Apple M2 Max (38-GPU) vs AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D

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CPU comparison with benchmarks

-VS-

CPU lineage

Apple M2 Max (38-GPU) or Apple M2 Max (38-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 Max (38-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.
The AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D features 16 processor cores and has the capability to manage 32 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q1/2023 and belongs to the 6 generation of the AMD Ryzen 9 series.
To use the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D, you'll need a motherboard with a AM5 (LGA 1718) socket.
Apple M2 Group AMD Ryzen 7000
2 Generation 6
Apple M2 Max (38-GPU) Name AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D
Mobile Segment Desktop / Server
Apple M series Family AMD Ryzen 9
 
 

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

The Apple M2 Max (38-GPU) has 12 CPU cores and can calculate 12 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 Ryzen 9 7950X3D has 16 CPU cores and can calculate 32 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D is 4.2 GHz
and turbo frequency for one core is 5.7 GHz.
2.8 GHz B-Core Frequency None
None None 5.7 GHz
None None 16x Zen 4
hybrid (big.LITTLE) Core architecture normal
8x Avalanche Cores A None
12 CPU Cores 16
No Overclocking No
None None 4.2 GHz
No Hyperthreading Yes
3.5 GHz A-Core Frequency None
4x Blizzard Cores B None
12 Threads 32
 
 

Internal Graphics

The Apple M2 Max (38-GPU) has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the Apple M2 Max (38-GPU) uses the Apple M2 Max (38 Core), which has 4864 texture shaders
and 608 execution units.
The iGPU uses the system's main memory as graphics memory and sits on the processor's die.
The AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D uses the AMD Radeon Graphics (Raphael), which has 128 texture shaders
and 2 execution units.
-- GPU (Turbo) 2.2 GHz
5 nm Technology 5 nm
-- Direct X 12
96.0 GB Max. GPU Memory 8.0 GB
608 Execution units 2
Q1/2023 Release date Q3/2022
Apple M2 Max (38 Core) GPU name AMD Radeon Graphics (Raphael)
4864 Shaders 128
1.4 GHz GPU frequency 0.4 GHz
2 Generation 9
-- Max. displays --
 
 

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 / 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 No
 
 

Memory & PCIe

The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 96.0 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 128.0 GB distributed across 2 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
LPDDR5-6400 Memory type DDR5-5200
409.6 GB/s Bandwidth 83.2 GB/s
Yes AES-NI Yes
No ECC Yes
pci PCIe pci
96.0 GB Max. Memory 128.0 GB
4 Memory channels 2
 
 

Thermal Management

The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 45 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 120 W watts.
None TDP (PL2) 162 W
45 W TDP (PL1 / PBP) 120 W
100 °C Tjunction max 89 °C
 
 

Technical details

The Apple M2 Max (38-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 7950X3D is manufactured using a 5 nm process.
In total, this processor boasts a generous 128.0 MB cache.
Apple Virtualization Framework Virtualization AMD-V, SVM
5 nm Technology 5 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, AVX512
-- Part Number --
Chiplet Chip design Chiplet
Q1/2023 Release date Q1/2023
-- Release price --
36.0 MB L2-Cache 16.0 MB
Technical data sheet Documents Technical data sheet
0 bytes L3-Cache 128.0 MB
Socket AM5 (LGA 1718)
macOS, iPadOS Operating systems Windows 10, Linux, Windows 11
M2 Architecture Raphael (Zen 4)