Apple M2 Pro (16-core GPU) vs Intel Core i7-9700F

Comparative analysis of Apple M2 Pro (16-core GPU) and Intel Core i7-9700F 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, 3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score, Geekbench 4 - Single Core, Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core.

Apple M2 Pro (16-core GPU)

Intel Core i7-9700F

Differences

Reasons to consider the Apple M2 Pro (16-core GPU)

CPU is newer: launch date 3 year(s) 8 month(s) later
2 more cores, run more applications at once: 10 vs 8
2 more threads: 10 vs 8
A newer manufacturing process allows for a more powerful, yet cooler running processor: 5 nm vs 14 nm
18x more L2 cache, more data can be stored in the L2 cache for quick access later
Around 50% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 4102 vs 2743
Around 66% better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 21864 vs 13195

Specifications (specs)
Launch date	17 Jan 2023 vs 23 April 2019
Number of cores	10 vs 8
Number of threads	10 vs 8
Manufacturing process technology	5 nm vs 14 nm
L2 cache	36 MB vs 2 MB
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	4102 vs 2743
PassMark - CPU mark	21864 vs 13195

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i7-9700F

Around 34% higher clock speed: 4.70 GHz vs 3.504 GHz
273.1x more L1 cache, more data can be stored in the L1 cache for quick access later
4x more maximum memory size: 128 GB vs 32 GB

Maximum frequency	4.70 GHz vs 3.504 GHz
L1 cache	512 KB vs 192 KB instruction + 128 KB data (per core)
Maximum memory size	128 GB vs 32 GB

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: Apple M2 Pro (16-core GPU)
CPU 2: Intel Core i7-9700F

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

4102

2743

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

21864

13195

Name	Apple M2 Pro (16-core GPU)	Intel Core i7-9700F
PassMark - Single thread mark	4102	2743
PassMark - CPU mark	21864	13195
3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score		5121
Geekbench 4 - Single Core		1207
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core		6657

Compare specifications (specs)

	Apple M2 Pro (16-core GPU)	Intel Core i7-9700F
Essentials
Architecture codename	Avalanche/Blizzard	Coffee Lake
Launch date	17 Jan 2023	23 April 2019
OS Support	macOS Ventura 13.2
Place in performance rating	175	1114
Processor Number	T6020	i7-9700F
Launch price (MSRP)		$323, $335
Vertical segment		Desktop
Performance
Base frequency	2.424 GHz	3.00 GHz
L1 cache	192 KB instruction + 128 KB data (per core)	512 KB
L2 cache	36 MB	2 MB
Manufacturing process technology	5 nm	14 nm
Maximum frequency	3.504 GHz	4.70 GHz
Number of cores	10	8
Number of threads	10	8
Transistor count	40 billion
64 bit support
Bus Speed		8 GT/s DMI3
L3 cache		12 MB
Maximum core temperature		100 °C
Memory
Max memory channels	4	2
Maximum memory bandwidth	204.8 GB/s	41.6 GB/s
Maximum memory size	32 GB	128 GB
Supported memory types	LPDDR5-6400	DDR4-2666
ECC memory support
Graphics
Execution Units	64
Graphics base frequency	1398 MHz
iGPU core count	16
Compatibility
Max number of CPUs in a configuration		1
Sockets supported		FCLGA1151
Thermal Design Power (TDP)		65 Watt
Thermal Solution		PCG 2015C (65W)
Peripherals
Max number of PCIe lanes		16
PCI Express revision		3.0
PCIe configurations		1x16, 2x8, 1x8+2x4
Scalability		1S Only
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 2 (AVX2)
Intel® AES New Instructions
Intel® Hyper-Threading technology
Intel® Optane™ Memory Supported
Intel® Stable Image Platform Program (SIPP)
Intel® TSX-NI
Intel® Turbo Boost technology
Intel® vPro™ Platform Eligibility
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)