Apple M2 Max vs AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX

Processor comparisons 22-10-2022

   Let's say you are thinking about choosing a CPU, you will be able to make a choice by looking at the Apple M2 Max vs AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX tests and see which is better for games or simple use for programming, video editing, streaming, machine learning, rendering. Here is all information from several benchmarks or real video editing and streaming tests. A careful analysis of all the technical characteristics, so that it can be easier to understand, is made by the table.
   From the video comparison, you can get the results of parallel examination in software tests such as Furmark, GeekBench 6, 5.2, Handbrake, UserBenchmark, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), PCMark 10, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, RealBench, 3DMark, Prime95, Blender, 7zip, WPrime, MATLAB, DaVinci Resolve Studio, PassMark, VeraCrypt, SuperPi, Dolphin Emulator, Blender, AIDA64, Gears 5.
   And how good the CPUs are in games:

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

After looking at the data of parallel benchmarks and videos, you already be able to understand which CPU is better to buy for gaming AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX 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 5900HX

57%

This parameter shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, M2 Max is 8% better than Ryzen 9 5900HX. 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 5900HX

55%

For the maximum in this test, the results of the most powerful processor in the site database are taken. And of course, 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 small 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: Control, DOTA 2A, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Metro Exodus, Microsoft Flight Simulator, NBA 2K20, Hitman 3, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Half-Life: Alyx, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Monster Hunter World, Forza Horizon 4, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Ghostrunner, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), League of Legends (LOL), Horizon Zero Dawn, Battlefield V.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	106.0	97.6
Valorant	120.4	110.9
Cyberpunk 2077	67.4	62.1
Apex Legends	113.2	104.3
Call of Duty Warzone	90.3	83.2
Overwatch	97.5	89.9
Red Dead Redemption 2	83.1	76.5
DOOM Eternal	60.2	55.5
Warzone	93.9	86.5
Assassin's Creed	101.2	93.2
Valheim	99.9	92.1

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 video cards and different amounts of RAM. 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. 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

M2 Max

465%

Ryzen 9 5900HX

115%

To make a finishing resolution 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 5900HX as it consumes less power: 15W vs. 45W. Power consumption is especially 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

For example you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for video editing or video rendering, streaming, programming, machine learning, then the main parameter for you is its 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 learn 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. Because there are still many programs that use only one core to run, 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 M2 Max	AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX
Cinbench 15 Single-core	389	223
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	2220	2160
Cinbench 20 Single-core	761	571
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	3801	5536
Cinbench 23 Single-core	2204	1344
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	17142	12051

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

	Apple M2 Max	AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX
Single-Core	6536	3340
Multi-Core	42246	23829

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

	Apple M2 Max	AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX
Single-Core	2096	1561
Multi-Core	17617	9439

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the most useful will be the the possibility of overclocking it and release date of the processor. The later the processor is released, the longer it will last in your computer. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system later. The same benefits from the presence of overclocking. If the processor can be overclocked, increasing its performance, then it will continue to maintain maximum FPS in new games. The economy are obvious! Accordingly, you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer.

	Apple M2 Max	AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX
Announcement date	October 20, 2022	January 12, 2021
Type	Desktop;Laptop	Laptop
Socket	M2	FP6
Core name	8x Avalanche and 4x Blizzard	Vermeer
Architecture	hybrid (big.LITTLE)	Zen 3
Generation	2	3
Turbo Frequency		4.6 MHz
Frequency	3.49 MHz	3.3 MHz
Cores	12	8
Threads	12	16
Bus rate
Bit	64	64
Lithography	4 nm	7 nm
Transistors count	68000 millions	9400 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	15 W	45 W
Memory type	LPDDR5 - Up to 6400MHz	DDR4 - Up to 3200MHz
Max. Memory	64 Gb
Memory Frequency	6400
Memory bandwidth	412 GByte/s
L1 cache	4MB
L2 cache	24MB	4MB
L3 cache	48MB	16MB
Overclocking	No	Yes
Supports ECC	No	No
Part number		100-000000300

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here M2 Max is 5% better than Ryzen 9 5900HX in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that M2 Max has 4 more core than Ryzen 9 5900HX. 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: 31
The number of parameters for which AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX is better: 6
However, it should be realized that all the figures that you have looked at here do not mean that taking them into account you should completely trust a simple quantitative comparison. Be sure to watch the testing video and read the opinion of real owners of Apple M2 Max and AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX before deciding which of the CPUs 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 5900HX specs and review.