Core i7-1360P Vs Apple M2 [Full Comparison 2023]

Apple’s revolutionary Silicon architecture upped its game as it stopped relying on Intel to provide its chips. Meanwhile, their M2 chip promises even better performance on the same 5nm manufacturing process. Today, we’re comparing Intel vs Apple in the form of Core i7-1360P vs Apple M2 to find the better mobile CPU. 

Key Takeaways

• Firstly, the Apple M2 uses the Apple Silicon architecture and utilizes TSMC‘s optimized 5nm node called N5P. The Core i7-1360P uses Intel’s Willow Cove architecture and the 10nm Intel 7 node.
• The Core i7-1360P proved 33.8% faster in multi-core applications, while both CPUs are on-par in single-core performance.
• Regarding prices, the Core i7-1360P laptops range from $1099 to $2199. Apple M2 laptops, on the other hand, can cost between $1099 to $2499. 
• The Core i7-1360P provides better overall value, providing better specifications at matching prices, and better multi-core performance.

Comparison Table 

Let’s compare the specifications of the two CPUs.

Core i7-1360P vs Apple M2

So there are no apparent similarities between the CPUs. Although the Core i7-1360P supports, LPDDR5 speeds up to 6400 MT/s while the Apple M2 laptops have LPDDR5 with speed fixed at 6400 MT/s.

Architectural Differences

Here’s a look at the key differences. 

1. Process Nodes: Starting with the nodes, the Core i7-1360P uses Intel’s custom 10nm node called Intel 7. On the other hand, Apple’s Silicon M2 chip uses TSMC’s enhanced 5nm node called N5P. The Intel 7 process is roughly equivalent to TSMC’s 7nm process in transistor density. So, Apple’s M2 CPU clearly has the advantage here. 
2. Instruction Set: Intel’s Core i7-1360P has the usual x86-64 instruction set, which is part of the Complex Instruction Set Computing (CSIC) architecture. In contrast, the Apple M2 uses the ARMv8 set, which comes under the Reduced Instruction Set Computing (RISC) architecture.
3. Core/Thread Counts: Next, let’s discuss core/thread counts. The Core i7-1360P is the better CPU here as it has 12 cores, including 4 P-cores and 8 E-cores. Similarly, the Apple M2 has 4 P-cores AND 4 E-cores, totaling 8 cores. As for thread counts, the Core i7-1360P again is the better CPU with 16 threads, while the Apple M2 has half of that. 
4. Clock Speeds: Regarding base clock speeds, the Apple M2 is ahead with a base frequency of 3.5GHz for the P-cores and 2.4GHz for the E-cores. The Core i7-1360P, in contrast, clocks at 2.2GHz (P-cores) and 1.6GHz (E-cores).Regarding boost clocks, the Core i7-1360P clocks up to 5GHz (P-cores) and 3.7GHz (E-cores), while the Apple M2 is limited to the base frequencies.
5. Memory: The Apple M2 uses unified memory, while the Core i7-1360P uses traditional RAM. As for memory support, the Apple M2 chip runs solely on LPDDR5 at 6400 MT/s.
   The Core i7-1360P also supports LPDDR5 at up to 6400 MT/s as well as LPDDR5x at the same speed. Additionally, there’s support for DDR5 (5200 MT/s), DDR4 (3200 MT/s), and LPDDR4 (4267 MT/s). [Read: DDR5 vs DDR4 Memory]
6. Cache: The Core i7-1365P has 80KB of L1 cache per core, while the Apple M2 betters that with 192KB. Furthermore, the Apple M2 has a shared 16MB pool of L2 cache, whereas the Core i7-1365P has 2MB L2 cache/core – totaling 24MB. Lastly, the Core i7-1360P has an 18MB pool of L3 cache, and the Apple M2 does not have L3 cache. 
7. TDP: As mentioned, the Apple M2 has impressive power efficiency, with a base TDP of just 10 watts. In contrast, the Core i7-1360P’s TDP can be adjusted between 20 and 28 watts while the boost TDP goes up to 64 watts.

Performance: Apple M2 Vs Core i7-1360P

With the architectural differences out of the way, let’s see how these differences apply to performance. We’ll look at their single-core and multi-core performance in three different applications. 

Cinebench R23

• The Core i7-1360P starts with 12322 points in the Cinebench R23 multi-core test. In reply, the Apple M2 CPU scored 8670 points – 42.1% less. 
• As for the multi-core test, the Core i7-1360P accumulated 1899 points over 1593 points of the Apple M2. Here, the difference is 19.2%.

Geekbench 5

• The Core i7-1360P scores 10731 points in the multi-core test of Geekbench 5. Meanwhile, the Apple M2 managed 9034 points – trailing by 18.7%. 
• In the single-core test, the Apple M2 turned things in its favor with 1939 points. The Core i7-1360P managed 1824 points, 6.3% less.

Passmark

• The last benchmark is Passmark, in which the Core i7-1360P racked up 21335 multi-core points. As for the Apple M2, the score is 15453 points – a 38.3% difference.
• Lastly, for the single-core scores, the Apple M2 (4052 points) bettered the Core i7-1360P (3812 points). Here, the difference is 6.2%.

Overall Performance

Here’s a look at the average scores across the three applications.

• Multi-core Performance: The Core i7-1360P amassed 14796 points and the Apple M2 followed with 11052 points. In exact, this means the Core i7-1360P is about 33.8% faster than the Apple M2 in multi-core applications.
• Single-core Performance: The Apple M2 took the win ever-so-slightly with 2528 points over 2511 of the Core i7-1360P. Thus, the Apple M2 is only 0.6% faster in single-core applications on average.

Learn: How To Benchmark Gaming PC

Laptop Prices

Next, let’s go over the prices of the two laptops. The prices for the Core i7-1360P have been estimated from Amazon US, while Apple M2 prices have been taken from Apple’s website. These prices are valid as of July 2023. 

• Core i7-1360P: The cheapest Core i7-1360P laptop comes in at $1099. Meanwhile, the best-sellers are in the $1248-$1799 range, and the most expensive laptop will set you back by $2199.
• Apple M2: The M2 chip is used in Apple’s MacBook Air 13″ (starting $1099) and 15″ (starting $1299). The Apple M2 CPU is also used in the MacBook Pro 13″ (starting at $1099). The starting price gives you 8GB of unified memory and 256GB of SSD storage. From there, each additional 8GB upgrade and 256GB costs an extra $200 each. All-in-all, an Apple M2 laptop can cost you anywhere from $1099 to $2499.

Which CPU Offers Better Value?

Having discussed the price and performance allows us to determine which CPU offers more value. The Core-i7-1360P shows much better multi-core performance and nearly provides the same single-core performance as the Apple M2.

The Core i7-1360P laptops start at $1099, just like the Apple M2 ones, but offer better specifications at the same price. Additionally, the most expensive Core i7-1360P laptop costs $2199, whereas Apple M2 laptops go up to $2499.

Hence, it’s safe to say that the Core i7-1360P provides a much better value than the Apple M2 CPU.

Core i7-1360P Vs Apple M2: Which One To Go For? 

This brings an end to our Core i7-1360P vs Apple M2 comparison. With both CPUs using entirely different architectures, they have numerous differences. For instance, the manufacturing process, instruction set, and memory design all differ vastly. In the end, though, the Core i7-1360P impressed more with its performance and value. 

The Mac M2 has its wins in the comparison, like power efficiency, better iGPU, and potentially faster memory bandwidth. There’s also a difference in operating systems. So, make sure to consider all factors before making a purchase.