M1 Pro 8-Core vs Core i9-10980HK

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 M1 Pro 8-Core

#208

M1 Pro 8-Core

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i9-10980HK

#187

Core Ultra 9 288V

MSRP: $600|Avg: $600

128%

#188

Core i7-10870H

MSRP: $417|Avg: N/A

127%

#202

Core i9-10980HK

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 i9-10980HK leads in gaming performance. However, the M1 Pro 8-Core is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 1.1% greater multi-core processing power.

Insight	M1 Pro 8-Core	Core i9-10980HK
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	✨ Modern (Legacy / 5 nm)	✨ Modern (Comet Lake-H (2020) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	M1 Pro 8-Core	Core i9-10980HK
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.

M1 Pro 8-Core Benchmark Check

Core i9-10980HK Benchmark Check

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Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of M1 Pro 8-Core and Core i9-10980HK

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.

Core i9-10980HK

The Core i9-10980HK is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 April 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Comet Lake-H (2020) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 5.1 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1440. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 17,037 points. Launch price was $583.

⚡

Processing Power

The M1 Pro 8-Core packs 8 cores / 8 threads, matching the Core i9-10980HK's 8 cores. Boost clocks reach 3.22 GHz on the M1 Pro 8-Core versus 5.1 GHz on the Core i9-10980HK — a 45.2% clock advantage for the Core i9-10980HK (base: 2.06 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Core i9-10980HK is built on the Comet Lake-H (2020) architecture. In PassMark, the M1 Pro 8-Core scores 17,218 against the Core i9-10980HK's 17,037 — a 1.1% lead for the M1 Pro 8-Core. L3 cache: 16 MB on the M1 Pro 8-Core vs 16 MB (total) on the Core i9-10980HK.

Feature	M1 Pro 8-Core	Core i9-10980HK
Cores / Threads	8 / 8	8 / 16
Boost Clock	3.22 GHz	5.1 GHz+58%
Base Clock	2.06 GHz	2.4 GHz+17%
L3 Cache	16 MB	16 MB (total)
L2 Cache	28 MB+11100%	256 kB (per core)
Process	5 nm-64%	14 nm
Architecture	—	Comet Lake-H (2020)
PassMark	17,218+1%	17,037

🧠

Memory & Platform

The M1 Pro 8-Core uses the none socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Core i9-10980HK uses BGA1440 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	M1 Pro 8-Core	Core i9-10980HK
Socket	none	BGA1440
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0+33%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	LPDDR5-6400	—
Max RAM Capacity	32 GB	—
RAM Channels	4	—
ECC Support	❌	—
PCIe Lanes	0	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: Virtualization (M1 Pro 8-Core) / not specified (Core i9-10980HK). The M1 Pro 8-Core includes integrated graphics (Apple M1 Pro GPU (14-core)), while the Core i9-10980HK requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: M1 Pro 8-Core targets Mobile.