M3 Pro 12-Core vs Core i7-11700K

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 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 Per Dollar Core i7-11700K

#267

Ryzen 9 3900X

MSRP: $499|Avg: $441

106%

#268

Core i5-10500

MSRP: $200|Avg: $178

105%

#269

Celeron G6900T

MSRP: $42|Avg: $50

105%

#270

Core i9-10850K

MSRP: $453|Avg: $300

105%

#271

Core i9-13900E

MSRP: $554|Avg: $554

105%

#272

Core i9-9820X

MSRP: $889|Avg: $280

105%

#273

Core i9-9900X

MSRP: $989|Avg: $300

104%

#274

Ryzen 7 1800X

MSRP: $499|Avg: $120

47%

#274

Core i7-9700K

MSRP: $385|Avg: $200

103%

#275

Core i3-10320

MSRP: $154|Avg: $140

102%

#276

Core i5-9600KF

MSRP: $262|Avg: $150

102%

#277

Ryzen 3 PRO 5355GE

MSRP: $180|Avg: $180

102%

#278

Ryzen Threadripper 1900X

MSRP: $549|Avg: $116

44%

#278

Core i7-14701TE

MSRP: $392|Avg: $390

101%

#279

Ryzen Threadripper 1920X

MSRP: $799|Avg: $265

42%

#279

Core i9-11900KF

MSRP: $513|Avg: $349

101%

#280

Athlon Silver 3050GE

MSRP: $75|Avg: $65

100%

#280

Core i7-7820X

MSRP: $599|Avg: $198

41%

#281

Core i7-9700E

MSRP: $259|Avg: $180

100%

#282

Core i7-11700K

MSRP: $399|Avg: $350

100%

#283

Ryzen Threadripper 1920

MSRP: $799|Avg: $200

40%

#283

Ryzen 7 PRO 3700

MSRP: $329|Avg: $330

99%

#284

Ryzen Threadripper 1950X

MSRP: $999|Avg: $300

40%

#284

Core i7-14701E

MSRP: $392|Avg: $380

99%

#285

Core i5-10400

MSRP: $182|Avg: $175

98%

#286

Core i3-12100

MSRP: $122|Avg: $180

98%

#287

Core Ultra 9 285T

MSRP: $549|Avg: $549

97%

#288

Core i5-12500TE

MSRP: $225|Avg: $225

96%

#288

Ryzen Threadripper 1950

MSRP: $999|Avg: $300

32%

#289

Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE

MSRP: $108|Avg: $70

95%

#290

Core i9-10900KF

MSRP: $509|Avg: $336

95%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core i7-11700K delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the M3 Pro 12-Core in both compute-intensive tasks (0.8% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	M3 Pro 12-Core	Core i7-11700K
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	✅ More affordable ($0)	⚠️ Higher cost ($350)
Longevity	✨ Modern (Legacy / 3 nm)	✨ Modern (Rocket Lake (2021) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	M3 Pro 12-Core	Core i7-11700K
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅ More affordable ($0)	⚠️ Higher cost ($350)

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.

M3 Pro 12-Core Benchmark Check

Core i7-11700K Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

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

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.

Core i7-11700K

The Core i7-11700K 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: 512K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 24,362 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The M3 Pro 12-Core packs 12 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i7-11700K offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the M3 Pro 12-Core has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.06 GHz on the M3 Pro 12-Core versus 5 GHz on the Core i7-11700K — a 20.8% clock advantage for the Core i7-11700K (base: 2.748 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Core i7-11700K is built on the Rocket Lake (2021) architecture. In PassMark, the M3 Pro 12-Core scores 24,170 against the Core i7-11700K's 24,362 — a 0.8% lead for the Core i7-11700K.

Feature	M3 Pro 12-Core	Core i7-11700K
Cores / Threads	12 / 12+50%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	4.06 GHz	5 GHz+23%
Base Clock	2.748 GHz	3.6 GHz+31%
L3 Cache	—	16 MB (total)
L2 Cache	—	512K (per core)
Process	3 nm-79%	14 nm
Architecture	—	Rocket Lake (2021)
PassMark	24,170	24,362
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	14,732

🧠

Memory & Platform

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

Feature	M3 Pro 12-Core	Core i7-11700K
Socket	none	LGA1200
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	—	128 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	❌
PCIe Lanes	—	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (M3 Pro 12-Core) / VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-11700K). The Core i7-11700K includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 750), while the M3 Pro 12-Core requires a dedicated GPU.