[Comparison] Intel Core i9-13900HX vs Apple M1 Pro – The Core i9 is waiting for the M2 Pro and Max
While we’re still waiting for the M2 Pro and M2 Max MacBooks to arrive at the office for testing, we have the Core i9-13900HX, which smokes out every processor that we’ve previously tested. And to compare the difference between the Pro-grade Apple Silicon and Intel’s latest and greatest Core i9, we’re comparing the Apple M2 Pro against the Core i9-13900HX.
The Core i9-13900HX is currently #1 in our Top Laptop CPU Ranking.
You can find more information about both CPUs here: Intel Core i9-13900HX / Apple M1 Pro (8-core) / Apple M1 Pro (10-core)
Specs table
| Intel Core i9-13900HX | Apple M1 Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Raptor Lake-HX | FireStorm / IceStorm |
| Cores / Threads | 24/32 | 8/8 – 10/10 |
| Clock Speeds – Base/Boost | 1.60 – 5.40GHz | 2.00 – 3.20GHz |
| Cache | 36MB | 28MB |
| Lithography | 10nm | 5nm |
| TDP | 55W | 30W |
| Memory type | DDR5-5600 | LPDDR5-6400 |
| Integrated GPU | Intel UHD Graphics 770 | Apple M1 Pro GPU (14-core) / Apple M1 Pro GPU (16-core) |
CPU benchmarks
Starting off with Cinebench R23, the Core i9 is much better than the M1 Pro, scoring 174% higher.
Results are from the Cinebench R23 CPU test (the higher the score, the better)
| CPU Benchmarks | single/multi Geekbench 5 |
|---|---|
| Intel Core i9-13900HX | 2016 (+14%) / 20306 (+104%) |
| Apple M1 Pro (8C/14C) | 1764 / 9955 |
Moving into Geekbench 5, the single-core scores are relatively close, but Intel still takes the lead with 14%. On the other hand, thanks to the 24 cores of the Core i9, compared to the 8 of the M1 Pro, the former scores 104% higher.
Conclusion
The M1 Pro is outclassed when it comes to raw horsepower, however, the chip has its benefits as well. For one, MacBooks are incredibly efficient, thanks to their lower TDP and better software-hardware integration. It also has a capable GPU, which can match many discrete offerings and while we haven’t tested the Core i9’s iGPU, it’s hard to believe it would be as powerful.
All laptops with the Intel Core i9-13900HX:
All laptops with the Apple M1 Pro (8-core):
All laptops with the Apple M1 Pro (10-core):
Author: Severin Kolakov
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