Core i5-11500 vs M1 Pro 8-Core

CPU

GPU

Core i5-11500

6 Cores12 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.6 GHz2021

Core family

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M1 Pro 8-Core

8 Cores8 Thrd28 WWMax: 3.22 GHz2021

Similar parts

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Core i5-11500 vs M1 Pro 8-Core Performance Spectrum

Core i5-11500

6 / 12

17,096

0.0%

17,218

+0.7%

About PassMark

PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Core i5-11500 vs M1 Pro 8-Core FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Core i5-11500 vs M1 Pro 8-Core: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Core i5-11500

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +13.2% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike M1 Pro 8-Core.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (17,096 vs 17,218).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 16 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $192 MSRP, while M1 Pro 8-Core mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌132.1% higher power demand at 65W vs 28W.
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while M1 Pro 8-Core moves to none and DDR5.

M1 Pro 8-Core

2021

Why buy it

✅+0.7% higher PassMark.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Draws 28W instead of 65W, a 37W reduction.
✅Newer platform on none with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-11500 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-11500.

Quick Answers

So, is M1 Pro 8-Core better than Core i5-11500?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Core i5-11500 is ahead with a 13.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, M1 Pro 8-Core pulls ahead with 0.7% better PassMark. M1 Pro 8-Core also has the bigger cache pool with 33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, M1 Pro 8-Core is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.7% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 8 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

M1 Pro 8-Core is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-11500 is easier to justify if budget matters more than peak performance. M1 Pro 8-Core comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $192 MSRP, and it still gives you 0.7% better PassMark. The compromise is that Core i5-11500 is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 13.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-11500 is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (89.0 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it can still make sense for tighter-budget builds on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible LGA1200 + DDR4 setup, Core i5-11500 can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap, but on MSRP alone you would want to find it meaningfully cheaper in real-world listings before that path becomes easy to justify.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

M1 Pro 8-Core makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a healthier platform with none and DDR5 instead of LGA1200, 33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 8 threads instead of 6/12. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Core i5-11500 vs M1 Pro 8-Core Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Core i5-11500

The Core i5-11500 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 16 March 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Rocket Lake (2021) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 17,096 points. Launch price was $299.

M1 Pro 8-Core

The M1 Pro 8-Core is manufactured by Apple. It was released in 18 October 2021 (4 years ago). It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.06 GHz, with boost up to 3.22 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB. L2 cache: 28 MB. Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: none. Thermal design power (TDP): 28 MB + 16 MB. Memory support: LPDDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 17,218 points. Launch price was $299.

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Processing Power

The Core i5-11500 packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the M1 Pro 8-Core offers 8 cores / 8 threads — the M1 Pro 8-Core has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Core i5-11500 versus 3.22 GHz on the M1 Pro 8-Core — a 35.3% clock advantage for the Core i5-11500 (base: 2.7 GHz vs 2.06 GHz). The Core i5-11500 is built on the Rocket Lake (2021) architecture. In PassMark, the Core i5-11500 scores 17,096 against the M1 Pro 8-Core's 17,218 — a 0.7% lead for the M1 Pro 8-Core. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-11500 vs 16 MB on the M1 Pro 8-Core.

Feature	Core i5-11500	M1 Pro 8-Core
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	8 / 8+33%
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz+43%	3.22 GHz
Base Clock	2.7 GHz+31%	2.06 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	16 MB+33%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)+814%	28 MB
Process	14 nm	5 nm-64%
Architecture	Rocket Lake (2021)	—
PassMark	17,096	17,218
Cinebench R23 Multi	9,883	—
Geekbench 6 Single	2,064	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	8,564	—

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Memory & Platform

The Core i5-11500 uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the M1 Pro 8-Core uses none (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-3200 on the Core i5-11500 versus LPDDR5-6400 on the M1 Pro 8-Core — the M1 Pro 8-Core supports 100% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i5-11500 supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 32 GB — 300% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i5-11500) vs 4 (M1 Pro 8-Core). PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-11500) vs 0 (M1 Pro 8-Core) — the Core i5-11500 offers 20 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	Core i5-11500	M1 Pro 8-Core
Socket	LGA1200	none
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	LPDDR5-6400+100%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+300%	32 GB
RAM Channels	2	4+100%
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	20	0

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Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Only the Core i5-11500 supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-11500) vs Virtualization (M1 Pro 8-Core). Both include integrated graphics — UHD 750 (Core i5-11500) and Apple M1 Pro GPU (14-core) (M1 Pro 8-Core) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-11500 targets Gaming, M1 Pro 8-Core targets Mobile. Direct competitor: Core i5-11500 rivals Ryzen 5 5600X.

Feature	Core i5-11500	M1 Pro 8-Core
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	UHD 750	Apple M1 Pro GPU (14-core)
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	Yes	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	Virtualization
Target Use	Gaming	Mobile