Apple M2 Max vs AMD Ryzen 9 5600X

Processor comparisons 22-10-2022

   Perhaps you can't decide which CPU to buy, you can make a choice by looking at the Apple M2 Max vs AMD Ryzen 9 5600X tests and understand which is better for games or normal use for rendering, video editing, streaming, programming, machine learning. Here you can find useful information from many benchmarks or real video editing and streaming tests. A step-by-step analysis of all the technical characteristics, so that it can be easier to read, is presented in the form of the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of parallel examination in special testing software like Blender, Gears 5, Furmark, Handbrake, VeraCrypt, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, 7zip, PassMark, MATLAB, RealBench, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), AIDA64, Dolphin Emulator, UserBenchmark, 3DMark, WPrime, PCMark 10, DaVinci Resolve Studio, GeekBench 6, 5.2, Blender, SuperPi, Prime95.
   And how good the CPUs are in games:

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

After reading the results of all benchmarks and videos, you can already make an briefed decision about which processor is better to buy for gaming AMD Ryzen 9 5600X or Apple M2 Max.

Summary benchmark results

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

M2 Max

62%

Ryzen 9 5600X

58%

The number of this parameter shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, M2 Max is 6% better than Ryzen 9 5600X. The data source is several popular tests. More detailed information of the benchmarks is below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

M2 Max

60%

Ryzen 9 5600X

55%

The maximum result in this parameter is 100 percent, which is the performance of the most powerful processor at the moment. And it is clear that this is a server processor, on which no one will run games. Because this processor costs several tens of thousands of dollars. And if it seems to you that the selected CPU has a low 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: Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Monster Hunter World, Hitman 3, Half-Life: Alyx, DOTA 2A, Forza Horizon 4, Battlefield V, League of Legends (LOL), Microsoft Flight Simulator, Metro Exodus, Control, NBA 2K20, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Horizon Zero Dawn, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Ghostrunner.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	106.0	97.8
Valorant	120.4	111.2
Cyberpunk 2077	67.4	62.3
Apex Legends	113.2	104.5
Call of Duty Warzone	90.3	83.4
Overwatch	97.5	90.1
Red Dead Redemption 2	83.1	76.7
DOOM Eternal	60.2	55.6
Warzone	93.9	86.7
Assassin's Creed	101.2	93.4
Valheim	99.9	92.3

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 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: 4K, 2K or FullHD. 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 get acquainted with the benchmarks that are made with the same video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

M2 Max

465%

Ryzen 9 5600X

89%

To make a final 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 M2 Max is more energy efficient than the Ryzen 9 5600X as it consumes less power: 15W vs. 65W. Power consumption is particularly important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, you must 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

For example you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for video rendering or video editing, programming, streaming, machine learning, then first of all you need to pay attention to the performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to reach maximum efficiency, 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 check whether the program you are going to use on your computer supports multi-threaded mode. Since 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 M2 Max	AMD Ryzen 9 5600X
Cinbench 15 Single-core	389	187
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	2220	2569
Cinbench 20 Single-core	761	444
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	3801	5905
Cinbench 23 Single-core	2204	1131
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	17142	15257

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

	Apple M2 Max	AMD Ryzen 9 5600X
Single-Core	6536	2421
Multi-Core	42246	27495

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

	Apple M2 Max	AMD Ryzen 9 5600X
Single-Core	2096	1747
Multi-Core	17617	9641

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the processor release date and overclocking capability will be the most helpful. 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. When the processor can be overclocked, increasing its performance, then it will still be able to produce maximum FPS in new games. Accordingly, there is no longer a need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The economy are obvious!

	Apple M2 Max	AMD Ryzen 9 5600X
Announcement date	October 20, 2022	November 05, 2020
Type	Desktop;Laptop	Desktop
Socket	M2	AM4
Core name	8x Avalanche and 4x Blizzard	Vermeer
Architecture	hybrid (big.LITTLE)	Zen 3
Generation	2	4
Turbo Frequency		4.6 MHz
Frequency	3.49 MHz	3.7 MHz
Cores	12	6
Threads	12	12
Bus rate
Bit	64	64
Lithography	4 nm	7 nm
Transistors count	68000 millions	9400 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	15 W	65 W
Memory type	LPDDR5 - Up to 6400MHz	DDR4
Max. Memory	64 Gb
Memory Frequency	6400	3200
Memory bandwidth	412 GByte/s
L1 cache	4MB
L2 cache	24MB	3MB
L3 cache	48MB	32MB
Overclocking	No	Yes
Supports ECC	No	No
Part number		100-000000065 100-100000065BOX 100-100000065MPK

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here Ryzen 9 5600X is 5% better than M2 Max in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that M2 Max has 6 more core than Ryzen 9 5600X. 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 M2 Max is better: 29
The number of parameters for which AMD Ryzen 9 5600X is better: 7
Although it should be understood that all the data that you have looked at here do not mean that taking them into account you should undividedly trust a simple quantitative comparison. Be sure to watch the video tests and read the reviews of real owners of Apple M2 Max and AMD Ryzen 9 5600X before making a selection which of the processors to buy for gaming.

Apple M2 Max - all data

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

• Apple M2 Max specs and review.

AMD Ryzen 9 5600X - all data

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

• AMD Ryzen 9 5600X specs and review.