Core i9-10900T vs M2

PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Core i9-10900T

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +12.2% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics 630, while M2 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (14,727 vs 14,933).
❌Launch MSRP is still $120 MSRP, while M2 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌75% higher power demand at 35W vs 20W.
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while M2 moves to none and DDR5.

M2

2022

Why buy it

✅+1.4% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 20W instead of 35W, a 15W reduction.
✅Newer platform on none with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-10900T across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i9-10900T can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i9-10900T

2020

M2

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +12.2% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics 630, while M2 needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅+1.4% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 20W instead of 35W, a 15W reduction.
✅Newer platform on none with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (14,727 vs 14,933).
❌Launch MSRP is still $120 MSRP, while M2 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌75% higher power demand at 35W vs 20W.
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while M2 moves to none and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-10900T across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i9-10900T can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is M2 better than Core i9-10900T?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core i9-10900T is ahead with a 12.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, M2 pulls ahead with 1.4% better PassMark.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, M2 is the better fit. You are getting 1.4% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 8 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

M2 is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i9-10900T makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. M2 is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $120 MSRP, and it gives you 1.4% better PassMark. The trade-off is that Core i9-10900T is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 12.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i9-10900T is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (122.7 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible LGA1200 + DDR4 setup, Core i9-10900T can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap, but on MSRP alone you would want to find it meaningfully cheaper in real-world listings before that path becomes easy to justify.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

M2 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2020), a healthier platform with none and DDR5 instead of LGA1200, and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 8 threads instead of 10/20. That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

Games Benchmarks

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Core i9-10900T Benchmark Check

M2 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i9-10900T	M2
1080p
low	183 FPS	175 FPS
medium	149 FPS	140 FPS
high	122 FPS	113 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	90 FPS
1440p
low	149 FPS	141 FPS
medium	118 FPS	111 FPS
high	96 FPS	88 FPS
ultra	80 FPS	69 FPS
4K
low	83 FPS	66 FPS
medium	72 FPS	55 FPS
high	58 FPS	44 FPS
ultra	45 FPS	35 FPS

Open Core i9-10900T Open M2

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i9-10900T	M2
1080p
low	290 FPS	288 FPS
medium	242 FPS	246 FPS
high	207 FPS	213 FPS
ultra	186 FPS	166 FPS
1440p
low	250 FPS	248 FPS
medium	215 FPS	220 FPS
high	185 FPS	193 FPS
ultra	159 FPS	150 FPS
4K
low	155 FPS	174 FPS
medium	133 FPS	159 FPS
high	126 FPS	136 FPS
ultra	110 FPS	106 FPS

Open Core i9-10900T Open M2

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i9-10900T	M2
1080p
low	368 FPS	373 FPS
medium	368 FPS	373 FPS
high	368 FPS	373 FPS
ultra	368 FPS	373 FPS
1440p
low	368 FPS	373 FPS
medium	368 FPS	373 FPS
high	368 FPS	373 FPS
ultra	368 FPS	363 FPS
4K
low	368 FPS	373 FPS
medium	368 FPS	314 FPS
high	340 FPS	277 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	221 FPS

Open Core i9-10900T Open M2

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i9-10900T	M2
1080p
low	368 FPS	373 FPS
medium	368 FPS	373 FPS
high	368 FPS	373 FPS
ultra	368 FPS	373 FPS
1440p
low	368 FPS	373 FPS
medium	368 FPS	373 FPS
high	368 FPS	373 FPS
ultra	368 FPS	373 FPS
4K
low	368 FPS	373 FPS
medium	368 FPS	373 FPS
high	368 FPS	373 FPS
ultra	368 FPS	328 FPS

Open Core i9-10900T Open M2

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i9-10900T and M2

Core i9-10900T

The Core i9-10900T is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 April 2020 (5 years ago). It features 10 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 1.9 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 20 MB Intel® Smart Cache. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2933. Passmark benchmark score: 14,727 points. Launch price was $149.

M2

The M2 is manufactured by Apple. It was released in 10 June 2022 (3 years ago). It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.424 GHz, with boost up to 3.48 GHz. L2 cache: 20 MB. Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: none. Thermal design power (TDP): 20 Watt. Memory support: LPDDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 14,933 points. Launch price was $149.

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Processing Power

The Core i9-10900T packs 10 cores / 20 threads, while the M2 offers 8 cores / 8 threads — the Core i9-10900T has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Core i9-10900T versus 3.48 GHz on the M2 — a 27.7% clock advantage for the Core i9-10900T (base: 1.9 GHz vs 2.424 GHz). In PassMark, the Core i9-10900T scores 14,727 against the M2's 14,933 — a 1.4% lead for the M2.

Feature	Core i9-10900T	M2
Cores / Threads	10 / 20+25%	8 / 8
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz+32%	3.48 GHz
Base Clock	1.9 GHz	2.424 GHz+28%
L3 Cache	20 MB Intel® Smart Cache	—
L2 Cache	—	20 MB
Process	14 nm	5 nm-64%
PassMark	14,727	14,933+1%
Geekbench 6 Single	1,710	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	7,476	—

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Memory & Platform

The Core i9-10900T uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the M2 uses none (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i9-10900T	M2
Socket	LGA1200	none
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2933	—
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: Yes (Core i9-10900T) / not specified (M2). The Core i9-10900T includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics 630), while the M2 requires a dedicated GPU.