Intel Core i5-11400F vs Apple M1

Processor comparisons 19-03-2021

   Let's say you are thinking about choosing a CPU, you will be able to make a choice after reading the detailed tests Intel Core i5-11400F vs Apple M1 and decide which is better for games or normal use for machine learning, programming, streaming, video editing, rendering. Here you can find useful information from real streaming and video editing tests or several benchmarks. A thorough review of all the specifications, so that it can be 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 Handbrake, MATLAB, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, PCMark 10, DaVinci Resolve Studio, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), Dolphin Emulator, Blender, RealBench, Prime95, VeraCrypt, UserBenchmark, PassMark, Furmark, 7zip, Gears 5, AIDA64, SuperPi, WPrime, GeekBench 6, 5.2, Blender, 3DMark.
   And how good the processors are in games:

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

After looking at the data of all benchmarks and videos, you can already make an informed decision about which processor is better to buy for gaming Apple M1 or Intel Core i5-11400F.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i5-11400F

55%

56%

The number of this parameter shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, M1 is 1% better than Core i5-11400F. The data source is several popular tests. More detailed information of the benchmarks is below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i5-11400F

55%

54%

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 play games. Because the cost of this processor reaches 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 final 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	98.4	95.8
Valorant	111.8	108.9
Cyberpunk 2077	62.6	61.0
Apex Legends	105.1	102.4
Call of Duty Warzone	83.9	81.7
Overwatch	90.6	88.2
Red Dead Redemption 2	77.1	75.1
DOOM Eternal	55.9	54.5
Warzone	87.2	84.9
Assassin's Creed	93.9	91.5
Valheim	92.8	90.4

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

Core i5-11400F

118%

388%

To make a final choice 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 M1 is more energy efficient than the Core i5-11400F as it consumes less power: 65W vs. 15W. 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 machine learning, streaming, programming, video rendering or video editing, then first of all you need to pay attention to the performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to achieve maximum efficiency, the CPU includes all cores and threads that it has. 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. Since there are still many programs that can use only one core to work, 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

	Intel Core i5-11400F	Apple M1
Cinbench 15 Single-core	180	209
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	1726	1163
Cinbench 20 Single-core	421	402
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	3865	1987
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1099	1512
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	10233	7782

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

	Intel Core i5-11400F	Apple M1
Single-Core	2451	3413
Multi-Core	18669	22028

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

	Intel Core i5-11400F	Apple M1
Single-Core	2309	1746
Multi-Core	10184	7683

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the processor release date and overclocking capability will be the most helpful. The later the processor is released, the longer it will last in your computer. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system later. The same benefits from the presence of overclocking. If the processor can be overclocked, increasing its performance, then it will continue to maintain maximum FPS in the newest games. Accordingly, there is no longer a need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The savings are obvious!

	Intel Core i5-11400F	Apple M1
Announcement date	January 20, 2021	October 01, 2020
Type	Desktop	Laptop
Socket	FCLGA1200	M1
Core name	Rocket Lake	4x Firestorm;4x Icestorm
Architecture	x86	hybrid (big.LITTLE)
Generation	11	1
Turbo Frequency	4.4 MHz
Frequency	2.6 MHz	3.2 MHz
Cores	6	8
Threads	12	16
Bus rate	8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	14 nm	5 nm
Transistors count	5400 millions	16000 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	65 W	15 W
Memory type	DDR4-3200	LPDDR4 - Up to 4266MHz
Max. Memory	128 Gb
Memory Frequency	3200	4266
Memory bandwidth	50 GB/s
L1 cache		2MB
L2 cache	3 MB	16MB
L3 cache	12 MB
Overclocking	No	No
Supports ECC	No	No
Part number		APL1102

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here M1 is 18% better than Core i5-11400F in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that M1 has 2 more core than Core i5-11400F. Also keep in mind that high CPU frequency affects battery life through power consumption (relevant for laptops).

Result:
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i5-11400F is better: 25
The number of parameters for which Apple M1 is better: 12
All the figures in the text above do not mean that taking them into account you should completely trust a simple quantitative comparison. Better to watch benchmarks video and read the opinion of real owners of Intel Core i5-11400F and Apple M1 before making a selection which processor to buy for gaming and which not.

Intel Core i5-11400F - all data

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

• Intel Core i5-11400F specs and review.

• Apple M1 specs and review.