Apple M1 Max (32-GPU) vs Intel Core i9-12900K

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CPU comparison with benchmarks

-VS-

CPU lineage

Apple M1 Max (32-GPU) or Apple M1 Max (32-GPU) – which processor offers superior performance? In this comparison, we examine disparities and assess which of these two CPUs outperforms the other. We delve into technical specifications and benchmark outcomes.
The Apple M1 Max (32-GPU) features 10 processor cores and has the capability to manage 10 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q3/2021 and belongs to the 1 generation of the Apple M series series.
The Intel Core i9-12900K features 16 processor cores and has the capability to manage 24 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q4/2021 and belongs to the 12 generation of the Intel Core i9 series.
To use the Intel Core i9-12900K, you'll need a motherboard with a LGA 1700 socket.
Mobile Segment Desktop / Server
Apple M1 Max (32-GPU) Name Intel Core i9-12900K
Apple M series Family Intel Core i9
1 Generation 12
Apple M1 Group Intel Core i 12000
 
 

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

The Apple M1 Max (32-GPU) has 10 CPU cores and can calculate 10 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the A-Core is 3.2 GHz.
The number of CPU cores greatly affects the speed of the processor and is an important performance indicator.
Processors with hybrid (big.LITTLE) architecture strike a balance between performance and power efficiency, making them ideal for mobile devices.
The Intel Core i9-12900K has 16 CPU cores and can calculate 24 threads in parallel.
None None 5.2 GHz
2.06 GHz B-Core Frequency 2.4 GHz
3.2 GHz A-Core Frequency 3.2 GHz
2x Icestorm Cores B 8x Gracemont
8x Firestorm Cores A 8x Golden Cove
No Overclocking Yes
hybrid (big.LITTLE) Core architecture hybrid (big.LITTLE)
None None 3.9 GHz
10 Threads 24
No Hyperthreading Yes
10 CPU Cores 16
 
 

Internal Graphics

The Apple M1 Max (32-GPU) has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the Apple M1 Max (32-GPU) uses the Apple M1 Max (32 Core), which has 4096 texture shaders
and 512 execution units.
The iGPU uses the system's main memory as graphics memory and sits on the processor's die.
The Intel Core i9-12900K has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the Intel Core i9-12900K uses the Intel UHD Graphics 770, which has 256 texture shaders
and 32 execution units.
1.3 GHz GPU frequency 0.3 GHz
Q3/2021 Release date Q4/2021
-- Direct X 12
Apple M1 Max (32 Core) GPU name Intel UHD Graphics 770
5 nm Technology 10 nm
-- Max. displays --
4096 Shaders 256
32.0 GB Max. GPU Memory 64.0 GB
512 Execution units 32
1 Generation 11
-- GPU (Turbo) 1.55 GHz
 
 

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

16 Neural cores @ 11 TOPS AI specifications --
Apple Neural Engine AI hardware --
 
 

Hardware codec support

A photo or video codec that is accelerated in hardware can greatly accelerate the working speed of a processor and extend the battery life of notebooks or smartphones when playing videos.
Decode AVC Decode / Encode
Decode VC-1 Decode
Decode / Encode VP9 Decode / Encode
Decode / Encode h265 / HEVC (10 bit) Decode / Encode
Decode / Encode h264 Decode / Encode
Decode VP8 Decode / Encode
Decode / Encode h265 / HEVC (8 bit) Decode / Encode
Decode / Encode JPEG Decode / Encode
No AV1 Decode
 
 

Memory & PCIe

The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 64.0 GB distributed across 4 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 409.6 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 128.0 GB distributed across 2 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 76.8 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
4 Memory channels 2
64.0 GB Max. Memory 128.0 GB
pci PCIe pci
Yes AES-NI Yes
No ECC Yes
409.6 GB/s Bandwidth 76.8 GB/s
LPDDR5-6400 Memory type DDR4-3200, DDR5-4800
 
 

Thermal Management

The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 30 W watts.
TDP indicates the cooling solution needed to effectively manage the processor's heat. It generally provides an approximate indication of the actual power consumption of the CPU itself.
The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 125 W watts.
60 W TDP up None
-- Tjunction max 100 °C
None TDP (PL2) 241 W
30 W TDP (PL1 / PBP) 125 W
 
 

Technical details

The Apple M1 Max (32-GPU) is manufactured using a 5 nm process.
A smaller manufacturing process indicates a more contemporary and energy-efficient CPU.
A substantial cache can significantly enhance the processor's performance, particularly in scenarios like gaming.
The Intel Core i9-12900K is manufactured using a 10 nm process.
In total, this processor boasts a generous 30.0 MB cache.
Q3/2021 Release date Q4/2021
APL 1104 Part Number BX8071512900K
28.0 MB L2-Cache 14.0 MB
Apple Virtualization Framework Virtualization VT-x, VT-x EPT, VT-d
Rosetta 2 x86-Emulation ISA extensions SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX2, AVX2+
Chiplet Chip design Monolithic
M1 Architecture Alder Lake S
5 nm Technology 10 nm
Socket LGA 1700
macOS Operating systems Windows 10, Linux, Windows 11
-- Release price 589 $
Technical data sheet Documents Technical data sheet
ARMv8-A64 (64 bit) Instruction set (ISA) x86-64 (64 bit)
0 bytes L3-Cache 30.0 MB
 
 

Benchmarks

Estimated results for PassMark CPU Mark

Intel Core i9-12900K
16C 24T @ 3.2 GHz
40902
40902
Apple M1 Max (32-GPU)
10C 10T @ 3.2 GHz
22255
22255

Cinebench R23 (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i9-12900K
16C 24T @ 3.2 GHz
27472
27472
Apple M1 Max (32-GPU)
10C 10T @ 3.2 GHz
12402
12402

Geekbench 5, 64bit (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i9-12900K
16C 24T @ 3.2 GHz
17595
17595
Apple M1 Max (32-GPU)
10C 10T @ 3.2 GHz
12693
12693

Geekbench 6 (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i9-12900K
16C 24T @ 3.2 GHz
16244
16244
Apple M1 Max (32-GPU)
10C 10T @ 3.2 GHz
12439
12439

Geekbench 6 (Single-Core)

Intel Core i9-12900K
16C 24T @ 3.2 GHz
2560
2560
Apple M1 Max (32-GPU)
10C 10T @ 3.2 GHz
2397
2397

Cinebench R23 (Single-Core)

Intel Core i9-12900K
16C 24T @ 3.2 GHz
1997
1997
Apple M1 Max (32-GPU)
10C 10T @ 3.2 GHz
1534
1534

Geekbench 5, 64bit (Single-Core)

Intel Core i9-12900K
16C 24T @ 3.2 GHz
1990
1990
Apple M1 Max (32-GPU)
10C 10T @ 3.2 GHz
1783
1783

Blender 3.1 Benchmark

Intel Core i9-12900K
16C 24T @ 3.2 GHz
364
364
Apple M1 Max (32-GPU)
10C 10T @ 3.2 GHz
192
192