Apple M2 vs Intel Core i9-13900

Processor comparisons 20-10-2022

   Let's say you are thinking about choosing a processor, you will be able to make a choice after reading the detailed tests Apple M2 vs Intel Core i9-13900 and understand which is better for games or simple use for video editing, rendering, machine learning, programming, streaming. Here is useful information from real video editing and streaming tests or several benchmarks. A thorough review of all the technical characteristics, to make it easier to understand, is summarized in the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of parallel examination in special testing software like Blender, UserBenchmark, PassMark, Gears 5, DaVinci Resolve Studio, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, Prime95, Dolphin Emulator, Blender, WPrime, MATLAB, 3DMark, Furmark, 7zip, SuperPi, Handbrake, PCMark 10, RealBench, AIDA64, GeekBench 6, 5.2, VeraCrypt.
   Gaming performance of processors in:

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

After reading the results of all benchmarks and videos, you already be able to know which processor is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i9-13900 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 i9-13900

67%

This parameter shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i9-13900 is 11% 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 i9-13900

62%

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

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	97.4	110.5
Valorant	110.7	125.6
Cyberpunk 2077	62.0	70.3
Apex Legends	104.1	118.1
Call of Duty Warzone	83.0	94.2
Overwatch	89.7	101.7
Red Dead Redemption 2	76.4	86.7
DOOM Eternal	55.4	62.8
Warzone	86.4	98.0
Assassin's Creed	93.0	105.5
Valheim	91.9	104.2

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 participating in the comparing not only were the equipped with 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. 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 i9-13900

56%

To make a finishing 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 i9-13900 since it has less power consumption: 12W vs. 115W. Power consumption is particularly important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, you must 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

Let's say you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for video editing or video rendering, machine learning, streaming, programming, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to achieve maximum performance, the processor turns on all threads and cores that it has. You will find out this data from the benchmark tables below. Before using the data from these tests, be sure to make sure that the software that you are going to use on your computer can work in multi-threaded mode. Because there are still many programs that can use only one core to work, and all the benefit 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 i9-13900
Cinbench 15 Single-core	298	521
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	1586	5424
Cinbench 20 Single-core	558	865
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	2699	12052
Cinbench 23 Single-core	2057	3054
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	10520	34668

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

	Apple M2	Intel Core i9-13900
Single-Core	4095	2791
Multi-Core	29665	59086

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

	Apple M2	Intel Core i9-13900
Single-Core	1929	1965
Multi-Core	9243	22085

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 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 even in new games. The economy are obvious! Accordingly, you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer.

	Apple M2	Intel Core i9-13900
Announcement date	October 18, 2022	December 13, 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		5.6 MHz
Frequency	3.49 MHz	3 MHz
Cores	8	24
Threads	8	32
Bus rate		16 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	5 nm	7 nm
Transistors count	20000 millions	14200 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	12 W	115 W
Memory type	LPDDR5 - Up to 6400MHz	Up to DDR5 5600 MT/s Up to DDR4 3200 MT/s
Max. Memory		128 Gb
Memory Frequency	2400	6500
Memory bandwidth		89.6 GB/s
L1 cache	2MB	2 MB
L2 cache	12MB	8 MB
L3 cache	16MB	36 MB
Overclocking	No	No
Supports ECC	No	Yes
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 i9-13900 in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i9-13900 has 16 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: 6
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i9-13900 is better: 32
Although it should be understood that all the figures in the article above do not mean that taking them into account you should entirely trust a simple comparison of these numbers. Better to watch the testing video and read the reviews of real owners of Apple M2 and Intel Core i9-13900 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 i9-13900 - all data

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

• Intel Core i9-13900 specs and review.