Apple M1 Max vs AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX

Processor comparisons 21-10-2022

   For example you can't decide which processor to buy, you can make a decision after reading the comprehensive tests Apple M1 Max vs AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX and see which is better for games or simple use for machine learning, programming, streaming, rendering, video editing. Here is all information from real video editing and streaming tests or many benchmarks. A step-by-step analysis of all the specifications, so that it can be easier to read, is summarized in the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of joint testing in special testing software like UserBenchmark, Blender, VeraCrypt, DaVinci Resolve Studio, Handbrake, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, WPrime, PassMark, Dolphin Emulator, MATLAB, Blender, GeekBench 6, 5.2, Furmark, 3DMark, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), SuperPi, Gears 5, RealBench, Prime95, 7zip, AIDA64, PCMark 10.
   Gaming performance of processors in:

Halo Infinite
Rainbow Six Siege
Red Dead Redemption 2
Fallout 76
Fortnite
Overwatch
Last Man Standing
World of Warcraft: Shadowlands
Valorant
Valheim
Death Stranding
DOOM: Eternal
Grand Theft Auto V
Cyberpunk 2077
Apex Legends
Borderlands 3
Assassin's Creed Valhalla
Call of Duty: Warzone and Modern Warfare
Watch Dogs Legion

After reading the results these benchmarks and videos, you already be able to know which CPU is better to buy for gaming AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX or Apple M1 Max.

Summary benchmark results

As a percentage of the maximum value based on a sample from the entire base of all processors
Processor Benchmark

M1 Max

60%

Ryzen 9 6900HX

58%

This parameter shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, M1 Max is 3% better than Ryzen 9 6900HX. The data source is several popular tests. Detailed information can be found below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

M1 Max

57%

Ryzen 9 6900HX

55%

The maximum result in this parameter is 100 percent, which is the performance of the most powerful processor currently available. And of course, this is a server processor, on which no one will run games. Because the cost of this processor reaches several tens of thousands of dollars. And if it seems to you that the selected CPU has a small game result, just look at the FPS that it produces in real games in the final table below.
List of less popular games in which processors were compared: NBA 2K20, DOTA 2A, Metro Exodus, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Microsoft Flight Simulator, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Forza Horizon 4, Control, Horizon Zero Dawn, Half-Life: Alyx, Battlefield V, Hitman 3, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Monster Hunter World, Ghostrunner, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, League of Legends (LOL).

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	101.3	97.2
Valorant	115.1	110.4
Cyberpunk 2077	64.5	61.8
Apex Legends	108.2	103.8
Call of Duty Warzone	86.3	82.8
Overwatch	93.2	89.5
Red Dead Redemption 2	79.4	76.2
DOOM Eternal	57.6	55.2
Warzone	89.8	86.1
Assassin's Creed	96.7	92.8
Valheim	95.5	91.7

The numbers in this table indicate the maximum FPS that was received on the device with the corresponding processor. Depending on the configuration of the computer (RAM size and Video Card) and graphics quality settings (Ultra, Medium, Normal), the results may differ quite significantly. We recommend that you better study the results of the Cinebench, GeekBench and Passmark becnmarks.
The computers participating in the comparisons not only were the equipped with different amounts of RAM and different video cards. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 2K, FullHD or 4K. So the game benchmark data is approximate. But all video cards met the average system requirements of games. You will get more accurate information about how powerful the processor will be in games, if you compare it in one assembly with the video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

M1 Max

332%

Ryzen 9 6900HX

120%

To make a finishing choice on which processor is better, you should also consider the generation of its core. It is clear that the newer the generation, the better the performance of the processor in games and benchmarks, as well as its energy efficiency. In this case the M1 Max is more energy efficient than the Ryzen 9 6900HX since it has less power consumption: 18W vs. 45W. Power consumption is particularly important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, you must know its TDP. It is necessary to count so that the TDP data specified in the cooler specification is greater than the TDP of the compared processor.

Software benchmarks

Let's say you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for video editing or video rendering, machine learning, streaming, programming, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to achieve maximum performance, the processor turns on all threads and cores that it has. You will find out this data from the benchmark tables below. Before using the data from these tests, be sure to make sure that the software that you are going to use on your computer can work in multi-threaded mode. Because there are still many programs that can use only one core to work, and all the benefit of multi-core mode turns out to be unnecessary.

Cinebench 23, 20 an 15
The results of this benchmark show Single-threaded and Multi-threaded CPU performance

	Apple M1 Max	AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX
Cinbench 15 Single-core	313	258
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	1811	2509
Cinbench 20 Single-core	617	604
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	3106	5500
Cinbench 23 Single-core	2360	1562
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	12204	13996

Passmark
This popular benchmark displays Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Apple M1 Max	AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX
Single-Core	5344	3344
Multi-Core	34572	27674

GeekBench 6, 5.2
This benchmark shows Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Apple M1 Max	AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX
Single-Core	1793	1626
Multi-Core	13028	9009

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the most helpful will be the release date of the processor and the possibility of overclocking it. The later the processor is released, the longer it will last you. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system later. The same can be said about overclocking. If the processor can be overclocked, increasing its performance, then it will still be able to produce maximum FPS even in the newest games. Accordingly, you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The economy are obvious!

	Apple M1 Max	AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX
Announcement date	October 07, 2021	January 09, 2022
Type	Laptop;Desktop	Laptop
Socket	M1	FP7
Core name	8x Firestorm and 2x Icestorm	Rembrandt
Architecture	hybrid (big.LITTLE)	Zen 3+
Generation	1	6
Turbo Frequency		4.9 MHz
Frequency	3.2 MHz	3.3 MHz
Cores	10	8
Threads	10	16
Bus rate
Bit	64	64
Lithography	5 nm	6 nm
Transistors count	57000 millions	10200 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	18 W	45 W
Memory type	LPDDR5 - Up to 6400MHz	DDR5
Max. Memory	64 Gb
Memory Frequency	6400	3200
Memory bandwidth	409 GByte/s
L1 cache	4MB	512KB
L2 cache	24MB	4MB
L3 cache	48MB	16MB
Overclocking	No	Yes
Supports ECC	No	No
Part number	APL1105	FP7:100-000000544 FP7r2:100-000000560

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here Ryzen 9 6900HX is 3% better than M1 Max in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that M1 Max has 2 more core than Ryzen 9 6900HX. Also keep in mind that high CPU frequency affects battery life through power consumption (relevant for laptops).

Result:
The number of parameters for which Apple M1 Max is better: 26
The number of parameters for which AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX is better: 11
However, it should be realized that all the data in the text above do not mean that taking them into account you should completely trust a simple quantitative comparison. Better to watch the video tests and read the reviews of real owners of Apple M1 Max and AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX before making a decision which CPU to buy for gaming and which not.

Apple M1 Max - all data

• Cinebench r15 score
• Cinebench r20 score
• Cinebench r23 score
• GeekBench 6, 5.2 score

• Apple M1 Max specs and review.

AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX - all data

• Cinebench r15 score
• Cinebench r20 score
• Cinebench r23 score
• GeekBench 6, 5.2 score

• AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX specs and review.