Furmark, VeraCrypt, Gears 5, 7zip, GeekBench 6, 5.2, PCMark 10, UserBenchmark, Blender, Blender, 3DMark, RealBench, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, Handbrake, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), Dolphin Emulator, AIDA64, PassMark, WPrime, SuperPi, Prime95, DaVinci Resolve Studio, MATLAB.
   And how good the processors are in games:

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

After reading the results these benchmarks and videos, you already be able to know which processor is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i5-12490F 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 i5-12490F

58%

This parameter shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, M2 is 1% better than Core i5-12490F. The data source is several popular tests. More detailed information of the benchmarks is below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

55%

Core i5-12490F

55%

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 this processor costs several tens of thousands of dollars. Therefore, if you think 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 less popular games in which processors were compared: Monster Hunter World, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Hitman 3, Horizon Zero Dawn, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Half-Life: Alyx, Ghostrunner, Control, League of Legends (LOL), DOTA 2A, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Forza Horizon 4, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Metro Exodus, NBA 2K20, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Battlefield V.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	97.4	97.4
Valorant	110.7	110.7
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 comparisons not only were the equipped with different video cards and different amounts of RAM. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 2K, FullHD or 4K. 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 i5-12490F

99%

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 is more energy efficient than the Core i5-12490F as it consumes less power: 12W vs. 65W. 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, programming, machine learning, video rendering or video editing, then first of all you need to pay attention to the performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, the CPU uses all cores and threads that it has to the maximum to reach maximum efficiency. You will learn this data from the benchmark tables below. Before using the data from these tests, be sure to check whether the program you are going to use on your computer supports multi-threaded mode. Because there are still many programs that can use only one core to run, and all the advantages 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	Intel Core i5-12490F
Cinbench 15 Single-core	298	351
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	1586	2602
Cinbench 20 Single-core	558	849
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	2699	5918
Cinbench 23 Single-core	2057	1993
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	10520	19522

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

	Apple M2	Intel Core i5-12490F
Single-Core	4095	4680
Multi-Core	29665	27334

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

	Apple M2	Intel Core i5-12490F
Single-Core	1929	1938
Multi-Core	9243	9261

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the processor release date and overclocking capability will be the most helpful. 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, increasing its performance, then it will continue to maintain maximum FPS in the newest games. The economy are obvious! It turns out that you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer.

	Apple M2	Intel Core i5-12490F
Announcement date	October 18, 2022	January 07, 2022
Type	Laptop	Desktop
Socket	M2	FCLGA1700
Core name	4 x Avalanche and 4 x Blizzard	Alder Lake
Architecture	hybrid (big.LITTLE)	x86
Generation	2	12
Turbo Frequency		4.6 MHz
Frequency	3.49 MHz	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	7.5 ÐœÐ‘
L3 cache	16MB	20 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 14% better than Core i5-12490F in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that M2 has 2 more core than Core i5-12490F. 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: 10
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i5-12490F is better: 17
All the number in the article above do not mean that you should be guided entirely by them and trust a simple quantitative comparison. Be sure to watch the video tests and read the opinion of real owners of Apple M2 and Intel Core i5-12490F before making a choice which of the CPUs to buy for gaming.

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 i5-12490F - all data

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

• Intel Core i5-12490F specs and review.