Intel Core i9-13900K vs Apple M1X

Processor comparisons 28-08-2021

   Let's say you are thinking about choosing a processor, you will be able to make a choice by looking at the Intel Core i9-13900K vs Apple M1X tests and see which is better for games or simple use for machine learning, rendering, streaming, programming, video editing. Here is useful information from real video editing and streaming tests or many benchmarks. A thorough analysis 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 joint testing in special test applications like PassMark, Blender, Handbrake, 3DMark, DaVinci Resolve Studio, Prime95, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), Furmark, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, Gears 5, Dolphin Emulator, PCMark 10, VeraCrypt, UserBenchmark, Blender, 7zip, RealBench, GeekBench 6, 5.2, AIDA64, SuperPi, WPrime, MATLAB.
   And how good the processors are in games:

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

After reading the results these benchmarks and videos, you already be able to figure out which CPU is better to buy for gaming Apple M1X or Intel Core i9-13900K.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i9-13900K

68%

M1X

58%

The number of this parameter shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i9-13900K is 14% better than M1X. The data source is several popular tests. More detailed information of the benchmarks is below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i9-13900K

64%

M1X

55%

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

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	114.3	97.6
Valorant	129.9	110.9
Cyberpunk 2077	72.7	62.1
Apex Legends	122.1	104.2
Call of Duty Warzone	97.4	83.2
Overwatch	105.2	89.8
Red Dead Redemption 2	89.6	76.5
DOOM Eternal	64.9	55.4
Warzone	101.3	86.5
Assassin's Creed	109.1	93.1
Valheim	107.8	92.0

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

Core i9-13900K

66%

M1X

161%

To make a final decision 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 M1X is more energy efficient than the Core i9-13900K since it has less power consumption: 125W vs. 35W. 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

Let's say you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for streaming, machine learning, programming, video editing or video rendering, then first of all you need to pay attention to the performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, the CPU includes all cores and threads that it has to the maximum to achieve maximum performance. You will learn this data from the benchmark tables below. Before you take into account the data from these tests, be sure to find out whether the program 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 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

	Intel Core i9-13900K	Apple M1X
Cinbench 15 Single-core	531	270
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	5603	2615
Cinbench 20 Single-core	887	629
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	12458	5732
Cinbench 23 Single-core	3150	1628
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	35852	14587

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

	Intel Core i9-13900K	Apple M1X
Single-Core	2879	3485
Multi-Core	61110	28843

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

	Intel Core i9-13900K	Apple M1X
Single-Core	2502	1695
Multi-Core	25761	9389

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 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 continue to maintain maximum FPS in new 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 i9-13900K	Apple M1X
Announcement date	December 13, 2022	February 12, 2021
Type	Desktop	Laptop;Desktop
Socket	FCLGA1700	M1X
Core name	Raptor Lake	8x Firestorm;4x Icestorm
Architecture	x86	hybrid (big.LITTLE)
Generation	13	1
Turbo Frequency	5.8 MHz
Frequency	4.3 MHz	3.2 MHz
Cores	24	12
Threads	32	12
Bus rate	16 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	7 nm	5 nm
Transistors count	14200 millions	24000 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	125 W	35 W
Memory type	Up to DDR5 5600 MT/s Up to DDR4 3200 MT/s	LPDDR4 - Up to 4266MHz
Max. Memory	128 Gb
Memory Frequency	6500	4266
Memory bandwidth	89.6 GB/s
L1 cache	2 MB	12MB
L2 cache	8 MB	28MB
L3 cache	36 MB	64MB
Overclocking	yes	No
Supports ECC	Yes	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 Core i9-13900K is 25% better than M1X in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i9-13900K has 12 more core than M1X. 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 i9-13900K is better: 33
The number of parameters for which Apple M1X is better: 5
However, it should be realized that the summary data in the article above do not mean that taking them into account you should undividedly trust a simple comparison of these figures. Be sure to watch the video tests and read the reviews of real owners of Intel Core i9-13900K and Apple M1X before making a decision which of the CPUs to buy for gaming.

Intel Core i9-13900K - all data

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

• Intel Core i9-13900K specs and review.

• Apple M1X specs and review.