Apple M1 vs Intel Core i5-8279U

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CPU comparison with benchmarks

-VS-

CPU lineage

Apple M1 or Apple M1 – 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 features 8 processor cores and has the capability to manage 8 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q4/2020 and belongs to the 1 generation of the Apple M series series.
The Intel Core i5-8279U features 4 processor cores and has the capability to manage 8 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q2/2019 and belongs to the 8 generation of the Intel Core i5 series.
To use the Intel Core i5-8279U, you'll need a motherboard with a BGA 1528 socket.
Apple M1 Group Intel Core i 8000U
1 Generation 8
Mobile Segment Mobile
Apple M1 Name Intel Core i5-8279U
Apple M series Family Intel Core i5
 
 

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

The Apple M1 has 8 CPU cores and can calculate 8 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 i5-8279U has 4 CPU cores and can calculate 8 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the Intel Core i5-8279U is 2.4 GHz
and turbo frequency for one core is 4.1 GHz.
8 Threads 8
2.06 GHz B-Core Frequency None
None None 4x
8 CPU Cores 4
hybrid (big.LITTLE) Core architecture normal
4x Firestorm Cores A None
No Hyperthreading Yes
3.2 GHz A-Core Frequency None
No Overclocking No
4x Icestorm Cores B None
None None 4.1 GHz
None None 2.4 GHz
None None 3.6 GHz
 
 

Internal Graphics

The Apple M1 has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the Apple M1 uses the Apple M1 (8 Core), which has 1024 texture shaders
and 128 execution units.
The iGPU uses the system's main memory as graphics memory and sits on the processor's die.
The Intel Core i5-8279U has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the Intel Core i5-8279U uses the Intel Iris Plus Graphics 655, which has 384 texture shaders
and 48 execution units.
1024 Shaders 384
Q4/2020 Release date Q4/2017
5 nm Technology 14 nm
-- Direct X 12
8.0 GB Max. GPU Memory 32.0 GB
-- Max. displays --
128 Execution units 48
1.3 GHz GPU frequency 0.3 GHz
1 Generation 9.5
-- GPU (Turbo) 1.15 GHz
Apple M1 (8 Core) GPU name Intel Iris Plus Graphics 655
 
 

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 VP8 Decode / Encode
Decode VC-1 Decode
Decode / Encode JPEG Decode / Encode
No AV1 No
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 16.0 GB distributed across 2 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 68.2 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 32.0 GB distributed across 2 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 38.4 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
LPDDR4X-4266 Memory type DDR4-2400
No ECC No
16.0 GB Max. Memory 32.0 GB
2 Memory channels 2
68.2 GB/s Bandwidth 38.4 GB/s
 
 

Thermal Management

The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 15 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 28 W watts.
10 W TDP down None
20 W TDP up None
15 W TDP (PL1 / PBP) 28 W
-- Tjunction max --
 
 

Technical details

The Apple M1 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 i5-8279U is manufactured using a 14 nm process.
In total, this processor boasts a generous 6.0 MB cache.
Q4/2020 Release date Q2/2019
Apple Virtualization Framework Virtualization VT-x, VT-x EPT, VT-d
Rosetta 2 x86-Emulation ISA extensions SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX2
5 nm Technology 14 nm
Chiplet Chip design Monolithic
-- Release price 320 $
M1 Architecture Coffee Lake U
0 bytes L3-Cache 6.0 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)
APL 1102 Part Number --
Socket BGA 1528
16.0 MB L2-Cache 0 bytes
 
 

Benchmarks

Estimated results for PassMark CPU Mark

Apple M1
8C 8T @ 3.2 GHz
14463
14463
Intel Core i5-8279U
4C 8T @ 2.4 GHz
7965
7965

Geekbench 6 (Multi-Core)

Apple M1
8C 8T @ 3.2 GHz
8576
8576
Intel Core i5-8279U
4C 8T @ 2.4 GHz
4382
4382

Geekbench 5, 64bit (Multi-Core)

Apple M1
8C 8T @ 3.2 GHz
7650
7650
Intel Core i5-8279U
4C 8T @ 2.4 GHz
3953
3953

Geekbench 6 (Single-Core)

Apple M1
8C 8T @ 3.2 GHz
2369
2369
Intel Core i5-8279U
4C 8T @ 2.4 GHz
1255
1255

Geekbench 5, 64bit (Single-Core)

Apple M1
8C 8T @ 3.2 GHz
1742
1742
Intel Core i5-8279U
4C 8T @ 2.4 GHz
1035
1035