Intel Core i9-12900K vs Apple M1 Max (32-GPU). Specifications, performance, tests

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

• CPU group
  Intel Core i 12000 Apple M1
• Family
  12th Generation Intel Core i9 Processors Apple M series
• Generation
  12 1
• Predecessor
  Intel Core i9-11900K -
• Processor Number
  i9-12900K -
• Segment
  Desktop Mobile
• Successor
  Intel Core i9-13900K -

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

• A-Core
  8x Golden Cove 8x Firestorm
• B-Core
  8x Gracemont 2x Icestorm
• Base Frequency
  3.7 GHz 3.2 GHz
• Core architecture
  hybrid (big.LITTLE) hybrid (big.LITTLE)
• CPU Cores
  16 10
• CPU Threads
  24 10
• E-core Base Clock
  2.4 GHz -
• E-core Max Turbo
  3.9 GHz -
• Efficient Cores
  8 -
• Hyperthreading / SMT
  Yes No
• Max. Boost Clock
  5.2 GHz -
• Overclocking
  Yes No
• P-core Base Clock
  3.2 GHz -
• P-core Max Turbo
  5.1 GHz -
• Performance Cores
  8 -
• Turbo Frequency (1 Core)
  5.3 GHz No turbo
• Turbo Frequency (16 Cores)
  5 GHz -
• Turbo Frequency (10 Cores)
  - No turbo

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
  32 512
• Generation
  12 1
• GPU Frequency
  400 MHz 1300 MHz
• GPU name
  Intel UHD Graphics 770 Apple M1 Max (32 Core)
• GPU Turbo
  1550 MHz No turbo
• Graphics Base Frequency
  300 MHz -
• Graphics Output
  eDP 1.4b, DP 1.4a, HDMI 2.1 -
• Max. displays
  4 3
• Max. GPU Memory
  16 GB 32 GB
• Release date
  Q4/2021 Q3/2021
• Shader
  256 4096
• Technology
  10 nm 5 nm

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

• AV1
  Decode No
• H.264 / AVC
  Decode / Encode Conflicting source values: Decode | 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 Apple M1 Max (32-GPU) and Intel Core i9-12900K. Depending on the motherboards, higher or lower memory frequencies may be supported.

• ECC
  Yes No
• Max. Memory
  128 GB 64 GB
• Memory channels
  2 4
• Memory type
  Up to DDR5 4800 MT/s Up to DDR4 3200 MT/s LPDDR5-6400
• PCIe lanes
  20 -
• PCIe version
  5.0 and 4.0 -
• PCIe
  - 4.0

• AES-NI
  Yes Yes

Compare the TDP requirements of TDP Intel Core i9-12900K and Apple M1 Max (32-GPU) 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 -
• Maximum Turbo Power
  241 W -
• Processor Base Power (PBP)
  125 W -
• TDP (PL1, legacy label)
  125 W 30 W
• TDP (PL2)
  228 W / 56 s -
• TDP up
  - 60 W

Architecture, interfaces, additional instructions supported by Intel Core i9-12900K and Apple M1 Max (32-GPU), virtual machine technologies and process technology.

• Architecture
  Alder Lake S M1
• Cache (manufacturer label)
  30 MB Intel Smart Cache -
• Codename
  Products formerly Alder Lake -
• Instruction set (ISA)
  x86-64 (64 bit) ARMv8-A64 (64 bit)
• ISA extensions
  SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX2, AVX2+ Rosetta 2 x86-Emulation
• L2-Cache
  Conflicting source values: 14 MB (Total cache capacity) | 3.75 MB 28 MB
• L3-Cache
  30 MB -
• Marketing Status (manufacturer label)
  Launched -
• Part Number
  BX8071512900K APL 1104
• Release date
  Q4/2021 Q3/2021
• Socket
  FCLGA1700 -
• Technology
  Intel 7 (Manufacturer process designation) 5 nm
• Use Conditions
  PC/Client/Tablet, Workstation -
• Virtualization
  VT-x, VT-x EPT, VT-d None