Between the M4 Pro and Core i5-14600K, the M4 Pro comes out ahead in tdp, while the Core i5-14600K wins on boost clock and cinebench r23 (multi). Overall, the M4 Pro scores 49.6 and the Core i5-14600K scores 52.1 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
These two are nearly even on the Mars Score (49.6 vs 52.1). The decision isn't about overall quality — both clear the bar — it's about which specific trade-offs fit your use.
Pick the M4 Pro 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 boost clock, cinebench r23 (multi).
Both ship with comparable cores, l3 cache, so those specs don't separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: there is no wrong answer here — match the spec advantages to how you actually use the product. The Mars Score parity tells you both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.
Why Apple - M4 Pro wins
- ▲TDP — 85.00 W less. 40 vs 125.
Why Intel - Core i5-14600K wins
- ▲Boost clock — 17.78% more. 5.3 GHz vs 4.5 GHz.
- ▲Cinebench R23 (multi) — 2.10% more. 24300 vs 23800.
Spec comparison
Cores
| Spec | Apple - M4 Pro | Intel - Core i5-14600K |
|---|---|---|
| Coresⓘ | 14 | 14 |
| Threadsⓘ | 14 | 20lead |
| Base clockⓘ | 0 GHz | 3.5 GHzlead |
| Boost clockⓘ | 4.5 GHz | 5.3 GHzlead |
| L3 cacheⓘ | 24 MB | 24 MB |
Platform
| Spec | Apple - M4 Pro | Intel - Core i5-14600K |
|---|---|---|
| Socketⓘ | Soldered | LGA1700 |
| TDPⓘ | 40 Wlead | 125 W |
| Integrated graphicsⓘ | true | true |
| DDR5ⓘ | true | true |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple - M4 Pro | Intel - Core i5-14600K |
|---|---|---|
| Cinebench R23 (multi)ⓘ | 23800 | 24300lead |
| Cinebench R23 (single)ⓘ | 2260lead | 2030 |
Frequently asked
Spec-level deep dives
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