Core i9-10850K vs M1 Max

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 i9-10850K

#255

Ryzen 5 PRO 4655GE

MSRP: $200|Avg: $180

106%

#256

Ryzen 7 1700X

MSRP: $399|Avg: $60

53%

#256

Ryzen 5 3500X

MSRP: $155|Avg: $171

105%

#257

Core i9-14900

MSRP: $524|Avg: $589

105%

#258

Core i5-8600

MSRP: $213|Avg: $130

105%

#259

Core i3-9100TE

MSRP: $122|Avg: $60

104%

#260

Core i5-12500T

MSRP: $302|Avg: $214

104%

#261

Core i9-13900

MSRP: $549|Avg: $599

103%

#262

Core i7-11700

MSRP: $323|Avg: $274

103%

#262

Core i7-8700K

MSRP: $359|Avg: $160

52%

#263

Core i9-13900T

MSRP: $549|Avg: $570

102%

#264

Processor 300T

MSRP: $82|Avg: $82

101%

#265

Athlon 3000G

MSRP: $49|Avg: $60

101%

#266

Athlon 220GE

MSRP: $65|Avg: $60

101%

#267

Ryzen 9 3900X

MSRP: $499|Avg: $441

101%

#268

Core i5-10500

MSRP: $200|Avg: $178

100%

#269

Celeron G6900T

MSRP: $42|Avg: $50

100%

#270

Core i9-10850K

MSRP: $453|Avg: $300

100%

#271

Core i9-13900E

MSRP: $554|Avg: $554

100%

#272

Core i9-9820X

MSRP: $889|Avg: $280

100%

#273

Core i9-9900X

MSRP: $989|Avg: $300

99%

#274

Ryzen 7 1800X

MSRP: $499|Avg: $120

45%

#274

Core i7-9700K

MSRP: $385|Avg: $200

98%

#275

Core i3-10320

MSRP: $154|Avg: $140

97%

#276

Core i5-9600KF

MSRP: $262|Avg: $150

97%

#277

Ryzen 3 PRO 5355GE

MSRP: $180|Avg: $180

97%

#278

Ryzen Threadripper 1900X

MSRP: $549|Avg: $116

42%

#278

Core i7-14701TE

MSRP: $392|Avg: $390

96%

#279

Core i9-11900KF

MSRP: $513|Avg: $349

96%

#279

Ryzen Threadripper 1920X

MSRP: $799|Avg: $265

40%

#280

Athlon Silver 3050GE

MSRP: $75|Avg: $65

96%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar M1 Max

#184

Core Ultra 7 266V

MSRP: $520|Avg: $520

134%

#185

Ryzen 7 5825C

MSRP: $400|Avg: $400

132%

#187

Core Ultra 9 288V

MSRP: $600|Avg: $600

122%

#188

Core i7-10870H

MSRP: $417|Avg: N/A

122%

#199

M1 Max

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 i9-10850K leads in gaming performance. However, the M1 Max is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 0.8% greater multi-core processing power.

Insight	Core i9-10850K	M1 Max
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($300)	✅ More affordable ($0)
Longevity	✨ Modern (Comet Lake-S (2020) / 14 nm)	✨ Modern (Legacy / 5 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Core i9-10850K	M1 Max
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($300)	✅ 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 i9-10850K Benchmark Check

M1 Max Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i9-10850K and M1 Max

Core i9-10850K

The Core i9-10850K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 27 July 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Comet Lake-S (2020) architecture. It features 10 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 5.1 GHz. L3 cache: 20 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2933. Passmark benchmark score: 21,964 points. Launch price was $453.

M1 Max

The M1 Max is manufactured by Apple. It was released in 18 October 2021 (4 years ago). It features 10 cores and 10 threads. Base frequency is 2.06 GHz, with boost up to 3.22 GHz. L3 cache: 48 MB. L2 cache: 28 MB. Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: none. Thermal design power (TDP): 28 MB + 48 MB. Memory support: LPDDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 22,146 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i9-10850K packs 10 cores / 20 threads, matching the M1 Max's 10 cores. Boost clocks reach 5.1 GHz on the Core i9-10850K versus 3.22 GHz on the M1 Max — a 45.2% clock advantage for the Core i9-10850K (base: 3.6 GHz vs 2.06 GHz). The Core i9-10850K is built on the Comet Lake-S (2020) architecture. In PassMark, the Core i9-10850K scores 21,964 against the M1 Max's 22,146 — a 0.8% lead for the M1 Max. L3 cache: 20 MB (total) on the Core i9-10850K vs 48 MB on the M1 Max.

Feature	Core i9-10850K	M1 Max
Cores / Threads	10 / 20	10 / 10
Boost Clock	5.1 GHz+58%	3.22 GHz
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+75%	2.06 GHz
L3 Cache	20 MB (total)	48 MB+140%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	28 MB+11100%
Process	14 nm	5 nm-64%
Architecture	Comet Lake-S (2020)	—
PassMark	21,964	22,146

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i9-10850K uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the M1 Max uses none (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i9-10850K	M1 Max
Socket	LGA1200	none
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	—	LPDDR5-6400
Max RAM Capacity	—	64 GB
RAM Channels	—	8
ECC Support	—	❌
PCIe Lanes	—	0

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core i9-10850K) / ARM-V (M1 Max). The M1 Max includes integrated graphics (M1 Max GPU), while the Core i9-10850K requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: M1 Max targets Mobile Workstation.