Apple M2 vs Intel Core i9-11900

Processor comparisons   20-10-2022
   If you are thinking about choosing a processor, you will be able to make a decision by looking at the Apple M2 vs Intel Core i9-11900 tests and understand which is better for games or simple use for video editing, machine learning, rendering, programming, streaming. Here you can find useful information from various benchmarks or real video editing and streaming tests. A careful review 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 joint testing in special testing software such as GeekBench 6, 5.2, Gears 5, SuperPi, Furmark, PassMark, Blender, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, Dolphin Emulator, 3DMark, MATLAB, 7zip, WPrime, RealBench, UserBenchmark, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), VeraCrypt, DaVinci Resolve Studio, Prime95, AIDA64, Handbrake, PCMark 10, Blender.
   Gaming performance of processors in:

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

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 i9-11900 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 i9-11900

58%

This shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, M2 is 1% better than Core i9-11900. The data source is several popular tests. Detailed information can be found below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

55%

Core i9-11900

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. 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 processors were compared: DOTA 2A, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, NBA 2K20, Metro Exodus, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Forza Horizon 4, Monster Hunter World, League of Legends (LOL), Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Ghostrunner, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Control, Hitman 3, Horizon Zero Dawn, Battlefield V, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Half-Life: Alyx.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	97.4	97.8
Valorant	110.7	111.1
Cyberpunk 2077	62.0	62.2
Apex Legends	104.1	104.4
Call of Duty Warzone	83.0	83.3
Overwatch	89.7	90.0
Red Dead Redemption 2	76.4	76.7
DOOM Eternal	55.4	55.5
Warzone	86.4	86.7
Assassin's Creed	93.0	93.3
Valheim	91.9	92.2

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

Power consumption

535%

Core i9-11900

87%

To make a final resolution 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 is more energy efficient than the Core i9-11900 as it consumes less power: 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

If you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for machine learning, streaming, video rendering or video editing, programming, then first of all you need to pay attention to the performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, the processor turns on 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 program you are going to use on your computer supports multi-threaded mode. Since there are still many programs that 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 i9-11900
Cinbench 15 Single-core	298	278
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	1586	2524
Cinbench 20 Single-core	558	623
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	2699	5611
Cinbench 23 Single-core	2057	1620
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	10520	16146

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

	Apple M2	Intel Core i9-11900
Single-Core	4095	3725
Multi-Core	29665	27603

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

	Apple M2	Intel Core i9-11900
Single-Core	1929	1713
Multi-Core	9243	9575

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the processor release date and overclocking capability will be the most useful. The newer the processor, 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. If the processor can be overclocked, increasing its performance, then it will still be able to produce maximum FPS in new 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 i9-11900
Announcement date	October 18, 2022	March 18, 2021
Type	Laptop	Desktop
Socket	M2	FCLGA1200
Core name	4 x Avalanche and 4 x Blizzard	Rocket Lake
Architecture	hybrid (big.LITTLE)	x86
Generation	2	11
Turbo Frequency		5.1 MHz
Frequency	3.49 MHz	2.5 MHz
Cores	8	8
Threads	8	16
Bus rate		8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	5 nm	14 nm
Transistors count	20000 millions	9800 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	12 W	65 W
Memory type	LPDDR5 - Up to 6400MHz	DDR4-3200
Max. Memory		128 Gb
Memory Frequency	2400	3200
Memory bandwidth		50 GB/s
L1 cache	2MB
L2 cache	12MB	4 MB
L3 cache	16MB	16 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 i9-11900 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 is better: 12
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i9-11900 is better: 24
Although it should be realized that all the data that you have looked at here do not mean that taking them into account you should completely trust a simple comparison of these figures. Be sure to watch the video tests and read the reviews of of people who bought Apple M2 and Intel Core i9-11900 before making a selection which processor 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 i9-11900 specs and review.