Core i7-11700KF vs M3 Pro 12-Core

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 i7-11700KF

#231

Core i7-8700B

MSRP: $303|Avg: $139

107%

#232

Ryzen 3 2200G

MSRP: $99|Avg: $80

106%

#233

Core i3-9100F

MSRP: $97|Avg: $80

105%

#234

Ryzen 7 9800X3D

MSRP: $479|Avg: $479

105%

#235

Ryzen 9 3900XT

MSRP: $499|Avg: $390

105%

#236

Ryzen 3 PRO 8300G

MSRP: $176|Avg: $176

104%

#237

Core i7-14700T

MSRP: $384|Avg: $384

103%

#238

Core i3-13100TE

MSRP: $137|Avg: $137

103%

#239

Core i5-9600T

MSRP: $213|Avg: $118

102%

#240

Core i5-12400T

MSRP: $192|Avg: $192

102%

#241

Core i9-14900F

MSRP: $524|Avg: $579

102%

#242

Celeron G6900E

MSRP: $53|Avg: $53

101%

#243

Core i3-12300T

MSRP: $209|Avg: $164

101%

#244

Core i9-12900

MSRP: $519|Avg: $420

101%

#245

Ryzen 3 8300G

MSRP: $176|Avg: $176

101%

#246

Core i7-11700KF

MSRP: $374|Avg: $299

100%

#247

Core i5-10600K

MSRP: $262|Avg: $179

100%

#248

Core i3-10325

MSRP: $154|Avg: $130

99%

#249

Ryzen Embedded V2718

MSRP: $250|Avg: $200

99%

#250

Core i7-8086K

MSRP: $425|Avg: $178

99%

#251

Core i3-10300T

MSRP: $157|Avg: $100

99%

#252

Core i9-10900TE

MSRP: $309|Avg: $180

99%

#253

Core i9-12900T

MSRP: $489|Avg: $378

98%

#254

Core i5-12600T

MSRP: $223|Avg: $223

98%

#255

Ryzen 5 PRO 4655GE

MSRP: $200|Avg: $180

98%

#256

Ryzen 5 3500X

MSRP: $155|Avg: $171

97%

#256

Ryzen 7 1700X

MSRP: $399|Avg: $60

49%

#257

Core i9-14900

MSRP: $524|Avg: $589

97%

#258

Core i5-8600

MSRP: $213|Avg: $130

96%

#259

Core i3-9100TE

MSRP: $122|Avg: $60

96%

#260

Core i5-12500T

MSRP: $302|Avg: $214

96%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar M3 Pro 12-Core

#206

M3 Pro 12-Core

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 Trade-off: The Core i7-11700KF leads in gaming performance. However, the M3 Pro 12-Core is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 1.5% greater multi-core processing power.

Insight	Core i7-11700KF	M3 Pro 12-Core
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($299)	✅ More affordable ($0)
Longevity	✨ Modern (Rocket Lake (2021) / 14 nm)	✨ Modern (Legacy / 3 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Core i7-11700KF	M3 Pro 12-Core
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($299)	✅ 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 i7-11700KF Benchmark Check

M3 Pro 12-Core Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-11700KF and M3 Pro 12-Core

Core i7-11700KF

The Core i7-11700KF 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 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 23,811 points. Launch price was $299.

M3 Pro 12-Core

The M3 Pro 12-Core is manufactured by Apple. It was released in 30 October 2023 (2 years ago). It features 12 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.748 GHz, with boost up to 4.06 GHz. Built on 3 nm process technology. Socket: none. Memory support: LPDDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 24,170 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-11700KF packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the M3 Pro 12-Core offers 12 cores / 12 threads — the M3 Pro 12-Core has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5 GHz on the Core i7-11700KF versus 4.06 GHz on the M3 Pro 12-Core — a 20.8% clock advantage for the Core i7-11700KF (base: 3.6 GHz vs 2.748 GHz). The Core i7-11700KF is built on the Rocket Lake (2021) architecture. In PassMark, the Core i7-11700KF scores 23,811 against the M3 Pro 12-Core's 24,170 — a 1.5% lead for the M3 Pro 12-Core.

Feature	Core i7-11700KF	M3 Pro 12-Core
Cores / Threads	8 / 16	12 / 12+50%
Boost Clock	5 GHz+23%	4.06 GHz
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+31%	2.748 GHz
L3 Cache	16 MB (total)	—
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	—
Process	14 nm	3 nm-79%
Architecture	Rocket Lake (2021)	—
PassMark	23,811	24,170+2%
Cinebench R23 Multi	15,011	—
Geekbench 6 Single	2,287	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	10,874	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-11700KF uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the M3 Pro 12-Core uses none (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.