Intel Core i7 9750H vs Apple M1 – How Fast is the M1? Let’s Find Out

We may want you not to get misled by the title. Intel and AMD have always been solid rivals for many years now. However, Apple and others are joining the fun as well. It is a good thing to know because the more, the merrier.

Besides, it gives you, the users, the ability to choose from an abundance of models out there in the market in 2022. We expect more brands to come up in the next year, in 2023. For now, let us compare the Intel and the Apple processors and find out how quick they are.

In today’s comparison review, we will be reading about the Intel Core i7 9750H vs Apple M1 processors. We have a feeling that the Core i7 9750H model is going to be the most popular of Intel’s 10th-generation H-series processors.

This is the successor to the Core i7-8750H and Core i7-9750H. You will be delighted to note that it is the ideal option for gaming laptops under $2000. You can find it used on the $2000 laptops as well.

However, it is not the only Core i7 processor that is present in Intel’s Comet Lake product lineup. You can find other options on it as well. There was the 8-core Core i7-10875H and plenty of Core i5 models that are mainly quad cores designed for entry-level units.

The core i7 9750H is based on the Skylake-derivative architecture, built using the 14nm technology. But can it actually offer anything new? We will try and find that out today, comparing it to the Apple M1 processor.

Now, the Apple M1 processor is the first of the products in the CPU world from Apple. They have not designed anything like it previously. Earlier, they were using Intel processors, which were doing a pretty decent job.

But the maker decided to go into the CPU market, and we can say they have done a reasonably decent job. Today, in 2022, you can find the M2 processor as well, which is even quicker than the M1 model.

There are wedge aesthetics in place. But the maker demands performance from it. They want to design them to be more powerful and capable than ever before. Can they destroy the CPU market that has been ever so dependent on Intel & AMD till now?

This is something that time will only tell. Intel & AMD have a solid R & D center that is capable of producing some exceptional models for the market. It is a new era for the MacBook Air models, which has all the qualities to challenge to Intel laptops and beat them as well.

Though we are Apple fans, personally, we respect and admire what Intel has done all these years in the market. At the end of the review, we will determine the winner between the Intel and the Apple processor.

Intel Core i7 9750H	Apple M1
PROS	PROS
The model has a unique design. It is a brand for a value product. It is exceptionally quick. The unit has incredible power abilities. It is quite affordable.	The design is exceptional. It has a breathtaking power capability. There is an amazing performance. A strong legacy app support. Extraordinary lengthy battery life.
CONS	CONS
It lags in performance to the M1.	It is expensive.

Price & availability

The Intel Core i7 9750H processor is priced under $396. Yes, we feel that it is pretty affordable than most of the other models present in the market. This is one of the significant advantages over the Apple processors, which cost almost twice this top-end Intel unit.

The Apple M1 processor is priced under $1000. You can make use of the processor from the MacBook Air basic model, which is priced at less than $1000. Of course, it also comes embedded with higher models in the MacBook Air series as well that can go up to $1500.

Specifications & architecture

The Intel Core i7 9750H processor is a top-end model from Intel. It is based on the Coffee Lake architecture (2019 refresh, CFL-HR). You would be glad to know that it comes with a clock speed of between 2.6 and 4.5 GHz (4 GHz with 6 cores).

It can execute 12 threads together because of the hyper-threading. The maker has said that the unit is produced on the enhanced 14nm process. If you compare it to the predecessor model, which is the Intel Core i7 8750H model, this model provides you with an improved clock rate and a large L3 cache.

Our tester felt that the model is similar to that of the Kaby Lake, and there is only a slight difference in the number of cores. There is 8-cores present on the top-end models usually. However, it also comes with 14nm in them.

We used the MSI GS66 Stealth laptop. As you know, MSI is a famous gaming laptop producer whose laptop models are used worldwide. It comes with the Core i7 9750H, along with the 16GB of dual-channel DDR4-2666 by default.

It comes with a 45W long-term PL1 power limit. You will be delighted to know that the gaming laptop has a 135W short-term PL2 out of the box. We did not make use of the stock settings when we were running it.

Compared to desktops, gaming laptops tend to make use of more power consumption. This is an accepted fact, as you may know; besides, you would need large cookers and have to make use of the larger laptops.

You will want to expect more performance if you use better top-end CPU models to a specific power limit. This is when you use a laptop that comes with a smaller, lighter design. We also tested the Core i7 10875H processor, where you may have to re-enable undervolting through the advanced options in MSI’s BIOS.

The Apple M1 processor is the most elegant model that we have seen in a long time. Sometimes, it is unbelievable that a sheer small, compact model can produce some exceptional performance for all your everyday needs.

Besides, it comes embedded with the MacBook Air that is capable of handling almost everything that is given to it. We made use of several apps on the Air and found that they can take things pretty effortlessly without hassle.

Overall, we liked the design, specifications, and architecture of the Apple M1 processor compared to the Intel Core i7 9750H model.

Performance & overclocking

We are delighted to say that the performance & overclocking of the Intel Core i7 9750H and the Apple M1 processors were commendable. They both came with decent performances. The Intel Core i7 9750H processor found the shortcomings like more than one display with a Thunderbolt dock.

