Apple M2 Max vs AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX

Processor comparisons   22-10-2022
   For example you can't decide which CPU to buy, you can make a choice after reading the comprehensive tests Apple M2 Max vs AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX and understand which is better for games or simple use for rendering, streaming, machine learning, video editing, programming. Here you can find all information from several benchmarks or real video editing and streaming tests. A careful analysis of all the specifications, to make it easier to read, is made by the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of parallel examination in software tests like DaVinci Resolve Studio, MATLAB, VeraCrypt, Prime95, Furmark, Blender, GeekBench 6, 5.2, Gears 5, UserBenchmark, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), WPrime, Handbrake, RealBench, PCMark 10, AIDA64, Dolphin Emulator, 7zip, SuperPi, PassMark, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, 3DMark, Blender.
   Gaming performance of processors in:

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

After looking at the data of parallel benchmarks and videos, you can already make an briefed decision about which CPU is better to buy for gaming AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX 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 6900HX

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 6900HX. 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 6900HX

55%

The maximum result in this parameter is 100 percent, which is the performance of the most powerful processor currently available. And it is clear that 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 small game result, just look at the FPS that it produces in real games in the summary table below.
List of other games in which processors were compared: League of Legends (LOL), PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Ghostrunner, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Monster Hunter World, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, NBA 2K20, Battlefield V, Hitman 3, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Metro Exodus, Half-Life: Alyx, Control, Horizon Zero Dawn, DOTA 2A, Forza Horizon 4.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	106.0	97.2
Valorant	120.4	110.4
Cyberpunk 2077	67.4	61.8
Apex Legends	113.2	103.8
Call of Duty Warzone	90.3	82.8
Overwatch	97.5	89.5
Red Dead Redemption 2	83.1	76.2
DOOM Eternal	60.2	55.2
Warzone	93.9	86.1
Assassin's Creed	101.2	92.8
Valheim	99.9	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 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: 2K, 4K 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 compare it in one assembly with the video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

M2 Max

465%

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 M2 Max is more energy efficient than the Ryzen 9 6900HX since it has less power consumption: 15W 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 plan to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for machine learning, video editing or video rendering, streaming, programming, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to reach maximum efficiency, the processor includes all cores and threads that it has. 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 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 M2 Max	AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX
Cinbench 15 Single-core	389	258
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	2220	2509
Cinbench 20 Single-core	761	604
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	3801	5500
Cinbench 23 Single-core	2204	1562
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	17142	13996

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

	Apple M2 Max	AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX
Single-Core	6536	3344
Multi-Core	42246	27674

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

	Apple M2 Max	AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX
Single-Core	2096	1626
Multi-Core	17617	9009

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the most helpful will be the the possibility of overclocking it and release date of the processor. The newer the processor, 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, thereby increasing its performance, then it will still be able to produce maximum FPS in the newest games. The savings are obvious! Accordingly, you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer.

	Apple M2 Max	AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX
Announcement date	October 20, 2022	January 09, 2022
Type	Desktop;Laptop	Laptop
Socket	M2	FP7
Core name	8x Avalanche and 4x Blizzard	Rembrandt
Architecture	hybrid (big.LITTLE)	Zen 3+
Generation	2	6
Turbo Frequency		4.9 MHz
Frequency	3.49 MHz	3.3 MHz
Cores	12	8
Threads	12	16
Bus rate
Bit	64	64
Lithography	4 nm	6 nm
Transistors count	68000 millions	10200 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	15 W	45 W
Memory type	LPDDR5 - Up to 6400MHz	DDR5
Max. Memory	64 Gb
Memory Frequency	6400	3200
Memory bandwidth	412 GByte/s
L1 cache	4MB	512KB
L2 cache	24MB	4MB
L3 cache	48MB	16MB
Overclocking	No	Yes
Supports ECC	No	No
Part number		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 M2 Max is 5% better than Ryzen 9 6900HX in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that M2 Max has 4 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 M2 Max is better: 29
The number of parameters for which AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX is better: 8
However, it should be realized that all the figures that you have looked at here do not mean that you should be guided entirely by them and trust a simple quantitative comparison. Better to watch the testing video and read the opinion of of people who bought Apple M2 Max and AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX before making a selection which processor to buy for gaming and which not.

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 6900HX - all data

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

• AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX specs and review.