Intel Core i5-8600K vs Apple A18 vs Intel Core i5-8500

Intel Core i5-8600K

The Intel Core i5-8600K is a high-end desktop processor with six cores based on the Coffee Lake architecture and was announced in September 2017. The processor clocks at between 3.6 and 4.3 GHz and can execute up to six threads simultaneously (no HyperThreading). According to Intel, the CPU is manufactured in an improved 14nm (14nm++) process. The i5-8600K is comparatively easy to overclock thanks to the unlocked multiplier.

Performance

Due to the two additional cores, performance has increased significantly compared to the Core i7-7700K when all cores are in use. Single-core performance has not improved since its Kaby Lake predecessor. As a high-end model, the i5-8600K is suitable for the most demanding applications and games.

Graphics

The integrated Intel UHD Graphics 630 iGPU is basically identical to the previous generation Intel HD Graphics 630. Only some low demanding games are playable with this graphics card (see GPU page linked above).

Power Consumption

Intel specifies the TDP with 95 watts. Therefore, well-dimensioned cooling systems should easily manage to deal with the created heat. We expect increased efficiency due to the higher performance.

Apple A18

The Apple A18 is a powerful smartphone processor and formal successor to the A16. This new member of the Apple A processor series debuted in September 2024 alongside the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus; it features 2 performance cores and 4 efficient cores along with a 35 TOPS NPU and the 5-core A18 GPU.

The chip is normally paired with 8 GB of RAM. It is said to be in large part based on the v9.2A ARM microarchitecture for near-Apple M4 IPC. 5G, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3, various satellite navigation systems and NFC are all supported here.

The more expensive A18 Pro SoC has the same 2 P-cores and 4 E-cores running at slightly higher clock speeds; its graphics adapter is on the other hand significantly faster than what the A18 has. Another crucial little detail is that USB 3.x support is either missing, or disabled somehow on the A18 for USB 2.0 speeds only whereas the A18 Pro has no such issue.

Performance

Multi-threaded benchmarks put it in the same ballpark as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and the Dimensity 9300. As expected from Apple, the A-series processor delivers breathtaking single-thread performance that just about matches the significantly more power-hungry Apple M3 chip. This suggests the P-cores can almost hit the 4 GHz mark when required.

Graphics

Like any modern graphics adapter, the 5-core A18 GPU is RT-enabled. It delivers benchmark scores that are most comparable to the G715 MP11 and the G615 MP6.

Power consumption

It appears the chip is able to briefly consume up to about 9 W when under high load, with average sustained power consumption figures hovering around 3-4 W.

The pretty modern TSMC N3E manufacturing process makes the A-series chip very power-efficient, as of late 2024.

Intel Core i5-8500

The Intel Core i5-8500 is a mid-range 6-core CPU. The processor belongs to the Coffee Lake generation and was presented in April 2018. It does not support Hyper-Threading, which means it can run six threads simultaneously. The base clock rate is 3 GHz and the CPU can speed up to 4.1 GHz under high load. Despite belonging to the new generation of CPUs, the Core i5-8500 is manufactured in an improved 14nm process.

Performance

The processor offers a strong performance increase compared to the Core i5-7500 due to its two additional cores. Single-core performance has not improved significantly compared to its Kaby Lake predecessor. As a mid-range model, the Core i5-8500 should be suitable for demanding games and programs.

Graphics

The integrated Intel UHD Graphics 630 iGPU is supposed to offer higher performance as its clock rate has been increased by 50-100 MHz. The build is identical to that of the Intel HD Graphics 630. We do expect a performance improvement, but as a low-end solution it will probably only display current games smoothly at reduced details - if at all.

Power Consumption

Intel specifies the TDP with 65 watts. Therefore, well-dimensioned cooling systems should easily manage to deal with the created heat. We expect increased efficiency due to the higher performance.