Apple A8 vs Intel Core i7-940XM

Comparative analysis of Apple A8 and Intel Core i7-940XM processors for all known characteristics in the following categories: Essentials, Performance, Memory, Graphics, Compatibility, Peripherals, Security & Reliability, Advanced Technologies, Virtualization. Benchmark processor performance analysis: PassMark - Single thread mark, PassMark - CPU mark, Geekbench 4 - Single Core, Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core.

Apple A8

Intel Core i7-940XM

Differences

Reasons to consider the Apple A8

CPU is newer: launch date 4 year(s) 3 month(s) later
A newer manufacturing process allows for a more powerful, yet cooler running processor: 20 nm vs 45 nm

Launch date	9 Sep 2014 vs 1 June 2010
Manufacturing process technology	20 nm vs 45 nm

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i7-940XM

2 more cores, run more applications at once: 4 vs 2
6 more threads: 8 vs 2
Around 122% higher clock speed: 3.33 GHz vs 1.5 GHz
2048x more L1 cache, more data can be stored in the L1 cache for quick access later
2x more L3 cache, more data can be stored in the L3 cache for quick access later
4x more maximum memory size: 8 GB vs 2 GB
Around 29% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 1178 vs 915
Around 52% better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 2315 vs 1525

Specifications (specs)
Number of cores	4 vs 2
Number of threads	8 vs 2
Maximum frequency	3.33 GHz vs 1.5 GHz
L1 cache	256 KB vs 64 KB instruction + 64 KB data (per core)
L3 cache	8196 KB vs 4 MB
Maximum memory size	8 GB vs 2 GB
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	1178 vs 915
PassMark - CPU mark	2315 vs 1525

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: Apple A8
CPU 2: Intel Core i7-940XM

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

915

1178

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

1525

2315

Name	Apple A8	Intel Core i7-940XM
PassMark - Single thread mark	915	1178
PassMark - CPU mark	1525	2315
Geekbench 4 - Single Core		516
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core		1709

Compare specifications (specs)

	Apple A8	Intel Core i7-940XM
Essentials
Architecture codename	Typhoon	Clarksfield
Launch date	9 Sep 2014	1 June 2010
OS Support	iOS 8.0, iOS 12.5.7, iPadOS 15.7.4, audioOS 11.0, tvOS 9.0, tvOS 16.2
Place in performance rating	2376	2371
Processor Number	APL1011	i7-940XM
Launch price (MSRP)		$1,096
Series		Legacy Intel® Core™ Processors
Status		Discontinued
Vertical segment		Mobile
Performance
Base frequency	1.1 GHz	2.13 GHz
L1 cache	64 KB instruction + 64 KB data (per core)	256 KB
L2 cache	1 MB (shared)	1024 KB
L3 cache	4 MB	8196 KB
Manufacturing process technology	20 nm	45 nm
Maximum frequency	1.5 GHz	3.33 GHz
Number of cores	2	4
Number of threads	2	8
Transistor count	2 billion	774 million
64 bit support
Bus Speed		2.5 GT/s DMI
Die size		296 mm2
Front-side bus (FSB)		2500 MHz
Maximum core temperature		100°C
Memory
Max memory channels	1	2
Maximum memory bandwidth	12.8 GB/s	21 GB/s
Maximum memory size	2 GB	8 GB
Supported memory types	LPDDR3-1600	DDR3 1066/1333
Graphics
Execution Units	16
Graphics base frequency	533 MHz
iGPU core count	4
Processor graphics	Custom PowerVR Series 6XT
Compatibility
Low Halogen Options Available
Max number of CPUs in a configuration		1
Package Size		37.5mm x 37.5mm
Sockets supported		PGA988
Thermal Design Power (TDP)		55 Watt
Peripherals
Max number of PCIe lanes		16
PCI Express revision		2
PCIe configurations		1x16, 2x8
Security & Reliability
Execute Disable Bit (EDB)
Intel® Trusted Execution technology (TXT)
Advanced Technologies
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® technology
Idle States
Instruction set extensions		Intel® SSE4.2
Intel 64
Intel® AES New Instructions
Intel® Demand Based Switching
Intel® Hyper-Threading technology
Intel® Turbo Boost technology
Intel® vPro™ Platform Eligibility
Physical Address Extensions (PAE)		36-bit
Thermal Monitoring
Virtualization
Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x)
Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)
Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)