Core i5-12600H vs M4 (8 cores)

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 i5-12600H

#14

Ryzen 5 PRO 230

MSRP: $150|Avg: $150

126%

#15

Ryzen 5 220

MSRP: $150|Avg: $150

120%

#18

Ryzen 5 8500G

MSRP: $179|Avg: $150

115%

#27

Core Ultra 7 265HX

MSRP: $450|Avg: N/A

104%

#29

Core i5-12600H

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#31

Ryzen 5 230

MSRP: $200|Avg: $190

97%

#36

Core i5-11500B

MSRP: $185|Avg: $185

88%

#42

Ryzen 9 9955HX3D

MSRP: $749|Avg: N/A

84%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar M4 (8 cores)

#111

Ryzen 5 PRO 5675U

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $180

110%

#119

Ryzen 7 PRO 250

MSRP: $400|Avg: $380

105%

#120

Core i7-11850HE

MSRP: $400|Avg: $75

103%

#124

Core i5-1240P

MSRP: $309|Avg: $200

101%

#125

Core i7-13700H

MSRP: $502|Avg: N/A

100%

#126

M4 (8 cores)

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 i5-12600H delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the M4 (8 cores) in both compute-intensive tasks (0.5% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core i5-12600H	M4 (8 cores)
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	✨ Modern (Alder Lake-H (2022) / Intel 7 nm)	✨ Modern (Legacy / 3 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Core i5-12600H	M4 (8 cores)
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing

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 i5-12600H Benchmark Check

M4 (8 cores) Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12600H and M4 (8 cores)

Core i5-12600H

The Core i5-12600H is manufactured by Intel. It was released in Janeiro 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-H (2022) architecture. It features 12 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 GHz. L3 cache: 18 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1744. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 20,871 points. Launch price was $299.

M4 (8 cores)

The M4 (8 cores) is manufactured by Apple. It was released in 28 October 2024 (1 year ago). It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.89 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. Built on 3 nm process technology. Socket: none. Thermal design power (TDP): 4 MB. Memory support: LPDDR5x. Passmark benchmark score: 20,761 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12600H packs 12 cores / 16 threads, while the M4 (8 cores) offers 8 cores / 8 threads — the Core i5-12600H has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.5 GHz on the Core i5-12600H versus 4 GHz on the M4 (8 cores) — a 11.8% clock advantage for the Core i5-12600H (base: 2.7 GHz vs 2.89 GHz). The Core i5-12600H is built on the Alder Lake-H (2022) architecture. In PassMark, the Core i5-12600H scores 20,871 against the M4 (8 cores)'s 20,761 — a 0.5% lead for the Core i5-12600H.

Feature	Core i5-12600H	M4 (8 cores)
Cores / Threads	12 / 16+50%	8 / 8
Boost Clock	4.5 GHz+13%	4 GHz
Base Clock	2.7 GHz	2.89 GHz+7%
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)	—
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	—
Process	Intel 7 nm	3 nm-57%
Architecture	Alder Lake-H (2022)	—
PassMark	20,871	20,761
Geekbench 6 Single	2,200	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-12600H uses the FCBGA1744 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the M4 (8 cores) uses none (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-12600H	M4 (8 cores)
Socket	FCBGA1744	none
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	LPDDR5-5200	—
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	❌	—
PCIe Lanes	28	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12600H) / not specified (M4 (8 cores)). The Core i5-12600H includes integrated graphics (Iris Xe Graphics 80EU), while the M4 (8 cores) requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-12600H targets Performance Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i5-12600H rivals Ryzen 5 6600H.