Apple A9X vs Intel Pentium Silver N5000

Comparative analysis of Apple A9X and Intel Pentium Silver N5000 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, 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 A9X

Intel Pentium Silver N5000

Differences

Reasons to consider the Apple A9X

Around 33% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 1509 vs 1132

Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	1509 vs 1132

Reasons to consider the Intel Pentium Silver N5000

CPU is newer: launch date 1 year(s) 3 month(s) later
2 more cores, run more applications at once: 4 vs 2
2 more threads: 4 vs 2
Around 19% higher clock speed: 2.70 GHz vs 2.26 GHz
A newer manufacturing process allows for a more powerful, yet cooler running processor: 14 nm vs 16 nm
Around 33% more L2 cache; more data can be stored in the L2 cache for quick access later
2x more maximum memory size: 8 GB vs 4 GB
Around 4% better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 2618 vs 2518

Specifications (specs)
Launch date	11 December 2017 vs 7 Sep 2016
Number of cores	4 vs 2
Number of threads	4 vs 2
Maximum frequency	2.70 GHz vs 2.26 GHz
Manufacturing process technology	14 nm vs 16 nm
L2 cache	4 MB vs 3 MB (shared)
Maximum memory size	8 GB vs 4 GB
Benchmarks
PassMark - CPU mark	2618 vs 2518

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: Apple A9X
CPU 2: Intel Pentium Silver N5000

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

1509

1132

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

2518

2618

Name	Apple A9X	Intel Pentium Silver N5000
PassMark - Single thread mark	1509	1132
PassMark - CPU mark	2518	2618
Geekbench 4 - Single Core		433
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core		1226
GFXBench 4.0 - Car Chase Offscreen (Frames)		719
GFXBench 4.0 - Manhattan (Frames)		2072
GFXBench 4.0 - T-Rex (Frames)		3495
GFXBench 4.0 - Car Chase Offscreen (Fps)		719
GFXBench 4.0 - Manhattan (Fps)		2072
GFXBench 4.0 - T-Rex (Fps)		3495

Compare specifications (specs)

	Apple A9X	Intel Pentium Silver N5000
Essentials
Architecture codename	Twister	Gemini Lake
Launch date	7 Sep 2016	11 December 2017
OS Support	iOS 9.1, iOS 15.7.5, iPadOS 16.4.1, tvOS 16.2
Place in performance rating	1692	1685
Processor Number	APL1W24	N5000
Launch price (MSRP)		$161
Series		Intel® Pentium® Silver Processor Series
Status		Launched
Vertical segment		Mobile
Performance
Base frequency	2.16 GHz	1.10 GHz
L1 cache	64 KB instruction + 64 KB data (per core)
L2 cache	3 MB (shared)	4 MB
Manufacturing process technology	16 nm	14 nm
Maximum frequency	2.26 GHz	2.70 GHz
Number of cores	2	4
Number of threads	2	4
Transistor count	3 billion
64 bit support
Maximum core temperature		105 °C
Memory
Max memory channels	2	2
Maximum memory bandwidth	51.2 GB/s
Maximum memory size	4 GB	8 GB
Supported memory types	LPDDR4-3200	DDR4/LPDDR4 upto 2400 MT/s
Graphics
Execution Units	48	18
Graphics base frequency	650 MHz	200 MHz
iGPU core count	12
Processor graphics	Custom PowerVR Series7XT	Intel® UHD Graphics 605
Device ID		0x3184
Graphics max dynamic frequency		750 MHz
Max video memory		8 GB
Graphics interfaces
DisplayPort
eDP
HDMI
MIPI-DSI
Number of displays supported		3
Graphics image quality
4K resolution support
Graphics API support
DirectX		12
OpenGL		4.4
Compatibility
Low Halogen Options Available
Max number of CPUs in a configuration		1
Package Size		25mm x 24mm
Scenario Design Power (SDP)		4.8 W
Sockets supported		FCBGA1090
Thermal Design Power (TDP)		6 Watt
Thermal Solution		105 deg C
Peripherals
Integrated LAN
Integrated Wireless		Intel® Wireless-AC MAC
Max number of PCIe lanes		6
Max number of SATA 6 Gb/s Ports		2
Number of USB ports		8
PCI Express revision		2.0
PCIe configurations		1x4 + 1x2 or 4x1 or 2x1+1x2 + 1x2
Total number of SATA ports		2
UART
USB revision		2.0/3.0
Security & Reliability
Anti-Theft technology
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)
Advanced Technologies
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® technology
General-Purpose Input/Output (GPIO)
Idle States
Intel 64
Intel® AES New Instructions
Intel® Hyper-Threading technology
Intel® Optane™ Memory Supported
Intel® Smart Response technology
Intel® Turbo Boost technology
Intel® vPro™ Platform Eligibility
Speed Shift technology
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)