Intel Core i9-9900KF vs Apple M1

Processor comparisons   24-03-2021
   Let's say you can't decide which CPU to buy, you can make a choice after reading the detailed tests Intel Core i9-9900KF vs Apple M1 and understand which is better for games or simple use for streaming, programming, rendering, machine learning, video editing. Here is useful information from real video editing and streaming tests or different benchmarks. A careful analysis of all the specifications, to make it easier to read, is presented in the form of the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of joint testing in special testing software like VeraCrypt, Dolphin Emulator, 3DMark, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), UserBenchmark, GeekBench 6, 5.2, Blender, Furmark, PassMark, 7zip, AIDA64, SuperPi, DaVinci Resolve Studio, MATLAB, Handbrake, Blender, Gears 5, Prime95, PCMark 10, RealBench, WPrime, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark.
   And how good the processors are in games:

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

After reading the results 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 i9-9900KF.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i9-9900KF

55%

56%

This value shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, M1 is 1% better than Core i9-9900KF. The data source is several popular tests. More detailed information of the benchmarks is below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i9-9900KF

55%

54%

For the maximum in this test, the results of the most powerful processor in the site database are taken. 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 small 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: Horizon Zero Dawn, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Ghostrunner, League of Legends (LOL), PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), NBA 2K20, Control, Monster Hunter World, Half-Life: Alyx, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Metro Exodus, Battlefield V, Forza Horizon 4, Hitman 3, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), DOTA 2A.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	97.5	95.8
Valorant	110.8	108.9
Cyberpunk 2077	62.0	61.0
Apex Legends	104.1	102.4
Call of Duty Warzone	83.1	81.7
Overwatch	89.7	88.2
Red Dead Redemption 2	76.4	75.1
DOOM Eternal	55.4	54.5
Warzone	86.4	84.9
Assassin's Creed	93.1	91.5
Valheim	92.0	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 tested computers 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. You will get more accurate information about how powerful 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 i9-9900KF

48%

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 i9-9900KF as it consumes less power: 95W 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 video rendering or video editing, machine learning, streaming, programming, then first of all you need to pay attention to the performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to achieve maximum performance, the CPU includes all threads and cores that it has. You will learn this data from the benchmark tables below. Before using the data from these tests, be sure to find out whether the software 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 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 i9-9900KF	Apple M1
Cinbench 15 Single-core	219	209
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	2245	1163
Cinbench 20 Single-core	518	402
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	4995	1987
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1284	1512
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	12450	7782

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

	Intel Core i9-9900KF	Apple M1
Single-Core	2970	3413
Multi-Core	18847	22028

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

	Intel Core i9-9900KF	Apple M1
Single-Core	1383	1746
Multi-Core	9304	7683

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 you. 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, thereby increasing its performance, then it will still be able to produce maximum FPS in the newest games. Accordingly, you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The economy are obvious!

	Intel Core i9-9900KF	Apple M1
Announcement date	April 01, 2019	October 01, 2020
Type	Desktop	Laptop
Socket	FCLGA1151-2	M1
Core name	Coffee Lake	4x Firestorm;4x Icestorm
Architecture	x86	hybrid (big.LITTLE)
Generation	9	1
Turbo Frequency	5 MHz
Frequency	3.6 MHz	3.2 MHz
Cores	8	8
Threads	16	16
Bus rate	8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	14 nm	5 nm
Transistors count	8600 millions	16000 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	95 W	15 W
Memory type	DDR4-2666	LPDDR4 - Up to 4266MHz
Max. Memory	128 Gb
Memory Frequency		4266
Memory bandwidth	41.6 GB/s
L1 cache		2MB
L2 cache		16MB
L3 cache	16 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 Core i9-9900KF is 11% better than M1 in terms of CPU frequency. 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 i9-9900KF is better: 24
The number of parameters for which Apple M1 is better: 11
However, it should be understood that all the figures in the article above do not mean that taking them into account you should fully trust a simple comparison of these numbers. Be sure to watch the testing video and read the opinion of of people who bought Intel Core i9-9900KF and Apple M1 before deciding which of the processors to buy for gaming.

Intel Core i9-9900KF - all data

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

• Intel Core i9-9900KF specs and review.

• Apple M1 specs and review.