Core i5-12500TE vs M2

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.

Value Upgrade Path

This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Core i5-12500TE

#273

Core i9-9900X

MSRP: $989|Avg: $300

108%

#274

Core i7-9700K

MSRP: $385|Avg: $200

108%

#274

Ryzen 7 1800X

MSRP: $499|Avg: $120

49%

#275

Core i3-10320

MSRP: $154|Avg: $140

107%

#276

Core i5-9600KF

MSRP: $262|Avg: $150

106%

#277

Ryzen 3 PRO 5355GE

MSRP: $180|Avg: $180

106%

#278

Ryzen Threadripper 1900X

MSRP: $549|Avg: $116

46%

#278

Core i7-14701TE

MSRP: $392|Avg: $390

106%

#279

Core i9-11900KF

MSRP: $513|Avg: $349

106%

#279

Ryzen Threadripper 1920X

MSRP: $799|Avg: $265

43%

#280

Athlon Silver 3050GE

MSRP: $75|Avg: $65

105%

#280

Core i7-7820X

MSRP: $599|Avg: $198

43%

#281

Core i7-9700E

MSRP: $259|Avg: $180

105%

#282

Core i7-11700K

MSRP: $399|Avg: $350

104%

#283

Ryzen Threadripper 1920

MSRP: $799|Avg: $200

41%

#283

Ryzen 7 PRO 3700

MSRP: $329|Avg: $330

103%

#284

Core i7-14701E

MSRP: $392|Avg: $380

103%

#284

Ryzen Threadripper 1950X

MSRP: $999|Avg: $300

41%

#285

Core i5-10400

MSRP: $182|Avg: $175

103%

#286

Core i3-12100

MSRP: $122|Avg: $180

103%

#287

Core Ultra 9 285T

MSRP: $549|Avg: $549

101%

#288

Ryzen Threadripper 1950

MSRP: $999|Avg: $300

33%

#288

Core i5-12500TE

MSRP: $225|Avg: $225

100%

#289

Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE

MSRP: $108|Avg: $70

99%

#290

Core i9-10900KF

MSRP: $509|Avg: $336

99%

#291

Core i9-7900X

MSRP: $999|Avg: $188

31%

#291

Core i9-14900T

MSRP: $549|Avg: $577

99%

#292

Core i5-13500T

MSRP: $342|Avg: $342

99%

#293

Core i3-10300

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $140.49

99%

#294

Core i9-7920X

MSRP: $1199|Avg: $236

29%

#294

Core i9-10900F

MSRP: $464|Avg: $300

99%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar M2

#211

M2

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core i5-12500TE delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the M2 in both compute-intensive tasks (0.5% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core i5-12500TE	M2
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($225)	✅ More affordable ($0)
Longevity	✨ Modern (Alder Lake-S (2022) / 10 nm)	✨ Modern (Legacy / 5 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Core i5-12500TE	M2
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($225)	✅ More affordable ($0)

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Core i5-12500TE Benchmark Check

M2 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12500TE and M2

Core i5-12500TE

The Core i5-12500TE is manufactured by Intel. It was released in Janeiro 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 1.9 GHz, with boost up to 4.3 GHz. L3 cache: 18 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 15,008 points. Launch price was $299.

M2

The M2 is manufactured by Apple. It was released in 10 June 2022 (3 years ago). It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.424 GHz, with boost up to 3.48 GHz. L2 cache: 20 MB. Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: none. Thermal design power (TDP): 20 Watt. Memory support: LPDDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 14,933 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12500TE packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the M2 offers 8 cores / 8 threads — the M2 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-12500TE versus 3.48 GHz on the M2 — a 21.1% clock advantage for the Core i5-12500TE (base: 1.9 GHz vs 2.424 GHz). The Core i5-12500TE is built on the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture. In PassMark, the Core i5-12500TE scores 15,008 against the M2's 14,933 — a 0.5% lead for the Core i5-12500TE.

Feature	Core i5-12500TE	M2
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	8 / 8+33%
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz+24%	3.48 GHz
Base Clock	1.9 GHz	2.424 GHz+28%
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)	—
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	20 MB+1500%
Process	10 nm	5 nm-50%
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	—
PassMark	15,008	14,933
Cinebench R23 Multi	659	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,962	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	1,898	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-12500TE uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the M2 uses none (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-12500TE	M2
Socket	LGA1700	none
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800	—
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	✅	—
PCIe Lanes	20	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-12500TE) / not specified (M2). The Core i5-12500TE includes integrated graphics (UHD 770), while the M2 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-12500TE targets Budget. Direct competitor: Core i5-12500TE rivals Core i5-12400T.