Apple M1 Max (24-GPU) vs Apple M2 Pro (12-CPU 19-GPU)

Last updated:

CPU comparison with benchmarks

-VS-

CPU lineage

Apple M1 Max (24-GPU) or Apple M1 Max (24-GPU) – 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 M1 Max (24-GPU) features 10 processor cores and has the capability to manage 10 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q3/2021 and belongs to the 1 generation of the Apple M series series.
The Apple M2 Pro (12-CPU 19-GPU) features 12 processor cores and has the capability to manage 12 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q1/2023 and belongs to the 2 generation of the Apple M series series.
Apple M1 Group Apple M2
1 Generation 2
Mobile Segment Mobile
Apple M1 Max (24-GPU) Name Apple M2 Pro (12-CPU 19-GPU)
Apple M series Family Apple M series
 
 

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

The Apple M1 Max (24-GPU) has 10 CPU cores and can calculate 10 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the A-Core is 3.2 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.
The Apple M2 Pro (12-CPU 19-GPU) has 12 CPU cores and can calculate 12 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the A-Core is 3.5 GHz.
10 Threads 12
2.06 GHz B-Core Frequency 2.8 GHz
10 CPU Cores 12
hybrid (big.LITTLE) Core architecture hybrid (big.LITTLE)
8x Firestorm Cores A 8x Avalanche
No Hyperthreading No
3.2 GHz A-Core Frequency 3.5 GHz
No Overclocking No
2x Icestorm Cores B 4x Blizzard
 
 

Internal Graphics

The Apple M1 Max (24-GPU) has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the Apple M1 Max (24-GPU) uses the Apple M1 Max (24 Core), which has 3072 texture shaders
and 384 execution units.
The iGPU uses the system's main memory as graphics memory and sits on the processor's die.
The Apple M2 Pro (12-CPU 19-GPU) has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the Apple M2 Pro (12-CPU 19-GPU) uses the Apple M2 Pro (19 Core), which has 2432 texture shaders
and 304 execution units.
3072 Shaders 2432
Q3/2021 Release date Q1/2023
5 nm Technology 5 nm
-- Direct X --
32.0 GB Max. GPU Memory 32.0 GB
-- Max. displays --
384 Execution units 304
1.3 GHz GPU frequency 1.4 GHz
1 Generation 2
-- GPU (Turbo) --
Apple M1 Max (24 Core) GPU name Apple M2 Pro (19 Core)
 
 

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

16 Neural cores @ 11 TOPS AI specifications 16 Neural cores @ 15.8 TOPS
Apple Neural Engine 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.
Decode VP8 Decode
Decode VC-1 Decode
Decode / Encode JPEG Decode / Encode
No AV1 No
Decode / Encode h265 / HEVC (8 bit) Decode / Encode
Decode AVC Decode
Decode / Encode h264 Decode / Encode
Decode / Encode VP9 Decode / Encode
Decode / Encode h265 / HEVC (10 bit) Decode / Encode
 
 

Memory & PCIe

The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 64.0 GB distributed across 4 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 409.6 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 32.0 GB distributed across 2 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 204.8 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
LPDDR5-6400 Memory type LPDDR5-6400
No ECC No
64.0 GB Max. Memory 32.0 GB
4 Memory channels 2
409.6 GB/s Bandwidth 204.8 GB/s
 
 

Thermal Management

The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 30 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 45 W watts.
60 W TDP up None
30 W TDP (PL1 / PBP) 45 W
-- Tjunction max 100 °C
 
 

Technical details

The Apple M1 Max (24-GPU) is manufactured using a 5 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 Pro (12-CPU 19-GPU) is manufactured using a 5 nm process.
Q3/2021 Release date Q1/2023
Apple Virtualization Framework Virtualization Apple Virtualization Framework
Rosetta 2 x86-Emulation ISA extensions Rosetta 2 x86-Emulation
5 nm Technology 5 nm
Chiplet Chip design Chiplet
-- Release price --
M1 Architecture M2
0 bytes L3-Cache 0 bytes
macOS Operating systems macOS, iPadOS
Technical data sheet Documents Technical data sheet
ARMv8-A64 (64 bit) Instruction set (ISA) ARMv8-A64 (64 bit)
APL 1104 Part Number --
Socket
28.0 MB L2-Cache 36.0 MB
 
 

Benchmarks

Geekbench 5, 64bit (Multi-Core)

Apple M2 Pro (12-CPU 19-GPU)
12C 12T @ 3.5 GHz
15506
15506
Apple M1 Max (24-GPU)
10C 10T @ 3.2 GHz
12693
12693

Cinebench R23 (Multi-Core)

Apple M2 Pro (12-CPU 19-GPU)
12C 12T @ 3.5 GHz
14855
14855
Apple M1 Max (24-GPU)
10C 10T @ 3.2 GHz
12402
12402

Geekbench 6 (Multi-Core)

Apple M2 Pro (12-CPU 19-GPU)
12C 12T @ 3.5 GHz
14207
14207
Apple M1 Max (24-GPU)
10C 10T @ 3.2 GHz
12439
12439

Geekbench 6 (Single-Core)

Apple M2 Pro (12-CPU 19-GPU)
12C 12T @ 3.5 GHz
2689
2689
Apple M1 Max (24-GPU)
10C 10T @ 3.2 GHz
2397
2397

Cinebench R23 (Single-Core)

Apple M2 Pro (12-CPU 19-GPU)
12C 12T @ 3.5 GHz
1695
1695
Apple M1 Max (24-GPU)
10C 10T @ 3.2 GHz
1534
1534