AMD RX-421BD vs Apple M2 (8-GPU)

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CPU comparison with benchmarks

-VS-

CPU lineage

AMD RX-421BD or AMD RX-421BD – 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 AMD RX-421BD features 4 processor cores and has the capability to manage 4 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q4/2015 and belongs to the 1 generation of the AMD R series.
To use the AMD RX-421BD, you'll need a motherboard with a FP4 socket.
The Apple M2 (8-GPU) features 8 processor cores and has the capability to manage 8 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q2/2022 and belongs to the 2 generation of the Apple M series series.
AMD RX 1st Gen. Group Apple M2
1 Generation 2
Mobile Segment Mobile
AMD RX-421BD Name Apple M2 (8-GPU)
AMD R Family Apple M series
 
 

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

The AMD RX-421BD has 4 CPU cores and can calculate 4 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the AMD RX-421BD is 2.1 GHz
and turbo frequency for one core is 3.4 GHz.
The Apple M2 (8-GPU) has 8 CPU cores and can calculate 8 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the A-Core is 3.5 GHz.
The number of CPU cores greatly affects the speed of the processor and is an important performance indicator.
Processors with hybrid (big.LITTLE) architecture strike a balance between performance and power efficiency, making them ideal for mobile devices.
4 Threads 8
4x Cores None
None None 2.8 GHz
4 CPU Cores 8
normal Core architecture hybrid (big.LITTLE)
None None 4x Avalanche
No Hyperthreading No
None None 3.5 GHz
No Overclocking No
None None 4x Blizzard
3.4 GHz Turbo Frequency (1 core) None
2.1 GHz Frequency None
 
 

Internal Graphics

The AMD RX-421BD has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the AMD RX-421BD uses the AMD Radeon R7 - 512 (Merlin Falcon), which has 512 texture shaders
and 8 execution units.
The iGPU uses the system's main memory as graphics memory and sits on the processor's die.
The Apple M2 (8-GPU) has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the Apple M2 (8-GPU) uses the Apple M2 (8 Core), which has 1024 texture shaders
and 128 execution units.
512 Shaders 1024
2015 Release date Q2/2022
28 nm Technology 5 nm
12 Direct X --
2.0 GB Max. GPU Memory 24.0 GB
-- Max. displays --
8 Execution units 128
0.8 GHz GPU frequency 1.4 GHz
3 Generation 2
-- GPU (Turbo) --
AMD Radeon R7 - 512 (Merlin Falcon) GPU name Apple M2 (8 Core)
 
 

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

-- AI specifications 16 Neural cores @ 15.8 TOPS
-- AI hardware Apple Neural Engine
 
 

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.
No VP8 Decode
No VC-1 Decode
Decode JPEG Decode / Encode
No AV1 No
Decode h265 / HEVC (8 bit) Decode / Encode
No AVC Decode
Decode / Encode h264 Decode / Encode
No VP9 Decode / Encode
No h265 / HEVC (10 bit) Decode / Encode
 
 

Memory & PCIe

The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 24.0 GB distributed across 2 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
pci PCIe pci
Yes AES-NI Yes
DDR3-2133, DDR4-2400 Memory type LPDDR5-6400
Yes ECC No
0 bytes Max. Memory 24.0 GB
2 Memory channels 2
-- Bandwidth 102.4 GB/s
 
 

Thermal Management

The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 35 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 22 W watts.
12 W TDP down 10 W
35 W TDP (PL1 / PBP) 22 W
90 °C Tjunction max 100 °C
 
 

Technical details

The AMD RX-421BD is manufactured using a 28 nm process.
A smaller manufacturing process indicates a more contemporary and energy-efficient CPU.
A substantial cache can significantly enhance the processor's performance, particularly in scenarios like gaming.
The Apple M2 (8-GPU) is manufactured using a 5 nm process.
Q4/2015 Release date Q2/2022
AMD-V, AMD-Vt Virtualization Apple Virtualization Framework
SSE4a, SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX, FMA3, FMA4 ISA extensions Rosetta 2 x86-Emulation
28 nm Technology 5 nm
-- Chip design Chiplet
-- Release price --
Merlin Falcon (Excavator) Architecture M2
0 bytes L3-Cache 0 bytes
Operating systems macOS, iPadOS
Technical data sheet Documents Technical data sheet
x86-64 (64 bit) Instruction set (ISA) ARMv8-A64 (64 bit)
RE421BAAY43KA Part Number --
FP4 Socket
2.0 MB L2-Cache 20.0 MB