Apple M2 vs Intel Core i7-12700K. Specifications, performance, tests

Background information about the processors being compared, series, generation and market segment.

• CPU group
  Apple M2 Intel Core i 12000
• Family
  Apple M series 12th Generation Intel Core i7 Processors
• Generation
  2 12
• Predecessor
  - Intel Core i7-11700K
• Segment
  Mobile Desktop
• Processor Number
  - i7-12700K

Core counts, threads, cache and clock modes describe the CPU configuration. Performance depends on the workload and comparable measured results.

• A-Core
  4x Avalanche 8x Golden Cove
• B-Core
  4x Blizzard 4x Gracemont
• Base Frequency
  3.5 GHz 3.6 GHz
• Core architecture
  hybrid (big.LITTLE) hybrid (big.LITTLE)
• CPU Cores
  8 12
• CPU Threads
  8 20
• Hyperthreading / SMT
  No Yes
• Overclocking
  No Yes
• Turbo Frequency (1 Core)
  No turbo 5 GHz
• Turbo Frequency (8 Cores)
  No turbo -
• E-core Base Clock
  - 2.7 GHz
• E-core Max Turbo
  - 3.8 GHz
• Efficient Cores
  - 4
• Max. Boost Clock
  - 5 GHz
• P-core Base Clock
  - 3.6 GHz
• P-core Max Turbo
  - 4.9 GHz
• Performance Cores
  - 8
• Turbo Frequency (12 Cores)
  - 4.7 GHz

Internal Graphics does not affect the performance of the CPU, performs the work of the graphics card in its absence or on mobile devices.

• DirectX Version
  - 12
• Execution units
  128 32
• Generation
  2 12
• GPU Frequency
  3500 MHz 400 MHz
• GPU name
  Apple M2 (8 Core) Intel UHD Graphics 770
• GPU Turbo
  No turbo 1500 MHz
• Max. displays
  3 4
• Max. GPU Memory
  16 GB 16 GB
• Release date
  Q1/2022 Q4/2021
• Shader
  0 256
• Technology
  5 nm 10 nm
• Graphics Base Frequency
  - 300 MHz
• Graphics Output
  - eDP 1.4b, DP 1.4a, HDMI 2.1

Built-in codecs used to encode and decode content. Significantly speeds up the required operations.

• AV1
  Decode Decode
• H.264 / AVC
  Conflicting source values: Decode | Decode / Encode Decode / Encode
• h265 / HEVC (8 bit)
  Decode / Encode Decode / Encode
• h265 / HEVC (10 bit)
  Decode / Encode Decode / Encode
• JPEG
  Decode / Encode Decode / Encode
• VC-1
  Decode Decode
• VP8
  Decode Decode
• VP9
  Decode / Encode Decode / Encode

Types, channel quantity of RAM supported by Intel Core i7-12700K and Apple M2. Depending on the motherboards, higher or lower memory frequencies may be supported.

• ECC
  No Yes
• Max. Memory
  16 GB 128 GB
• Memory channels
  2 2
• Memory type
  LPDDR5-5500 Up to DDR5 4800 MT/s Up to DDR4 3200 MT/s
• PCIe lanes
  - 20
• PCIe version
  4.0 5.0 and 4.0

• AES-NI
  Yes Yes

Compare the TDP requirements of TDP Apple M2 and Intel Core i7-12700K Power specifications describe different manufacturer limits. TDP, base power and maximum turbo power are separate values; they do not establish measured system consumption.

• Maximum Operating Temperature
  - 100 °C
• TDP (PL1, legacy label)
  15 W 125 W
• TDP (PL2)
  - 228 W / 56 s
• TDP down
  10 W -
• TDP up
  20 W -
• Maximum Turbo Power
  - 190 W
• Processor Base Power (PBP)
  - 125 W

Architecture, interfaces, additional instructions supported by Apple M2 and Intel Core i7-12700K, virtual machine technologies and process technology.

• Architecture
  M2 Alder Lake S
• 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
  16 MB Conflicting source values: 12 MB (Total cache capacity) | 2.5 MB
• L3-Cache
  - 25 MB
• Part Number
  - BX8071512700K
• Release date
  Q1/2022 Q4/2021
• Socket
  - FCLGA1700
• Technology
  5 nm Intel 7 (Manufacturer process designation)
• Virtualization
  None VT-x, VT-x EPT, VT-d
• Cache (manufacturer label)
  - 25 MB Intel Smart Cache
• Codename
  - Products formerly Alder Lake
• Marketing Status (manufacturer label)
  - Launched
• Use Conditions
  - PC/Client/Tablet, Workstation