Apple M1 Pro (10-CPU 14-GPU) vs Intel Core i9-12950HX. Specifications, performance, tests

Comprehensive background on the processors being compared, detailing their series, generation, and targeted market segment.

• Family
  Apple M series Intel Core i9
• CPU group
  Apple M1 Intel Core i 12000H
• Segment
  Mobile Mobile
• Generation
  1 12
• Predecessor
  -- No
• Successor
  -- No

Essential parameters including the number of cores, threads, base and turbo frequencies, and cache size. These metrics provide insight into the processor’s speed—higher values generally indicate better performance.

• Core architecture
  hybrid (big.LITTLE) hybrid
• Frequency
  3.20 GHz 2.30 GHz
• Turbo (1 Core)
  No turbo No
• Hyperthreading
  No Yes
• Overclocking
  No Yes

The integrated graphics (iGPU) do not influence the CPU performance significantly; they serve as a substitute for a dedicated graphics card in the absence of one or are utilized in mobile devices.

• GPU name
  Apple M1 Pro (14 Core) Intel UHD Graphics 770
• GPU frequency
  1.30 GHz 0.30 GHz
• GPU (Turbo)
  No turbo No turbo
• Execution units
  224 32
• Shader
  1792 256
• Max. GPU Memory
  32 GB 16 GB
• Max. displays
  3 3
• Generation
  1 11
• Technology
  5 nm 10 nm
• Release date
  Q3/2021 Q4/2021

This section details the built-in codecs used for encoding and decoding media content, which significantly enhance processing speed and efficiency.

• h265 / HEVC (8 bit)
  Decode / Encode Decode / Encode
• h265 / HEVC (10 bit)
  Decode / Encode Decode / Encode
• h264
  Decode / Encode Decode / Encode
• VP8
  Decode Decode / Encode
• VP9
  Decode / Encode Decode / Encode
• AV1
  No Decode
• AVC
  Decode Decode / Encode
• VC-1
  Decode Decode
• JPEG
  Decode / Encode Decode / Encode

Overview of the types and quantities of RAM supported by Intel Core i9-12950HX and Apple M1 Pro (10-CPU 14-GPU). The supported memory frequencies may vary depending on the motherboard configuration.

• Memory type
  LPDDR5-6400 DDR4-3200 DDR5-4800 LPDDR4X-4266 LPDDR5-5200
• Max. Memory
  32 GB 128 GB
• Memory channels
  2 2
• ECC
  No Yes
• PCIe
  4.0 5.0 x 20

Analyze the TDP (Thermal Design Power) requirements of Apple M1 Pro (10-CPU 14-GPU) and Intel Core i9-12950HX to make an informed decision on the appropriate cooling system. Remember that TDP refers to thermal watts, not electrical watts.

• TDP (PL1)
  30 W 55 W
• TDP (PL2)
  -- 157 W
• TDP up
  40 W No
• TDP down
  -- 45 W
• Tjunction max.
  -- 100 °C

Information on architecture, interfaces, and additional instructions supported by Apple M1 Pro (10-CPU 14-GPU) and Intel Core i9-12950HX, including virtual machine technologies and fabrication processes.

• Instruction set (ISA)
  ARMv8-A64 (64 bit) x86-64 (64 bit)
• ISA extensions
  Rosetta 2 x86-Emulation SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX2, AVX2+
• L2-Cache
  28.00 MB 14.00 MB
• L3-Cache
  -- 30.00 MB
• Architecture
  M1 Alder Lake H
• Technology
  5 nm 10 nm
• Virtualization
  None VT-x, VT-x EPT, VT-d
• Socket
  N/A BGA 1744
• Release date
  Q3/2021 Q2/2022