Apple M2 (8-GPU) vs AMD A12-9800

Last updated:

CPU comparison with benchmarks

-VS-

CPU lineage

Apple M2 (8-GPU) or Apple M2 (8-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 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.
The AMD A12-9800 features 4 processor cores and has the capability to manage 4 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q3/2017 and belongs to the 7 generation of the AMD A series.
To use the AMD A12-9800, you'll need a motherboard with a AM4 (PGA 1331) socket.
Apple M2 Group AMD A12-9800
2 Generation 7
Mobile Segment Desktop / Server
Apple M2 (8-GPU) Name AMD A12-9800
Apple M series Family AMD A
 
 

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

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.
The AMD A12-9800 has 4 CPU cores and can calculate 4 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the AMD A12-9800 is 3.8 GHz
and turbo frequency for one core is 4.2 GHz.
8 Threads 4
2.8 GHz B-Core Frequency None
None None 4x Excavator
8 CPU Cores 4
hybrid (big.LITTLE) Core architecture normal
4x Avalanche Cores A None
No Hyperthreading No
3.5 GHz A-Core Frequency None
No Overclocking No
4x Blizzard Cores B None
None None 4.2 GHz
None None 3.8 GHz
 
 

Internal Graphics

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.
The iGPU uses the system's main memory as graphics memory and sits on the processor's die.
The AMD A12-9800 has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the AMD A12-9800 uses the AMD Radeon R7 - 512 (Bristol Ridge), which has 512 texture shaders
and 8 execution units.
1024 Shaders 512
Q2/2022 Release date Q2/2016
5 nm Technology 28 nm
-- Direct X 12
24.0 GB Max. GPU Memory 2.0 GB
-- Max. displays --
128 Execution units 8
1.4 GHz GPU frequency 1.11 GHz
2 Generation 6
-- GPU (Turbo) --
Apple M2 (8 Core) GPU name AMD Radeon R7 - 512 (Bristol Ridge)
 
 

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

16 Neural cores @ 15.8 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 VP8 No
Decode VC-1 Decode
Decode / Encode JPEG Decode / Encode
No AV1 No
Decode / Encode h265 / HEVC (8 bit) No
Decode AVC Decode
Decode / Encode h264 Decode
Decode / Encode VP9 No
Decode / Encode h265 / HEVC (10 bit) No
 
 

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.
The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 64.0 GB distributed across 2 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 38.4 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
LPDDR5-6400 Memory type DDR4-2400
No ECC No
24.0 GB Max. Memory 64.0 GB
2 Memory channels 2
102.4 GB/s Bandwidth 38.4 GB/s
 
 

Thermal Management

The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 22 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 65 W watts.
10 W TDP down None
22 W TDP (PL1 / PBP) 65 W
100 °C Tjunction max 90 °C
 
 

Technical details

The Apple M2 (8-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 A12-9800 is manufactured using a 28 nm process.
Q2/2022 Release date Q3/2017
Apple Virtualization Framework Virtualization AMD-V
Rosetta 2 x86-Emulation ISA extensions SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX, FMA3, FMA4, AVX2
5 nm Technology 28 nm
Chiplet Chip design --
-- Release price --
M2 Architecture Excavator (Bristol Ridge)
0 bytes L3-Cache 0 bytes
macOS, iPadOS Operating systems Windows 10, Linux
Technical data sheet Documents Technical data sheet
ARMv8-A64 (64 bit) Instruction set (ISA) x86-64 (64 bit)
-- Part Number AD9800AUABBOX
Socket AM4 (PGA 1331)
20.0 MB L2-Cache 2.0 MB