Apple M2 Max vs AMD Ryzen 9 6980HX

Processor comparisons   22-10-2022
   Let's say you can't decide which processor to buy, you can make a decision after reading the comprehensive tests Apple M2 Max vs AMD Ryzen 9 6980HX and see which is better for games or simple use for streaming, machine learning, programming, rendering, video editing. Here is useful information from real streaming and video editing tests or several benchmarks. A careful review of all the specifications, to make it easier to understand, is summarized in the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of joint testing in software tests like PCMark 10, Blender, PassMark, 7zip, WPrime, RealBench, UserBenchmark, AIDA64, SuperPi, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, Gears 5, Dolphin Emulator, DaVinci Resolve Studio, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), Blender, GeekBench 6, 5.2, Handbrake, Prime95, 3DMark, Furmark, VeraCrypt, MATLAB.
   And how good the CPUs are in games:

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

After reading the results these benchmarks and videos, you can already make an informed decision about which CPU is better to buy for gaming AMD Ryzen 9 6980HX 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 6980HX

58%

This shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, M2 Max is 6% 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.

M2 Max

60%

Ryzen 9 6980HX

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

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	106.0	97.1
Valorant	120.4	110.3
Cyberpunk 2077	67.4	61.8
Apex Legends	113.2	103.7
Call of Duty Warzone	90.3	82.8
Overwatch	97.5	89.4
Red Dead Redemption 2	83.1	76.1
DOOM Eternal	60.2	55.2
Warzone	93.9	86.1
Assassin's Creed	101.2	92.7
Valheim	99.9	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 participating in the comparing not only were the equipped with 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. 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 6980HX

119%

To make a finishing decision 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 6980HX 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. 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 want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for machine learning, streaming, programming, video editing or video rendering, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, the processor uses all cores and threads that it has to the maximum to achieve maximum performance. You will learn this data from the benchmark tables below. Before using the data from these tests, be sure to make sure that the program that you are going to use on your computer can work in multi-threaded mode. Because there are still many programs that can use only one core to work, 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 6980HX
Cinbench 15 Single-core	389	263
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	2220	2492
Cinbench 20 Single-core	761	605
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	3801	5453
Cinbench 23 Single-core	2204	972
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	17142	13866

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

	Apple M2 Max	AMD Ryzen 9 6980HX
Single-Core	6536	3318
Multi-Core	42246	27686

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

	Apple M2 Max	AMD Ryzen 9 6980HX
Single-Core	2096	1617
Multi-Core	17617	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 in your computer. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system in the future. The same benefits from the presence of overclocking. If the processor can be overclocked, increasing its performance, then it will still be able to produce maximum FPS even 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 6980HX
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		5 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		FP7:100-000000750 FP7r2:100-000000751

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 6980HX in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that M2 Max has 4 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 M2 Max is better: 29
The number of parameters for which AMD Ryzen 9 6980HX is better: 8
Although it should be realized that the summary data that you have looked at here do not mean that taking them into account you should completely trust a simple comparison of these numbers. Be sure to watch the testing video and read the opinion of real owners of Apple M2 Max and AMD Ryzen 9 6980HX before making a selection 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 6980HX - all data

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

• AMD Ryzen 9 6980HX specs and review.