Intel Core i9-7980XE vs Apple M1

Processor comparisons   17-03-2021
   Let's say you can't decide which CPU to buy, you can make a decision after reading the detailed tests Intel Core i9-7980XE vs Apple M1 and understand which is better for games or normal use for programming, streaming, video editing, rendering, machine learning. Here is all information from real streaming and video editing tests or several benchmarks. A thorough analysis of all the technical characteristics, to make it easier to understand, is presented in the form of the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of parallel examination in software tests such as GeekBench 6, 5.2, RealBench, Blender, MATLAB, 7zip, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), AIDA64, DaVinci Resolve Studio, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, VeraCrypt, Dolphin Emulator, PCMark 10, Prime95, 3DMark, WPrime, Handbrake, SuperPi, Furmark, UserBenchmark, Blender, Gears 5, PassMark.
   Gaming performance of processors in:

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

After looking at the data of parallel benchmarks and videos, you can already make an briefed decision about which processor is better to buy for gaming Apple M1 or Intel Core i9-7980XE.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i9-7980XE

58%

56%

This shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i9-7980XE is 3% better than M1. The data source is several popular tests. More detailed information of the benchmarks is below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i9-7980XE

60%

54%

The maximum result in this parameter is 100 percent, which is the performance of the most powerful processor currently available. And it is clear that 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 little game result, just look at the FPS that it produces in real games in the final table below.
List of other games in which CPU comparisons were performed: Monster Hunter World, Control, Ghostrunner, Hitman 3, Forza Horizon 4, Horizon Zero Dawn, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, League of Legends (LOL), Microsoft Flight Simulator, NBA 2K20, Battlefield V, DOTA 2A, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Metro Exodus, Half-Life: Alyx, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Shadow of the Tomb Raider.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	107.0	95.8
Valorant	121.6	108.9
Cyberpunk 2077	68.1	61.0
Apex Legends	114.3	102.4
Call of Duty Warzone	91.2	81.7
Overwatch	98.5	88.2
Red Dead Redemption 2	83.9	75.1
DOOM Eternal	60.8	54.5
Warzone	94.9	84.9
Assassin's Creed	102.2	91.5
Valheim	100.9	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 participating in the comparisons not only were the equipped with different amounts of RAM and different video cards. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 2K, FullHD or 4K. Therefore, 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 compare it in one assembly with the video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

Core i9-7980XE

23%

388%

To make a final 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 M1 is more energy efficient than the Core i9-7980XE since it has less power consumption: 165W vs. 15W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. And TDP should be taken into account when choosing a processor cooling system. 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

If you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for streaming, programming, 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 CPU includes 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 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 benefit 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 i9-7980XE	Apple M1
Cinbench 15 Single-core	184	209
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	3455	1163
Cinbench 20 Single-core	446	402
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	7671	1987
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1281	1512
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	28196	7782

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

	Intel Core i9-7980XE	Apple M1
Single-Core	2490	3413
Multi-Core	29612	22028

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

	Intel Core i9-7980XE	Apple M1
Single-Core	1158	1746
Multi-Core	18658	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 in the future. The same can be said about overclocking. If the processor can be overclocked, thereby increasing its performance, then it will continue to maintain maximum FPS in new games. The economy are obvious! It turns out that there is no longer a need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer.

	Intel Core i9-7980XE	Apple M1
Announcement date	April 01, 2017	October 01, 2020
Type	Desktop	Laptop
Socket	FCLGA2066	M1
Core name	Skylake	4x Firestorm;4x Icestorm
Architecture	x86	hybrid (big.LITTLE)
Generation	9	1
Turbo Frequency	4.2 MHz
Frequency	2.6 MHz	3.2 MHz
Cores	18	8
Threads	36	16
Bus rate	8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	14 nm	5 nm
Transistors count	7800 millions	16000 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	165 W	15 W
Memory type	DDR4-2666	LPDDR4 - Up to 4266MHz
Max. Memory	128 Gb
Memory Frequency		4266
Memory bandwidth	85 GB/s
L1 cache		2MB
L2 cache		16MB
L3 cache	24.75 MB
Overclocking	Yes	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 i9-7980XE in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i9-7980XE has 10 more core than M1. 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 i9-7980XE is better: 26
The number of parameters for which Apple M1 is better: 12
However, it should be understood that all the data in the table above do not mean that taking them into account you should totally trust a simple comparison of these figures. Better to watch benchmarks video and read the reviews of of people who bought Intel Core i9-7980XE and Apple M1 before making a selection which CPU to buy for gaming and which not.

• Intel Core i9-7980XE specs and review.

• Apple M1 specs and review.