Apple M2 Max (38-GPU) vs Intel Core i9-13900KS

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CPU comparison with benchmarks

-VS-

CPU lineage

Apple M2 Max (38-GPU) or Apple M2 Max (38-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 M2 Max (38-GPU) features 12 processor cores and has the capability to manage 12 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q1/2023 and belongs to the 2 generation of the Apple M series series.
The Intel Core i9-13900KS features 24 processor cores and has the capability to manage 32 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q1/2023 and belongs to the 13 generation of the Intel Core i9 series.
To use the Intel Core i9-13900KS, you'll need a motherboard with a LGA 1700 socket.
Apple M2 Group Intel Core i 13000
2 Generation 13
Apple M2 Max (38-GPU) Name Intel Core i9-13900KS
Mobile Segment Desktop / Server
Apple M series Family Intel Core i9
 
 

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

The Apple M2 Max (38-GPU) has 12 CPU cores and can calculate 12 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the A-Core is 3.5 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 i9-13900KS has 24 CPU cores and can calculate 32 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the A-Core is 3.2 GHz.
2.8 GHz B-Core Frequency 2.4 GHz
None None 6.0 GHz
hybrid (big.LITTLE) Core architecture hybrid (big.LITTLE)
8x Avalanche Cores A 8x Raptor Cove
12 CPU Cores 24
No Overclocking Yes
No Hyperthreading Yes
None None 4.3 GHz
3.5 GHz A-Core Frequency 3.2 GHz
4x Blizzard Cores B 16x Gracemont
12 Threads 32
 
 

Internal Graphics

The Apple M2 Max (38-GPU) has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the Apple M2 Max (38-GPU) uses the Apple M2 Max (38 Core), which has 4864 texture shaders
and 608 execution units.
The iGPU uses the system's main memory as graphics memory and sits on the processor's die.
The Intel Core i9-13900KS has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the Intel Core i9-13900KS uses the Intel UHD Graphics 770, which has 256 texture shaders
and 32 execution units.
-- GPU (Turbo) 1.65 GHz
5 nm Technology 10 nm
-- Direct X 12
96.0 GB Max. GPU Memory 64.0 GB
608 Execution units 32
Q1/2023 Release date Q4/2021
Apple M2 Max (38 Core) GPU name Intel UHD Graphics 770
4864 Shaders 256
1.4 GHz GPU frequency 0.3 GHz
2 Generation 11
-- Max. displays --
 
 

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

16 Neural cores @ 15.8 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 / Encode h265 / HEVC (8 bit) Decode / Encode
Decode / Encode VP9 Decode / Encode
Decode VP8 Decode / Encode
Decode VC-1 Decode
Decode / Encode JPEG Decode / Encode
Decode / Encode h264 Decode / Encode
Decode / Encode h265 / HEVC (10 bit) Decode / Encode
Decode AVC Decode / Encode
No AV1 Decode
 
 

Memory & PCIe

The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 96.0 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 89.6 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
LPDDR5-6400 Memory type DDR4-3200, DDR5-5600
409.6 GB/s Bandwidth 89.6 GB/s
Yes AES-NI Yes
No ECC Yes
pci PCIe pci
96.0 GB Max. Memory 128.0 GB
4 Memory channels 2
 
 

Thermal Management

The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 45 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 150 W watts.
None TDP up 320 W
None TDP (PL2) 253 W
45 W TDP (PL1 / PBP) 150 W
100 °C Tjunction max 100 °C
 
 

Technical details

The Apple M2 Max (38-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 i9-13900KS is manufactured using a 10 nm process.
In total, this processor boasts a generous 36.0 MB cache.
Apple Virtualization Framework Virtualization VT-x, VT-x EPT, VT-d
5 nm Technology 10 nm
ARMv8-A64 (64 bit) Instruction set (ISA) x86-64 (64 bit)
Rosetta 2 x86-Emulation ISA extensions SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX2, AVX2+
-- Part Number --
Chiplet Chip design Monolithic
Q1/2023 Release date Q1/2023
-- Release price 699 $
36.0 MB L2-Cache 32.0 MB
Technical data sheet Documents Technical data sheet
0 bytes L3-Cache 36.0 MB
Socket LGA 1700
macOS, iPadOS Operating systems Windows 10, Linux, Windows 11
M2 Architecture Raptor Lake S
 
 

Benchmarks

Estimated results for PassMark CPU Mark

Intel Core i9-13900KS
24C 32T @ 3.2 GHz
62340
62340
Apple M2 Max (38-GPU)
12C 12T @ 3.5 GHz
26310
26310

Cinebench R23 (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i9-13900KS
24C 32T @ 3.2 GHz
40986
40986
Apple M2 Max (38-GPU)
12C 12T @ 3.5 GHz
14855
14855

Geekbench 5, 64bit (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i9-13900KS
24C 32T @ 3.2 GHz
24854
24854
Apple M2 Max (38-GPU)
12C 12T @ 3.5 GHz
15506
15506

Geekbench 6 (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i9-13900KS
24C 32T @ 3.2 GHz
20947
20947
Apple M2 Max (38-GPU)
12C 12T @ 3.5 GHz
14207
14207

Geekbench 6 (Single-Core)

Intel Core i9-13900KS
24C 32T @ 3.2 GHz
2997
2997
Apple M2 Max (38-GPU)
12C 12T @ 3.5 GHz
2689
2689