M2 Pro vs Core i9-10850K

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 M2 Pro

#204

M2 Pro

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

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 Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core i9-10850K delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the M2 Pro in both compute-intensive tasks (0.1% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	M2 Pro	Core i9-10850K
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	✅ More affordable ($0)	⚠️ Higher cost ($300)
Longevity	✨ Modern (Legacy / 5 nm)	✨ Modern (Comet Lake-S (2020) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	M2 Pro	Core i9-10850K
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅ More affordable ($0)	⚠️ Higher cost ($300)

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.

M2 Pro Benchmark Check

Core i9-10850K Benchmark Check

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Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of M2 Pro and Core i9-10850K

M2 Pro

The M2 Pro is manufactured by Apple. It was released in 17 January 2023 (2 years ago). It features 12 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.42 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 24 MB. L2 cache: 36 MB. Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: none. Thermal design power (TDP): 36 MB + 24 MB. Memory support: LPDDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 21,939 points. Launch price was $299.

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.

⚡

Processing Power

The M2 Pro packs 12 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i9-10850K offers 10 cores / 20 threads — the M2 Pro has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.5 GHz on the M2 Pro versus 5.1 GHz on the Core i9-10850K — a 37.2% clock advantage for the Core i9-10850K (base: 2.42 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Core i9-10850K is built on the Comet Lake-S (2020) architecture. In PassMark, the M2 Pro scores 21,939 against the Core i9-10850K's 21,964 — a 0.1% lead for the Core i9-10850K. L3 cache: 24 MB on the M2 Pro vs 20 MB (total) on the Core i9-10850K.

Feature	M2 Pro	Core i9-10850K
Cores / Threads	12 / 12+20%	10 / 20
Boost Clock	3.5 GHz	5.1 GHz+46%
Base Clock	2.42 GHz	3.6 GHz+49%
L3 Cache	24 MB+20%	20 MB (total)
L2 Cache	36 MB+14300%	256K (per core)
Process	5 nm-64%	14 nm
Architecture	—	Comet Lake-S (2020)
PassMark	21,939	21,964
Geekbench 6 Single	2,650	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	14,450	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The M2 Pro uses the none socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Core i9-10850K uses LGA1200 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	M2 Pro	Core i9-10850K
Socket	none	LGA1200
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0+33%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	LPDDR5-6400	—
Max RAM Capacity	32 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	❌	—
PCIe Lanes	0	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: ARM Virtualization (M2 Pro) / not specified (Core i9-10850K). The M2 Pro includes integrated graphics (Apple M2 Pro GPU), while the Core i9-10850K requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: M2 Pro targets Professional Laptop.