Apple A9 vs Intel Core i5-6300U

Comparative analysis of Apple A9 and Intel Core i5-6300U processors for all known characteristics in the following categories: Essentials, Performance, Memory, Graphics, Graphics interfaces, Graphics image quality, Graphics API support, 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, CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s), GFXBench 4.0 - Car Chase Offscreen (Frames), GFXBench 4.0 - Manhattan (Frames), GFXBench 4.0 - T-Rex (Frames), GFXBench 4.0 - Car Chase Offscreen (Fps), GFXBench 4.0 - Manhattan (Fps), GFXBench 4.0 - T-Rex (Fps).

Apple A9

Intel Core i5-6300U

Differences

Reasons to consider the Apple A9

6x more L2 cache, more data can be stored in the L2 cache for quick access later
Around 33% more L3 cache; more data can be stored in the L3 cache for quick access later

L2 cache	3 MB (shared) vs 512 KB
L3 cache	4 MB (shared) vs 3 MB

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i5-6300U

2 more threads: 4 vs 2
Around 62% higher clock speed: 3.00 GHz vs 1.85 GHz
A newer manufacturing process allows for a more powerful, yet cooler running processor: 14 nm vs 16 nm
1024x more L1 cache, more data can be stored in the L1 cache for quick access later
16x more maximum memory size: 32 GB vs 2 GB
Around 39% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 1656 vs 1188
Around 56% better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 3230 vs 2068

Specifications (specs)
Number of threads	4 vs 2
Maximum frequency	3.00 GHz vs 1.85 GHz
Manufacturing process technology	14 nm vs 16 nm
L1 cache	128 KB vs 64 KB instruction + 64 KB data (per core)
Maximum memory size	32 GB vs 2 GB
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	1656 vs 1188
PassMark - CPU mark	3230 vs 2068

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: Apple A9
CPU 2: Intel Core i5-6300U

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

1188

1656

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

2068

3230

Name	Apple A9	Intel Core i5-6300U
PassMark - Single thread mark	1188	1656
PassMark - CPU mark	2068	3230
Geekbench 4 - Single Core		602
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core		1357
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)		7.786
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)		35.748
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)		0.326
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)		2.142
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)		16.061
GFXBench 4.0 - Car Chase Offscreen (Frames)		1489
GFXBench 4.0 - Manhattan (Frames)		1378
GFXBench 4.0 - T-Rex (Frames)		2576
GFXBench 4.0 - Car Chase Offscreen (Fps)		1489
GFXBench 4.0 - Manhattan (Fps)		1378
GFXBench 4.0 - T-Rex (Fps)		2576

Compare specifications (specs)

	Apple A9	Intel Core i5-6300U
Essentials
Architecture codename	Twister	Skylake
Launch date	9 Sep 2015	1 September 2015
OS Support	iOS 9.0, iOS 15.7.5, iPadOS 16.4.1, tvOS 16.2
Place in performance rating	2043	2046
Processor Number	APL1021	i5-6300U
Launch price (MSRP)		$281
Series		6th Generation Intel® Core™ i5 Processors
Status		Launched
Vertical segment		Mobile
Performance
Base frequency	1.85 GHz	2.40 GHz
L1 cache	64 KB instruction + 64 KB data (per core)	128 KB
L2 cache	3 MB (shared)	512 KB
L3 cache	4 MB (shared)	3 MB
Manufacturing process technology	16 nm	14 nm
Maximum frequency	1.85 GHz	3.00 GHz
Number of cores	2	2
Number of threads	2	4
Transistor count	2 billion
64 bit support
Bus Speed		4 GT/s OPI
Die size		99 mm
Maximum core temperature		100°C
Memory
Max memory channels	1	2
Maximum memory bandwidth	25.6 GB/s	34.1 GB/s
Maximum memory size	2 GB	32 GB
Supported memory types	LPDDR4-3200	DDR4-2133, LPDDR3-1866, DDR3L-1600
Graphics
Execution Units	24
Graphics base frequency	650 MHz	300 MHz
iGPU core count	6
Processor graphics	Custom PowerVR Series 7XT @ 650MHz	Intel® HD Graphics 520
Device ID		0x1916
Graphics max dynamic frequency		1.00 GHz
Graphics max frequency		1 GHz
Intel® Clear Video HD technology
Intel® Clear Video technology
Intel® InTru™ 3D technology
Intel® Quick Sync Video
Max video memory		32 GB
Graphics interfaces
DisplayPort
DVI
eDP
HDMI
Number of displays supported		3
Wireless Display (WiDi) support
Graphics image quality
4K resolution support
Max resolution over DisplayPort		4096x2304@60Hz
Max resolution over eDP		4096x2304@60Hz
Max resolution over HDMI 1.4		4096x2304@24Hz
Max resolution over VGA		N / A
Max resolution over WiDi		1080p
Graphics API support
DirectX		12
OpenGL		4.5
Compatibility
Configurable TDP-down		7.5 W
Configurable TDP-down Frequency		800 MHz
Configurable TDP-up		25 W
Configurable TDP-up Frequency		2.50 GHz
Low Halogen Options Available
Max number of CPUs in a configuration		1
Package Size		42mm X 24mm
Sockets supported		FCBGA1356
Thermal Design Power (TDP)		15 Watt
Peripherals
Max number of PCIe lanes		12
PCI Express revision		3.0
PCIe configurations		1x4, 2x2, 1x2+2x1 and 4x1
Security & Reliability
Execute Disable Bit (EDB)
Intel® Identity Protection technology
Intel® Memory Protection Extensions (Intel® MPX)
Intel® OS Guard
Intel® Secure Key technology
Intel® Software Guard Extensions (Intel® SGX)
Intel® Trusted Execution technology (TXT)
Advanced Technologies
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® technology
Idle States
Instruction set extensions		Intel® SSE4.1, Intel® SSE4.2, Intel® AVX2
Intel 64
Intel® Advanced Vector Extensions (AVX)
Intel® AES New Instructions
Intel® Flex Memory Access
Intel® Hyper-Threading technology
Intel® My WiFi technology
Intel® Smart Response technology
Intel® Stable Image Platform Program (SIPP)
Intel® TSX-NI
Intel® Turbo Boost technology
Intel® vPro™ Platform Eligibility
Thermal Monitoring
Virtualization
AMD Virtualization (AMD-V™)
Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x)
Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)
Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)