Apple M2 Max vs AMD Ryzen 9 7900X

Processor comparisons   22-10-2022
   For example you can't decide which CPU to buy, you can make a decision after reading the comprehensive tests Apple M2 Max vs AMD Ryzen 9 7900X and understand which is better for games or simple use for programming, machine learning, video editing, streaming, rendering. Here you can find useful information from various benchmarks or real video editing and streaming tests. A careful review of all the specifications, so that it can be easier to understand, is summarized in the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of parallel examination in special test applications such as Handbrake, GeekBench 6, 5.2, UserBenchmark, Dolphin Emulator, PCMark 10, MATLAB, WPrime, PassMark, SuperPi, Prime95, Blender, AIDA64, RealBench, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), Gears 5, DaVinci Resolve Studio, Blender, Furmark, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, 7zip, VeraCrypt, 3DMark.
   Gaming performance of processors in:

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

After reading the results of parallel benchmarks and videos, you already be able to know which processor is better to buy for gaming AMD Ryzen 9 7900X 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 7900X

66%

The number of this parameter shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Ryzen 9 7900X is 6% better than M2 Max. 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 7900X

62%

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 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 final table below.
List of other games in which CPU comparisons were performed: Monster Hunter World, NBA 2K20, Battlefield V, Control, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Ghostrunner, DOTA 2A, Hitman 3, Metro Exodus, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Microsoft Flight Simulator, Forza Horizon 4, Half-Life: Alyx, League of Legends (LOL), Horizon Zero Dawn, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO).

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	106.0	110.0
Valorant	120.4	125.1
Cyberpunk 2077	67.4	70.0
Apex Legends	113.2	117.5
Call of Duty Warzone	90.3	93.8
Overwatch	97.5	101.3
Red Dead Redemption 2	83.1	86.3
DOOM Eternal	60.2	62.5
Warzone	93.9	97.5
Assassin's Creed	101.2	105.0
Valheim	99.9	103.8

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: 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 compare it in one assembly with the video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

M2 Max

465%

Ryzen 9 7900X

42%

To make a final 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 7900X since it has less power consumption: 15W vs. 170W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, you need to 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

If you plan 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 processor includes all cores and threads 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. Since 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 7900X
Cinbench 15 Single-core	389	310
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	2220	5138
Cinbench 20 Single-core	761	749
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	3801	12290
Cinbench 23 Single-core	2204	1918
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	17142	33781

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

	Apple M2 Max	AMD Ryzen 9 7900X
Single-Core	6536	4063
Multi-Core	42246	54482

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

	Apple M2 Max	AMD Ryzen 9 7900X
Single-Core	2096	2172
Multi-Core	17617	21612

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the processor release date and overclocking capability will be the most useful. The newer the processor, the longer it will last you. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system in the future. 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 even in the newest games. Accordingly, you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The savings are obvious!

	Apple M2 Max	AMD Ryzen 9 7900X
Announcement date	October 20, 2022	September 27, 2022
Type	Desktop;Laptop	Desktop
Socket	M2	AM5
Core name	8x Avalanche and 4x Blizzard	Raphael
Architecture	hybrid (big.LITTLE)	Zen 4
Generation	2	5
Turbo Frequency		5.6 MHz
Frequency	3.49 MHz	4.7 MHz
Cores	12	12
Threads	12	24
Bus rate
Bit	64	64
Lithography	4 nm	5 nm
Transistors count	68000 millions	12600 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	15 W	170 W
Memory type	LPDDR5 - Up to 6400MHz	DDR4
Max. Memory	64 Gb
Memory Frequency	6400	3200
Memory bandwidth	412 GByte/s
L1 cache	4MB	768KB
L2 cache	24MB	12MB
L3 cache	48MB	64MB
Overclocking	No	Yes
Supports ECC	No	No
Part number		100-000000589

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here Ryzen 9 7900X is 25% better than M2 Max 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 M2 Max is better: 12
The number of parameters for which AMD Ryzen 9 7900X is better: 24
However, it should be understood that the summary data in the table above do not mean that you should be guided entirely by them and trust a simple comparison of these figures. Better to watch benchmarks video and read the reviews of of people who bought Apple M2 Max and AMD Ryzen 9 7900X 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 7900X - all data

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

• AMD Ryzen 9 7900X specs and review.