Intel Core i9-7960X vs Apple M1X

Processor comparisons 17-03-2021

   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 i9-7960X vs Apple M1X 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 M1X or Intel Core i9-7960X.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i9-7960X

58%

M1X

58%

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i9-7960X

60%

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 the cost of this processor reaches several tens of thousands of dollars. And if it seems to you 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 other games in which processors were compared: Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Metro Exodus, League of Legends (LOL), DOTA 2A, Ghostrunner, Half-Life: Alyx, Forza Horizon 4, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Monster Hunter World, Horizon Zero Dawn, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Control, NBA 2K20, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Battlefield V, Hitman 3.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	106.9	97.6
Valorant	121.4	110.9
Cyberpunk 2077	68.0	62.1
Apex Legends	114.2	104.2
Call of Duty Warzone	91.1	83.2
Overwatch	98.4	89.8
Red Dead Redemption 2	83.8	76.5
DOOM Eternal	60.7	55.4
Warzone	94.7	86.5
Assassin's Creed	102.0	93.1
Valheim	100.8	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 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: FullHD, 2K or 4K. 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 i9-7960X

22%

M1X

161%

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 M1X is more energy efficient than the Core i9-7960X since it has less power consumption: 165W vs. 35W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, you need to know its TDP. It is necessary to calculate so that the TDP data specified in the cooler specification is 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 i9-7960X	Apple M1X
Cinbench 15 Single-core	184	270
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	3161	2615
Cinbench 20 Single-core	611	629
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	5496	5732
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1103	1628
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	22189	14587

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

	Intel Core i9-7960X	Apple M1X
Single-Core	2605	3485
Multi-Core	27039	28843

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

	Intel Core i9-7960X	Apple M1X
Single-Core	1113	1695
Multi-Core	18501	9389

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the processor release date and overclocking capability will be the most helpful. The newer the processor, the longer it will last in your computer. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system later. The same can be said about overclocking. When the processor can be overclocked, increasing its performance, then it will still be able to produce maximum FPS in new games. Accordingly, there is no longer a need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The economy are obvious!

	Intel Core i9-7960X	Apple M1X
Announcement date	October 01, 2017	February 12, 2021
Type	Desktop	Laptop;Desktop
Socket	FCLGA2066	M1X
Core name	Skylake	8x Firestorm;4x Icestorm
Architecture	x86	hybrid (big.LITTLE)
Generation	7	1
Turbo Frequency	4.2 MHz
Frequency	2.8 MHz	3.2 MHz
Cores	16	12
Threads	32	12
Bus rate	8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography		5 nm
Transistors count	7800 millions	24000 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	165 W	35 W
Memory type	DDR4-2666	LPDDR4 - Up to 4266MHz
Max. Memory	128 Gb
Memory Frequency		4266
Memory bandwidth	85 GB/s
L1 cache		12MB
L2 cache		28MB
L3 cache	22 MB	64MB
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 M1X is 12% better than Core i9-7960X in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i9-7960X has 4 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 i9-7960X is better: 22
The number of parameters for which Apple M1X is better: 15
Although it should be understood that all the data in the article above do not mean that you should be guided entirely by them and trust a simple quantitative comparison. Better to watch the testing video and read the opinion of real owners of Intel Core i9-7960X and Apple M1X before making a decision which of the CPUs to buy for gaming.

• Intel Core i9-7960X specs and review.

• Apple M1X specs and review.