Between the M5 and Core i5-14600K, the M5 comes out ahead in tdp, while the Core i5-14600K wins on cinebench r23 (multi) and cores. Overall, the M5 scores 46 and the Core i5-14600K scores 52.1 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The Core i5-14600K edges ahead on the Mars Score (46 vs 52.1), but the 6.1-point gap is small enough that the right pick comes down to which spec advantages matter to you.
Pick the M5 if you care most about tdp. The biggest gaps in its favor are tdp.
Pick the Core i5-14600K if you push the hardware — gaming, on-device AI, heavy multitasking — and the extra compute headroom is worth the trade-offs. Its strongest claims are cinebench r23 (multi), cores, l3 cache, among others.
There are no meaningful ties on the headline specs — every popular-comparison metric has a winner.
Bottom line: the Core i5-14600K is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Why Apple - M5 wins
- ▲TDP — 103.00 W less. 22 vs 125.
Why Intel - Core i5-14600K wins
- ▲Cinebench R23 (multi) — 55.77% more. 24300 vs 15600.
- ▲Cores — 40.00% more. 14 vs 10.
- ▲L3 cache — 20.00% more. 24 MB vs 20 MB.
- ▲Boost clock — 15.22% more. 5.3 GHz vs 4.6 GHz.
Spec comparison
Cores
| Spec | Apple - M5 | Intel - Core i5-14600K |
|---|---|---|
| Coresⓘ | 10 | 14lead |
| Threadsⓘ | 10 | 20lead |
| Base clockⓘ | 0 GHz | 3.5 GHzlead |
| Boost clockⓘ | 4.6 GHz | 5.3 GHzlead |
| L3 cacheⓘ | 20 MB | 24 MBlead |
Platform
| Spec | Apple - M5 | Intel - Core i5-14600K |
|---|---|---|
| Socketⓘ | Soldered | LGA1700 |
| TDPⓘ | 22 Wlead | 125 W |
| Integrated graphicsⓘ | true | true |
| DDR5ⓘ | true | true |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple - M5 | Intel - Core i5-14600K |
|---|---|---|
| Cinebench R23 (multi)ⓘ | 15600 | 24300lead |
| Cinebench R23 (single)ⓘ | 2150lead | 2030 |
Spec-level deep dives
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