Apple M1 Ultra (64-GPU) vs Intel Core i9-12900K

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CPU comparison with benchmarks

-VS-

CPU lineage

Apple M1 Ultra (64-GPU) or Apple M1 Ultra (64-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 Ultra (64-GPU) features 20 processor cores and has the capability to manage 20 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q1/2022 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.
Apple M1 Group Intel Core i 12000
1 Generation 12
Mobile Segment Desktop / Server
Apple M1 Ultra (64-GPU) Name Intel Core i9-12900K
Apple M series Family Intel Core i9
 
 

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

The Apple M1 Ultra (64-GPU) has 20 CPU cores and can calculate 20 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.
20 Threads 24
2.06 GHz B-Core Frequency 2.4 GHz
20 CPU Cores 16
hybrid (big.LITTLE) Core architecture hybrid (big.LITTLE)
16x Firestorm Cores A 8x Golden Cove
No Hyperthreading Yes
3.2 GHz A-Core Frequency 3.2 GHz
None None 5.2 GHz
No Overclocking Yes
4x Icestorm Cores B 8x Gracemont
None None 3.9 GHz
 
 

Internal Graphics

The Apple M1 Ultra (64-GPU) has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the Apple M1 Ultra (64-GPU) uses the Apple M1 Ultra (64 Core), which has 8192 texture shaders
and 1024 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.
8192 Shaders 256
Q1/2022 Release date Q4/2021
5 nm Technology 10 nm
-- Direct X 12
64.0 GB Max. GPU Memory 64.0 GB
-- Max. displays --
1024 Execution units 32
1.3 GHz GPU frequency 0.3 GHz
1 Generation 11
-- GPU (Turbo) 1.55 GHz
Apple M1 Ultra (64 Core) GPU name Intel UHD Graphics 770
 
 

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

32 Neural cores @ 22 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 VP8 Decode / Encode
Decode VC-1 Decode
Decode / Encode JPEG Decode / Encode
No AV1 Decode
Decode / Encode h265 / HEVC (8 bit) Decode / Encode
Decode AVC Decode / Encode
Decode / Encode h264 Decode / Encode
Decode / Encode VP9 Decode / Encode
Decode / Encode h265 / HEVC (10 bit) Decode / Encode
 
 

Memory & PCIe

The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 128.0 GB distributed across 8 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 819.2 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.
pci PCIe pci
Yes AES-NI Yes
LPDDR5-6400 Memory type DDR4-3200, DDR5-4800
No ECC Yes
128.0 GB Max. Memory 128.0 GB
8 Memory channels 2
819.2 GB/s Bandwidth 76.8 GB/s
 
 

Thermal Management

The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 60 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.
None TDP (PL2) 241 W
120 W TDP up None
60 W TDP (PL1 / PBP) 125 W
-- Tjunction max 100 °C
 
 

Technical details

The Apple M1 Ultra (64-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.
Q1/2022 Release date Q4/2021
Apple Virtualization Framework Virtualization VT-x, VT-x EPT, VT-d
Rosetta 2 x86-Emulation ISA extensions SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX2, AVX2+
5 nm Technology 10 nm
Chiplet Chip design Monolithic
-- Release price 589 $
M1 Architecture Alder Lake S
0 bytes L3-Cache 30.0 MB
macOS Operating systems Windows 10, Linux, Windows 11
Technical data sheet Documents Technical data sheet
ARMv8-A64 (64 bit) Instruction set (ISA) x86-64 (64 bit)
-- Part Number BX8071512900K
Socket LGA 1700
52.0 MB L2-Cache 14.0 MB
 
 

Benchmarks

Estimated results for PassMark CPU Mark

Apple M1 Ultra (64-GPU)
20C 20T @ 3.2 GHz
41059
41059
Intel Core i9-12900K
16C 24T @ 3.2 GHz
40902
40902

Cinebench R23 (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i9-12900K
16C 24T @ 3.2 GHz
27472
27472
Apple M1 Ultra (64-GPU)
20C 20T @ 3.2 GHz
24189
24189

Geekbench 5, 64bit (Multi-Core)

Apple M1 Ultra (64-GPU)
20C 20T @ 3.2 GHz
24055
24055
Intel Core i9-12900K
16C 24T @ 3.2 GHz
17595
17595

Geekbench 6 (Multi-Core)

Apple M1 Ultra (64-GPU)
20C 20T @ 3.2 GHz
23970
23970
Intel Core i9-12900K
16C 24T @ 3.2 GHz
16244
16244

Geekbench 6 (Single-Core)

Intel Core i9-12900K
16C 24T @ 3.2 GHz
2560
2560
Apple M1 Ultra (64-GPU)
20C 20T @ 3.2 GHz
2397
2397

Cinebench R23 (Single-Core)

Intel Core i9-12900K
16C 24T @ 3.2 GHz
1997
1997
Apple M1 Ultra (64-GPU)
20C 20T @ 3.2 GHz
1534
1534

Geekbench 5, 64bit (Single-Core)

Intel Core i9-12900K
16C 24T @ 3.2 GHz
1990
1990
Apple M1 Ultra (64-GPU)
20C 20T @ 3.2 GHz
1793
1793

Blender 3.1 Benchmark

Apple M1 Ultra (64-GPU)
20C 20T @ 3.2 GHz
379
379
Intel Core i9-12900K
16C 24T @ 3.2 GHz
364
364