Apple M2 vs Intel Core i5-13500

Processor comparisons 20-10-2022

   Let's say you are thinking about choosing a processor, you will be able to make a choice by looking at the Apple M2 vs Intel Core i5-13500 tests and decide which is better for games or simple use for programming, machine learning, rendering, video editing, streaming. Here is all information from real streaming and video editing tests or many benchmarks. A thorough analysis of all the specifications, so that it can be easier to read, is summarized in the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of joint testing in software tests such as AIDA64, WPrime, SuperPi, VeraCrypt, 3DMark, UserBenchmark, RealBench, MATLAB, Blender, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, Dolphin Emulator, Handbrake, DaVinci Resolve Studio, PCMark 10, 7zip, PassMark, Gears 5, Prime95, Blender, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), GeekBench 6, 5.2, Furmark.
   And how good the processors are in games:

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

After reading the results of parallel benchmarks and videos, you already be able to know which CPU is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i5-13500 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 i5-13500

61%

This parameter shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i5-13500 is 3% better than M2. The data source is several popular tests. Detailed information can be found below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

55%

Core i5-13500

59%

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

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	97.4	104.0
Valorant	110.7	118.2
Cyberpunk 2077	62.0	66.2
Apex Legends	104.1	111.1
Call of Duty Warzone	83.0	88.6
Overwatch	89.7	95.7
Red Dead Redemption 2	76.4	81.6
DOOM Eternal	55.4	59.1
Warzone	86.4	92.2
Assassin's Creed	93.0	99.3
Valheim	91.9	98.1

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: 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 get acquainted with the benchmarks that are made with the same video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

535%

Core i5-13500

94%

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 i5-13500 as it consumes less power: 12W vs. 65W. Power consumption is particularly important for laptops. And TDP should be taken into account when choosing a processor cooling system. 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

For example you plan to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for streaming, programming, video editing or video rendering, machine learning, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, the CPU turns on all cores and threads that it has to the maximum to reach maximum performance. You will find out 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 run, 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	Intel Core i5-13500
Cinbench 15 Single-core	298	336
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	1586	3353
Cinbench 20 Single-core	558	549
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	2699	7434
Cinbench 23 Single-core	2057	1895
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	10520	21360

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

	Apple M2	Intel Core i5-13500
Single-Core	4095	1732
Multi-Core	29665	36394

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

	Apple M2	Intel Core i5-13500
Single-Core	1929	1846
Multi-Core	9243	15694

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 later the processor is released, the longer it will last in your computer. 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 new games. Accordingly, you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The savings are obvious!

	Apple M2	Intel Core i5-13500
Announcement date	October 18, 2022	September 23, 2022
Type	Laptop	Desktop
Socket	M2	FCLGA1700
Core name	4 x Avalanche and 4 x Blizzard	Raptor Lake
Architecture	hybrid (big.LITTLE)	x86
Generation	2	13
Turbo Frequency		4.8 MHz
Frequency	3.49 MHz	2.5 MHz
Cores	8	14
Threads	8	20
Bus rate		16 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	5 nm	7 nm
Transistors count	20000 millions	14200 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	4800
Memory bandwidth		68 GB/s
L1 cache	2MB	2 MB
L2 cache	12MB	4 MB
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 28% better than Core i5-13500 in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i5-13500 has 6 more core than M2. 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 i5-13500 is better: 27
However, it should be understood that all the figures that you have looked at here do not mean that taking them into account you should entirely trust a simple quantitative comparison. Better to watch the testing video and read the opinion of of people who bought Apple M2 and Intel Core i5-13500 before making a selection 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 i5-13500 - all data

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

• Intel Core i5-13500 specs and review.