Apple M1 Max (32-GPU) vs AMD Ryzen 9 6980HX

Last updated:

CPU comparison with benchmarks

-VS-

CPU lineage

Apple M1 Max (32-GPU) or Apple M1 Max (32-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 (32-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 AMD Ryzen 9 6980HX features 8 processor cores and has the capability to manage 16 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q1/2022 and belongs to the 5 generation of the AMD Ryzen 9 series.
To use the AMD Ryzen 9 6980HX, you'll need a motherboard with a FP7 socket.
Apple M1 Group AMD Ryzen 6000H/7035H
1 Generation 5
Apple M1 Max (32-GPU) Name AMD Ryzen 9 6980HX
Mobile Segment Mobile
Apple M series Family AMD Ryzen 9
 
 

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

The Apple M1 Max (32-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 AMD Ryzen 9 6980HX has 8 CPU cores and can calculate 16 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the AMD Ryzen 9 6980HX is 3.3 GHz
and turbo frequency for one core is 5.0 GHz.
None None 4.4 GHz
2.06 GHz B-Core Frequency None
None None 5.0 GHz
None None 8x Zen 3+
hybrid (big.LITTLE) Core architecture normal
8x Firestorm Cores A None
10 CPU Cores 8
No Overclocking No
None None 3.3 GHz
No Hyperthreading Yes
3.2 GHz A-Core Frequency None
2x Icestorm Cores B None
10 Threads 16
 
 

Internal Graphics

The Apple M1 Max (32-GPU) has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the Apple M1 Max (32-GPU) uses the Apple M1 Max (32 Core), which has 4096 texture shaders
and 512 execution units.
The iGPU uses the system's main memory as graphics memory and sits on the processor's die.
The AMD Ryzen 9 6980HX has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the AMD Ryzen 9 6980HX uses the AMD Radeon RX 680M, which has 768 texture shaders
and 12 execution units.
-- GPU (Turbo) 2.4 GHz
5 nm Technology 6 nm
-- Direct X 12
32.0 GB Max. GPU Memory 8.0 GB
512 Execution units 12
Q3/2021 Release date Q1/2022
Apple M1 Max (32 Core) GPU name AMD Radeon RX 680M
4096 Shaders 768
1.3 GHz GPU frequency 2.0 GHz
1 Generation 9
-- Max. displays --
 
 

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

16 Neural cores @ 11 TOPS AI specifications --
Apple Neural Engine AI hardware --
 
 

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

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 64.0 GB distributed across 2 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 76.8 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
LPDDR5-6400 Memory type DDR5-4800, LPDDR5-6400
409.6 GB/s Bandwidth 76.8 GB/s
Yes AES-NI Yes
No ECC No
pci PCIe pci
64.0 GB Max. Memory 64.0 GB
4 Memory channels 2
 
 

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 54 W
30 W TDP (PL1 / PBP) 45 W
-- Tjunction max 95 °C
 
 

Technical details

The Apple M1 Max (32-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 AMD Ryzen 9 6980HX is manufactured using a 6 nm process.
In total, this processor boasts a generous 16.0 MB cache.
Apple Virtualization Framework Virtualization AMD-V, SVM
5 nm Technology 6 nm
ARMv8-A64 (64 bit) Instruction set (ISA) x86-64 (64 bit)
Rosetta 2 x86-Emulation ISA extensions SSE4a, SSE4.1, SSE4.2, FMA3, AVX2
APL 1104 Part Number --
Chiplet Chip design Chiplet
Q3/2021 Release date Q1/2022
-- Release price --
28.0 MB L2-Cache 4.0 MB
Technical data sheet Documents Technical data sheet
0 bytes L3-Cache 16.0 MB
Socket FP7
macOS Operating systems Windows 10, Linux, Windows 11
M1 Architecture Rembrandt (Zen 3+)