Apple A8X vs Intel Core i7-9800X

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CPU comparison with benchmarks

-VS-

CPU lineage

Apple A8X or Apple A8X – which processor offers superior performance? In this comparison, we examine disparities and assess which of these two CPUs outperforms the other. We delve into technical specifications and benchmark outcomes.
The Apple A8X features 3 processor cores and has the capability to manage 3 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q3/2014 and belongs to the 8 generation of the Apple A series series.
The Intel Core i7-9800X features 8 processor cores and has the capability to manage 16 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q4/2018 and belongs to the 9 generation of the Intel Core i7 series.
To use the Intel Core i7-9800X, you'll need a motherboard with a LGA 2066 socket.
Mobile Segment Desktop / Server
Apple A8X Name Intel Core i7-9800X
Apple A series Family Intel Core i7
8 Generation 9
Apple A8/A8X Group Intel Core i 9000X
 
 

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

The Apple A8X has 3 CPU cores and can calculate 3 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the Apple A8X is 1.5 GHz
The Intel Core i7-9800X has 8 CPU cores and can calculate 16 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the Intel Core i7-9800X is 3.8 GHz
and turbo frequency for one core is 4.5 GHz.
The number of CPU cores greatly affects the speed of the processor and is an important performance indicator.
3 Threads 16
None None 4.2 GHz
No Hyperthreading Yes
3x Typhoon Cores 8x
No Overclocking Yes
normal Core architecture normal
1.5 GHz Frequency 3.8 GHz
None None 4.5 GHz
3 CPU Cores 8
 
 

Internal Graphics

The Apple A8X has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the Apple A8X uses the Apple A8X, which has 256 texture shaders
and 32 execution units.
The iGPU uses the system's main memory as graphics memory and sits on the processor's die.
The Intel Core i7-9800X does not have integrated graphics.
0.45 GHz GPU frequency --
Q3/2014 Release date --
-- Direct X --
Apple A8X GPU name
20 nm Technology --
-- Max. displays --
256 Shaders --
2.0 GB Max. GPU Memory 0 bytes
32 Execution units --
5 Generation --
-- GPU (Turbo) --
 
 

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

-- AI specifications --
-- AI hardware --
 
 

Hardware codec support

A photo or video codec that is accelerated in hardware can greatly accelerate the working speed of a processor and extend the battery life of notebooks or smartphones when playing videos.
Decode AVC --
Decode VC-1 --
No VP9 --
No h265 / HEVC (10 bit) --
Decode h264 --
No VP8 --
No h265 / HEVC (8 bit) --
Decode / Encode JPEG --
No AV1 --
 
 

Memory & PCIe

The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 2.0 GB distributed across 1 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 12.8 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 128.0 GB distributed across 4 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 85.4 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
1 Memory channels 4
2.0 GB Max. Memory 128.0 GB
pci PCIe pci
No AES-NI Yes
No ECC No
12.8 GB/s Bandwidth 85.4 GB/s
LPDDR3-1600 Memory type DDR4-2666
 
 

Thermal Management

The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 8 W watts.
TDP indicates the cooling solution needed to effectively manage the processor's heat. It generally provides an approximate indication of the actual power consumption of the CPU itself.
The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 165 W watts.
-- Tjunction max 95 °C
8 W TDP (PL1 / PBP) 165 W
 
 

Technical details

The Apple A8X is manufactured using a 20 nm process.
A smaller manufacturing process indicates a more contemporary and energy-efficient CPU.
In total, this processor boasts a generous 4.0 MB cache.
A substantial cache can significantly enhance the processor's performance, particularly in scenarios like gaming.
The Intel Core i7-9800X is manufactured using a 14 nm process.
In total, this processor boasts a generous 16.5 MB cache.
Q3/2014 Release date Q4/2018
-- Part Number --
2.0 MB L2-Cache 0 bytes
None Virtualization VT-x, VT-x EPT, VT-d
ISA extensions SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX2, AVX-512
Chiplet Chip design Monolithic
A8 Architecture Skylake X Refresh
20 nm Technology 14 nm
Socket LGA 2066
iOS Operating systems Windows 10, Linux, Windows 11
-- Release price --
Technical data sheet Documents Technical data sheet
ARMv8-A64 (64 bit) Instruction set (ISA) x86-64 (64 bit)
4.0 MB L3-Cache 16.5 MB