This is a detailed comparison of Apple M3(8-Core) and Intel Core i7-12850HX in-depth with benchmarks and performance to determine which gives you better value for money.
Main Differences
- Intel Core i7 12850HX has 16 CPU Cores and 24 Threads compared to M3, which has 8 CPU Cores and 8 Threads.
- The M3 has a CPU Clock speed of 4.05 GHz, while the Intel Core i7 12850HX has a clock speed of 4.8 GHz.
- Intel Core i7 12850HX is 1 year and 5 months old
- M3 has a 1600 MHz GPU clock speed while Intel Core i7 12850HX has a 1450 MHz GPU clock speed.
- Intel Core i7 12850HX is built on 10nm, while M3 is built on a 3nm fabrication process.
- M3 supports LPDDR5-6400 memory up to 24GB compared to Intel Core i7 12850HX, which supports DDR5-4800 memory up to 128 GB.
Specs Comparison
Before we take a look at benchmarks, let’s compare some specifications for both CPUs.
| Apple M3(8-core) | Intel Core i7-12850HX(12-Core) | |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 8 | 16 |
| Performance Cores | 4 | 8 |
| Efficiency Cores | 4 | 8 |
| Threads | 8 | 24 |
| Performance Threads | 4 | 16 |
| Efficiency Threads | 4 | 8 |
| Base Clock Speed (Performance Core) | 4.05 GHz | 2.1 GHz |
| Boost Clock Speed (Performance Core) | – | 4.8 GHz |
| Base Clock Speed (Efficiency Core) | 2.75 GHz | 1.5 GHz |
| Boost Clock Speed (Efficiency Core) | – | 3.4 GHz |
| Instruction Set | ARMv8 | x86-64 |
| Socket | Apple M-Socket | LGA-1700 |
| L1 Cache | 192K/core | 80K/core |
| L2 Cache | 16MB(shared) | 1.25 MB/core |
| L3 Cache | – | 25 MB(shared) |
| Multiplier | 40x | 21x |
| Fabrication Process | 3nm | 10nm |
| Transistors | 25 billion | – |
| TDP | 20 W | 55 W |
| Max Temperature | 100°C | 100°C |
| Integrated Graphics | Apple M4 GPU | UHD Graphics 770 |
| GPU Shading Units | 1280 | 256 |
| GPU Texture Units | 80 | 16 |
| GPU Execution Units | 160 | 32 |
| GPU Base Clock Speed | 500 MHz | 300 MHz |
| GPU Boost Clock Speed | 1600 MHz | 1450 MHz |
| TFLOPS | 4.1 TFLOPS | 0.74 TFLOPS |
| Memory | LPDDR5-6400 | DDR5-4800 |
| Memory Size | 24 GB | 128 GB |
| Memory Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | No | Yes |
| PCIe Version | 4.0 | 5.0 |
| Release date | 10 May 2022 | 10, May 2022 |
Benchmarks
Now that we have compared basic specs, let’s compare some popular benchmark standards between these two CPUs to find out which one comes out on top in performance.
Passmark Single Core (Higher is Better)
- Apple M3 – 4741(+28%)
- Intel Core i7-12850HX – 3712
PassMark Multi-Core (Higher is Better)
- Apple M3 – 19175
- Intel Core i7-12850HX – 30915(+61%)
Geekbench 6 Single Core (Higher is Better)
- Apple M3 – 3079(+37.5%)
- Intel Core i7-12850HX – 2239
Geekbench 6 Multi-Core (Higher is Better)
- Apple M3 – 11559
- Intel Core i7-12850HX – 13946(+20.5%)
Cinebench 2023 Single Core (Higher is Better)
- Apple M3 – 1923(+12.5%)
- Intel Core i7-12850HX – 1710
Cinebench 2023 Multi-Core (Higher is Better)
- Apple M3 – 10436
- Intel Core i7-12850HX – 16292(+56%)
Productivity benchmark tests
If you are wondering how these chips compare to each other for productivity and content creation, such as designing and video editing. Here, we are also sharing some productivity benchmarks with you.
Adobe After Effects (Higher is Better)
- Apple M3 – 951(+2.5%)
- Intel Core i7-12850HX – 928
Adobe Photoshop (Higher is Better)
- Apple M3 – 1119
- Intel Core i7-12850HX – 1132(+1%)
Adobe Premiere Pro (Higher is Better)
- Apple M3 – 380
- Intel Core i7-12850HX – 600(+58%)
Price
The latest 2024 MacBook Air with the M3 chip is currently available on Amazon for $849.99, discounted from its original price of $1,099.99.
Laptops featuring the Intel Core i7-12850HX processor are typically found in high-performance machines. For example, the Lenovo ThinkPad with a 16-inch WQXGA screen is listed on Amazon, though the specific price isn’t provided in the available data. Generally, laptops with this processor are priced between $1,500 to $2,500
The Intel Core i7-12850HX laptops are approximately 76.47% more expensive than the MacBook Air M3, based on the current lowest discounted prices.
Note: Prices are at the time of creation of this comparison. It may not have been updated to the latest price when you are looking at this comparison.
Conclusion – Which one should you buy?
The Apple M3 dominates in single-core performance across all benchmarks (12%-37 % better). Single-core performance is crucial for everyday tasks like web browsing, UI responsiveness, and lightly threaded applications.
The Intel i7-12850HX wins in multi-core workloads, outperforming by 20%-61 %. This makes the i7-12850HX better for tasks like video rendering, 3D modeling, and heavy multitasking.
Creative Workloads:
- Apple M3 wins in After Effects (motion graphics).
- Intel i7-12850HX wins in Premiere Pro (video editing).
- Photoshop is nearly tied, but the i7-12850HX has a slight edge.
The Intel i7-12850HX costs 76% more, but it does not provide 76% more performance in most scenarios. The Apple M3 offers better value for general users, students, and light creative professionals.
