Apple M1 vs AMD Ryzen 9 5980HX

Processor comparisons 17-03-2021

   If you are thinking about choosing a processor, you will be able to make a decision by looking at the Apple M1 vs AMD Ryzen 9 5980HX tests and see which is better for games or simple use for streaming, rendering, machine learning, video editing, programming. Here is useful information from several benchmarks or real video editing and streaming tests. A step-by-step analysis of all the specifications, to make it easier to read, is made by the table.
   From the video comparison, you can get the results of parallel examination in special test applications like Furmark, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, PCMark 10, RealBench, Blender, WPrime, GeekBench 6, 5.2, Prime95, 7zip, Dolphin Emulator, 3DMark, SuperPi, UserBenchmark, Blender, MATLAB, DaVinci Resolve Studio, VeraCrypt, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), Gears 5, PassMark, AIDA64, Handbrake.
   And how good the CPUs are in games:

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

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 5980HX or Apple M1.

Summary benchmark results

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

56%

Ryzen 9 5980HX

58%

This parameter shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Ryzen 9 5980HX is 3% better than M1. The data source is several popular tests. Detailed information can be found below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

54%

Ryzen 9 5980HX

54%

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 the cost of this processor reaches several tens of thousands of dollars. And if it seems to you that the selected CPU has a low 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: Forza Horizon 4, DOTA 2A, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, League of Legends (LOL), Battlefield V, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Shadow of the Tomb Raider, NBA 2K20, Horizon Zero Dawn, Control, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Ghostrunner, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Half-Life: Alyx, Hitman 3, Metro Exodus, Monster Hunter World.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	95.8	96.8
Valorant	108.9	110.0
Cyberpunk 2077	61.0	61.6
Apex Legends	102.4	103.4
Call of Duty Warzone	81.7	82.5
Overwatch	88.2	89.1
Red Dead Redemption 2	75.1	75.9
DOOM Eternal	54.5	55.0
Warzone	84.9	85.8
Assassin's Creed	91.5	92.4
Valheim	90.4	91.3

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 tested computers 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 get acquainted with the benchmarks that are made with the same video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

388%

Ryzen 9 5980HX

114%

To make a final decision 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 is more energy efficient than the Ryzen 9 5980HX since it has less power consumption: 15W vs. 45W. Power consumption is particularly important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, it will be useful to know its TDP. You need to buy a cooler that has the TDP data specified in the specification was greater than the TDP of the compared processor.

Software benchmarks

Let's say you plan to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for programming, machine learning, video rendering or video editing, streaming, then first of all you need to pay attention to the performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, the CPU includes all threads and cores that it has to the maximum to reach maximum efficiency. 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 use only one core to run, and all the advantages 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	AMD Ryzen 9 5980HX
Cinbench 15 Single-core	209	247
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	1163	2394
Cinbench 20 Single-core	402	576
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	1987	5248
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1512	1490
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	7782	13354

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

	Apple M1	AMD Ryzen 9 5980HX
Single-Core	3413	3190
Multi-Core	22028	26405

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

	Apple M1	AMD Ryzen 9 5980HX
Single-Core	1746	1551
Multi-Core	7683	8595

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the most useful will be the release date of the processor and the possibility of overclocking it. The newer the processor, the longer it will last in your computer. 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 in the newest games. The savings are obvious! Accordingly, there is no longer a need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer.

	Apple M1	AMD Ryzen 9 5980HX
Announcement date	October 01, 2020	January 12, 2021
Type	Laptop	Laptop
Socket	M1	FP6
Core name	4x Firestorm;4x Icestorm	Cezanne
Architecture	hybrid (big.LITTLE)	Zen 3
Generation	1	5
Turbo Frequency		4.8 MHz
Frequency	3.2 MHz	3.3 MHz
Cores	8	8
Threads	16	16
Bus rate
Bit	64	64
Lithography	5 nm	7 nm
Transistors count	16000 millions	9400 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	15 W	45 W
Memory type	LPDDR4 - Up to 4266MHz	DDR4 - Up to 3200MHz LPDDR4 - Up to 4266MHz
Max. Memory
Memory Frequency	4266	3200
Memory bandwidth
L1 cache	2MB
L2 cache	16MB	4MB
L3 cache		16MB
Overclocking	No	No
Supports ECC	No	No
Part number	APL1102	100-000000474

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here Ryzen 9 5980HX is 3% better than M1 in terms of CPU frequency. 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 is better: 8
The number of parameters for which AMD Ryzen 9 5980HX is better: 24
However, it should be understood that all the data that you have looked at here do not mean that taking them into account you should totally trust a simple quantitative comparison. Better to watch the video tests and read the opinion of of people who bought Apple M1 and AMD Ryzen 9 5980HX before making a choice which processor to buy for gaming and which not.

• Apple M1 specs and review.

• AMD Ryzen 9 5980HX specs and review.