The Core i7 models also replaced the M1 processor with plug-ins for Ableton, Bitwig Studio, Motu, and many others. So, those of you who were thinking like us that it is going to be a cakewalk for the M1 processor is in the wrong.

This model’s multi-thread performance is similar to that of the Intel Core i9-8950HK. This is similar in price to the model but is considered an expensive Hexa-core processor. There are several performance gains over the earlier versions, like the 8th Gen H-class processors.

Luckily, the Core i7 model that we are discussing here is quicker than that of the AMD Ryzen 7 3750H and most of the Ryzen models. So, that is something those of you using the Intel i7 models can be happy about.

The integrated Intel UHD Graphics 630 iGPU provides you with enhanced performance than the clock rate. You can increase it by 50 MHz if you want. Its architecture is quite the same as that of the Intel HD Graphics 630.

The power consumption of this model was incredible. It did pretty well when we wanted to move things further. Though the noise aspect of it was not admirable, the unit came infused with reasonable cooling solutions.

You can make use of the cTDP-down for the CPU to be configured to 35W. Doing that reduces the performance of the laptop incredibly. We now will find out about the performance of the M1 processor.

We were able to split the screen phenomenally into more than 10 tabs effortlessly. While that might not be a big deal for some of you, we could even push more than 30 tabs without any hassle.

Users can perform what they want, with everything remaining smooth and elegant as they wish. Besides, you can even watch 4K videos, download iOS apps, and do a wide range of activities with it.

In other words, the M1 chip helps the MacBook Air give you a feeling that you are operating or working on the MacBook Pro. It was that well most of the time. Before we forget, it is also worth connecting an external monitor if you want.

We were pretty amazed at the performance of the M1 model infused into the Air laptop because it provided you with what you wanted. You can watch videos, download files, have close to 30-40 tabs open, and it works like a charm.

A notable feature during the tests was the lack of noise in the Apple M1 MacBook Air laptop. It is truly amazing to note that. We just did not hear anything at all, even though we tried pushing it to the limits that it could.

In most of the tests, we can just say that the Apple M1 processor fared better than the Intel Core i7 9750H processor. Only in the power consumption did the Core i7 prove its mettle. Moreover, the Intel unit can be used on old 2019 laptops as well.

We also did the Handbrake (Universal) video conversion test. We are delighted to say that the 4K videos came out quite well on 1080p. It was able to offer you with almost a similar video experience to that of the MacBook Pro, which is quite commendable.

The time is relatively better than that of what was received from the Asus ZenBook 13 and the Dell XPS 13 as well. They have provided the M1 processor with quick storage speed, and that is quite obvious with the 1TB SSD in the Air.

All in all, the Apple M1 processor is much quicker than the Core i7 model. The Core i7 was good in its own way if you look at it. When you want to have more power and better performance, then you would consider using the M1 model for your needs.

Intel Core i7 9750H vs Apple M1 Benchmark

Single-Core Performance

Power Efficiency

Cinebench R23 (Single-Core)

Cinebench R23 (Multi-Core)

Geekbench 5 (Single-Core)

Geekbench 5 (Multi-Core)

Passmark CPU (Single-Core)

Passmark CPU (Multi-Core)

Verdict

The Apple M1 model is the winner of our comparison review between the Intel Core i7 9750H vs Apple M1 processors. The Intel Core i7 9750H processor comes with its own fantastic performance & abilities.

The Intel Core i7-9750H is a top-notch model that can be used for laptops coming with 6-cores. It is based on the Coffee Lake architecture (2019 refresh, CFL-HR). The model clocks at between 2.6 and 4.5 GHz (4 GHz with 6 cores) and execute 12-thread threads due to hyper-threading.

The Apple M1 processor is a fantastic model with phenomenal speed and specifications. It helps you to use the MacBook Air model to reach new heights. However, MacBook Air comes with a lower battery life performance.

The same performance can almost be obtained from the Asus ZenBook 13, which is for $1000. However, you need to sacrifice on the endurance and the performance of the laptop as well. It is okay if you are somebody who works in the Apple ecosystem.

You won’t mind these minor flaws. It is an accepted fact that most devices, whether they are Apple or others, come with flaws of their own. Having said that, the M1 processor fitted on the MacBook makes it one of the best purchasing decisions you can make.

You can also get the L2 cache per core, which comes with more memory bandwidth. Intel has the right to be angry with Apple for unceremoniously dumping them. But we would also like to test and find out Intel’s capabilities on a more severe basis, as we did for the Apple M1 processor.

The Intel Core i7 9750H processor has more CPU threads, a higher turbo clock speed, and a bigger L1 cache. It also has a larger maximum memory amount, has AES, and makes use of multithreading.

It also comes with AVX and more displays supported. The Apple M1 processor has a much faster CPU speed, a higher RAM speed, and a 9nm smaller semiconductor size. It also comes with an enormous L2 cache, a higher PassMark result, and a lower TDP.

At the end of the day, you may want to find out for yourself whether you want to choose the Intel Core i7 9750H processor or the Apple M1 processor. You do not have to be an Apple fan to select the M1 processor because it comes with a variety of benefits over the Intel Core i7.

Having said that, the Intel Core i7 is an exceptional processor that comes infused with tremendous capabilities of its own. You can make use of the processor on gaming laptops or PCs as well. But the M1 model is way better than the Intel models for the moment.

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