Apple M1 vs Apple M2 (8-GPU)

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CPU comparison with benchmarks

-VS-

CPU lineage

Apple M1 or Apple M1 – 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 features 8 processor cores and has the capability to manage 8 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q4/2020 and belongs to the 1 generation of the Apple M series series.
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.
Apple M1 Group Apple M2
1 Generation 2
Mobile Segment Mobile
Apple M1 Name Apple M2 (8-GPU)
Apple M series Family Apple M series
 
 

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

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

Internal Graphics

The Apple M1 has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the Apple M1 uses the Apple M1 (8 Core), which has 1024 texture shaders
and 128 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
1024 Shaders 1024
Q4/2020 Release date Q2/2022
5 nm Technology 5 nm
-- Direct X --
8.0 GB Max. GPU Memory 24.0 GB
-- Max. displays --
128 Execution units 128
1.3 GHz GPU frequency 1.4 GHz
1 Generation 2
-- GPU (Turbo) --
Apple M1 (8 Core) GPU name Apple M2 (8 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 16.0 GB distributed across 2 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 68.2 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 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
LPDDR4X-4266 Memory type LPDDR5-6400
No ECC No
16.0 GB Max. Memory 24.0 GB
2 Memory channels 2
68.2 GB/s Bandwidth 102.4 GB/s
 
 

Thermal Management

The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 15 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.
10 W TDP down 10 W
20 W TDP up None
15 W TDP (PL1 / PBP) 22 W
-- Tjunction max 100 °C
 
 

Technical details

The Apple M1 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 (8-GPU) is manufactured using a 5 nm process.
Q4/2020 Release date Q2/2022
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 1102 Part Number --
Socket
16.0 MB L2-Cache 20.0 MB
 
 

Benchmarks

Estimated results for PassMark CPU Mark

Apple M2 (8-GPU)
8C 8T @ 3.5 GHz
15472
15472
Apple M1
8C 8T @ 3.2 GHz
14463
14463

Geekbench 6 (Multi-Core)

Apple M2 (8-GPU)
8C 8T @ 3.5 GHz
9691
9691
Apple M1
8C 8T @ 3.2 GHz
8576
8576

Geekbench 5, 64bit (Multi-Core)

Apple M2 (8-GPU)
8C 8T @ 3.5 GHz
8853
8853
Apple M1
8C 8T @ 3.2 GHz
7650
7650

Cinebench R23 (Multi-Core)

Apple M2 (8-GPU)
8C 8T @ 3.5 GHz
8714
8714
Apple M1
8C 8T @ 3.2 GHz
7759
7759

Geekbench 6 (Single-Core)

Apple M2 (8-GPU)
8C 8T @ 3.5 GHz
2536
2536
Apple M1
8C 8T @ 3.2 GHz
2369
2369

Geekbench 5, 64bit (Single-Core)

Apple M2 (8-GPU)
8C 8T @ 3.5 GHz
1874
1874
Apple M1
8C 8T @ 3.2 GHz
1742
1742

Cinebench R23 (Single-Core)

Apple M2 (8-GPU)
8C 8T @ 3.5 GHz
1695
1695
Apple M1
8C 8T @ 3.2 GHz
1503
1503

Blender 2.81 (bmw27)

Apple M1
8C 8T @ 3.2 GHz
314
314
Apple M2 (8-GPU)
8C 8T @ 3.5 GHz
277
277