Apple M1 Max vs AMD Ryzen 9 6980HX

Processor comparisons 21-10-2022

   If you can't decide which CPU to buy, you can make a decision after reading the comprehensive tests Apple M1 Max vs AMD Ryzen 9 6980HX and see which is better for games or simple use for video editing, machine learning, programming, streaming, rendering. Here you can find all information from real streaming and video editing tests or several benchmarks. A thorough analysis of all the specifications, to make it easier to understand, is presented in the form of the table.
   From the video comparison, you can get the results of joint testing in synthetic type tests like RealBench, Blender, Prime95, Handbrake, PCMark 10, GeekBench 6, 5.2, 7zip, 3DMark, PassMark, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, SuperPi, MATLAB, DaVinci Resolve Studio, WPrime, AIDA64, UserBenchmark, Blender, Gears 5, VeraCrypt, Dolphin Emulator, Furmark.
   Gaming performance of CPUs in:

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

After looking at the data these benchmarks and videos, you already be able to know which CPU is better to buy for gaming AMD Ryzen 9 6980HX 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 6980HX

58%

The number of 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 6980HX. 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 6980HX

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 play games. Because this processor costs several tens of thousands of dollars. Therefore, if you think that the selected CPU has a little game result, look at the FPS that it produces in real games in the final table below.
List of other games in which CPU comparisons were performed: DOTA 2A, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Horizon Zero Dawn, Control, Metro Exodus, NBA 2K20, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Ghostrunner, Hitman 3, League of Legends (LOL), Monster Hunter World, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Forza Horizon 4, Half-Life: Alyx, Battlefield V, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG).

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	101.3	97.1
Valorant	115.1	110.3
Cyberpunk 2077	64.5	61.8
Apex Legends	108.2	103.7
Call of Duty Warzone	86.3	82.8
Overwatch	93.2	89.4
Red Dead Redemption 2	79.4	76.1
DOOM Eternal	57.6	55.2
Warzone	89.8	86.1
Assassin's Creed	96.7	92.7
Valheim	95.5	91.6

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 that were in the comparisons not only did they have different amounts of RAM and different video cards. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 2K, 4K or FullHD. Therefore, the game benchmark data is approximate. But all video cards met the average system requirements of games. To be sure exactly how much performance 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 6980HX

119%

To make a final resolution on which processor is better, you should also consider the generation of its core. The newer the processor generation, the better its performance in games and benchmarks, as well as its energy efficiency. In this case the M1 Max is more energy efficient than the Ryzen 9 6980HX as it consumes less power: 18W vs. 45W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, you need to 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

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

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

	Apple M1 Max	AMD Ryzen 9 6980HX
Cinbench 15 Single-core	313	263
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	1811	2492
Cinbench 20 Single-core	617	605
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	3106	5453
Cinbench 23 Single-core	2360	972
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	12204	13866

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

	Apple M1 Max	AMD Ryzen 9 6980HX
Single-Core	5344	3318
Multi-Core	34572	27686

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

	Apple M1 Max	AMD Ryzen 9 6980HX
Single-Core	1793	1617
Multi-Core	13028	8927

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 newer the processor, the longer it will last you. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system in the future. The same benefits from the presence of overclocking. When the processor can be overclocked, thereby increasing its performance, then it will continue to maintain maximum FPS in the newest games. It turns out that there is no longer a need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The savings are obvious!

	Apple M1 Max	AMD Ryzen 9 6980HX
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		5 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	FP7:100-000000750 FP7r2:100-000000751

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here Ryzen 9 6980HX is 3% better than M1 Max in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that M1 Max has 2 more core than Ryzen 9 6980HX. 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 6980HX is better: 11
However, it should be realized that the summary data in the article above do not mean that taking them into account you should totally trust a simple comparison of these figures. Better to watch the video tests and read the reviews of real owners of Apple M1 Max and AMD Ryzen 9 6980HX before making a selection 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 6980HX - all data

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

• AMD Ryzen 9 6980HX specs and review.