Intel Core i7-14650HX vs Apple M3

Intel Core i7-14650HX

The Intel Core i7-14650HX is a high-end CPU based on the new Raptor Lake architecture for large and heavy notebooks. The CPU was introduced at the beginning of 2024 and is similar to the older Core i7-13700HX except for slightly higher CPU clock rates (max 200 MHz).

The total of 24 threads are divided into P-cores and E-cores, which we already know from Alder-Lake. The 13700HX offers 8 performance cores (P-cores) with hyperthreading and 8 efficiency cores (E-cores) without hyperthreading. A total of 20 threads are therefore supported. The P-cores clock from 2.2 to 5.2 GHz (single core) or 4.5 GHz (all cores) and the E-cores from 1.6 to 3.7 GHz. The integrated memory controller supports a maximum of DDR5 with 4800 MHz (and not 5600 MHz like the i9 HX models).

Compared to Alder Lake, the new Raptor Lake architecture offers improved P-cores (Raptor Cove architecture with more cache), more E-cores (same Gracemont architecture) and higher clock rates thanks to the improved Intel 7 process. Furthermore, Intel now supports faster DDR5 main memory in the top models (up to 5600 MHz in the i9).

The performance should be slightly above the older Core i7-13700HX (with the same TDP settings and cooling). This makes the CPU ideal for demanding tasks and games.

The 14650HX continues to be manufactured using Intel's improved 10nm FinFET process (Intel 7 process) and is specified with 55 watts of base power and 157 watts of turbo power.

Apple M3

The Apple M3 is a system on a chip (SoC) from Apple for notebooks that was introduced in late 2023. It integrates a new 8-core CPU with 4 performance cores with up to 4.06 GHz and 4 efficiency cores running at up to 2.75 GHz. Apple claims that the CPU is up to 20% faster than in the old Apple M2 (3.5 GHz). 

Due to the higher clock speeds and architecture improvements, the processor performance is also significantly better than the M2 in benchmarks (see e.g. Geekbench below) and can keep up with the fastest CPUs in short single-core tests (like the Raptor Lake i9-13950HX).

The M3 also integrates a new graphics adapter with dynamic caching, mesh shading and ray tracing acceleration. According to Apple, it is 20% faster than the GPU in the M2. The chip integrates again 10 GPU cores, but the cheaper variant only offers 8 cores (e.g. in the entry iMac). Furthermore, the GPU only supports 2 displays (an additional 6K60 display to the internal one).

Both GPU and CPU can access the unified memory on the package together. It is still available in 8, 16 and 24 GB variants and offers the same 100 GB/s maximum bandwidth (unlike the Pro models that feature a reduced memory bandwidth). 

The integrated 16-core Neural Engine has also been revised and now offers 18 TOPS peak performance (versus 15.8 TOPS in the M2 but 35 TOPS in the new A17 Pro). The video engine now supports AV1 decoding in hardware. H.264, HEVC and ProRes (RAW) can still be decoded and encoded.

Unfortunately, the integrated wireless network module only supports Wi-Fi 6E (no Wi-Fi 7) and due to the support of only a single external monitor, the chip also has to make do with no Thunderbolt 4 (Thunderbolt 3 / USB 4 support only for up to 40 Gbit/s).

The chip is manufactured on the current 3nm TSMC process (N3B most likely) and contains 25 billion transistors (+25% vs. Apple M2). The 3nm process should also contribute to the excellent efficiency of the chip. Under load, the M3 CPU consumes approximately 20 Watt.