Intel Core i7-8650U vs Apple M2

Processor comparisons   04-02-2023
   Let's say you are thinking about choosing a CPU, you will be able to make a decision after reading the full tests Intel Core i7-8650U vs Apple M2 and decide which is better for games or normal use for programming, rendering, streaming, video editing, machine learning. Here you can find useful information from real video editing and streaming tests or many benchmarks. A step-by-step analysis of all the specifications, so that it can be easier to understand, is presented in the form of the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of parallel examination in special test applications like DaVinci Resolve Studio, SuperPi, AIDA64, MATLAB, WPrime, Dolphin Emulator, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, Prime95, VeraCrypt, Gears 5, UserBenchmark, Blender, PCMark 10, Handbrake, GeekBench 6, 5.2, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), PassMark, 3DMark, Furmark, RealBench, 7zip, Blender.
   And how good the CPUs are in games:

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

After looking at the data these benchmarks and videos, you can already make an informed decision about which processor is better to buy for gaming Apple M2 or Intel Core i7-8650U.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i7-8650U

52%

59%

This value shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, M2 is 11% better than Core i7-8650U. The data source is several popular tests. Detailed information can be found below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i7-8650U

52%

55%

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

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	92.3	97.4
Valorant	104.8	110.7
Cyberpunk 2077	58.7	62.0
Apex Legends	98.6	104.1
Call of Duty Warzone	78.6	83.0
Overwatch	84.9	89.7
Red Dead Redemption 2	72.3	76.4
DOOM Eternal	52.4	55.4
Warzone	81.8	86.4
Assassin's Creed	88.1	93.0
Valheim	87.0	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 that were in the comparisons not only did they have different amounts of RAM and different video cards. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: FullHD, 2K or 4K. 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

Core i7-8650U

268%

535%

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 i7-8650U since it has less power consumption: 15W vs. 12W. Power consumption is especially 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 want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for programming, streaming, video rendering or video editing, machine learning, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to achieve maximum efficiency, the processor uses all threads and cores that it has. You will find out this data from the benchmark tables below. Before you take into account 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 use only one core to run, 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

	Intel Core i7-8650U	Apple M2
Cinbench 15 Single-core	175	298
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	614	1586
Cinbench 20 Single-core	365	558
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	1299	2699
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1037	2057
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	3576	10520

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

	Intel Core i7-8650U	Apple M2
Single-Core	2237	4095
Multi-Core	6598	29665

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

	Intel Core i7-8650U	Apple M2
Single-Core	1208	1929
Multi-Core	4182	9243

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 you. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system later. The same can be said about 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 you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The economy are obvious!

	Intel Core i7-8650U	Apple M2
Announcement date	September 23, 2017	October 18, 2022
Type	Laptop	Laptop
Socket	FC-BGA1356	M2
Core name	Kaby Lake R	4 x Avalanche and 4 x Blizzard
Architecture	x86	hybrid (big.LITTLE)
Generation	8	2
Turbo Frequency	4.2 MHz
Frequency	1.9 MHz	3.49 MHz
Cores	4	8
Threads	8	8
Bus rate	4 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	14 nm	5 nm
Transistors count	1700 millions	20000 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	15 W	12 W
Memory type	DDR4-2400, LPDDR3-2133	LPDDR5 - Up to 6400MHz
Max. Memory	32 Gb
Memory Frequency		2400
Memory bandwidth	37.5 GB/s
L1 cache		2MB
L2 cache		12MB
L3 cache	8 MB	16MB
Overclocking	No	No
Supports ECC	No	No
Part number	Expansion Options

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here M2 is 45% better than Core i7-8650U in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that M2 has 4 more core than Core i7-8650U. 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 i7-8650U is better: 6
The number of parameters for which Apple M2 is better: 30
Although it should be understood that all the figures in the text above do not mean that taking them into account you should completely trust a simple comparison of these numbers. Better to watch the video tests and read the opinion of of people who bought Intel Core i7-8650U and Apple M2 before making a selection which of the processors to buy for gaming.

Intel Core i7-8650U - all data

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

• Intel Core i7-8650U specs and review.

Apple M2 - all data

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

• Apple M2 specs and review.