Apple M2 Max vs AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Processor comparisons 22-10-2022

   Let's say you can't decide which CPU to buy, you can make a decision by looking at the Apple M2 Max vs AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3990X tests and decide which is better for games or simple use for video editing, machine learning, programming, rendering, streaming. Here is all information from several benchmarks or real video editing and streaming tests. A careful review of all the technical characteristics, so that it can be easier to read, is presented in the form of the table.
   From the video comparison, you can get the results of joint testing in software tests like WPrime, 3DMark, 7zip, DaVinci Resolve Studio, VeraCrypt, SuperPi, UserBenchmark, PassMark, PCMark 10, Gears 5, Handbrake, GeekBench 6, 5.2, Blender, AIDA64, Furmark, Dolphin Emulator, Blender, Prime95, RealBench, MATLAB, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, Cinebench 23 (20, 15).
   And how good the processors are in games:

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

After looking at the data of parallel benchmarks and videos, you already be able to know which CPU is better to buy for gaming AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3990X 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 Threadripper 3990X

74%

This value shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Ryzen Threadripper 3990X is 16% better than M2 Max. 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 Threadripper 3990X

71%

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

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	106.0	126.3
Valorant	120.4	143.5
Cyberpunk 2077	67.4	80.4
Apex Legends	113.2	134.9
Call of Duty Warzone	90.3	107.6
Overwatch	97.5	116.2
Red Dead Redemption 2	83.1	99.0
DOOM Eternal	60.2	71.8
Warzone	93.9	111.9
Assassin's Creed	101.2	120.6
Valheim	99.9	119.1

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 participating in the comparing not only were the equipped with 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. 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 Threadripper 3990X

15%

To make a finishing choice on which processor is better, you should also consider the generation of its core. The newer the processor generation, the better its performance in games and benchmarks, as well as its energy efficiency. In this case the M2 Max is more energy efficient than the Ryzen Threadripper 3990X since it has less power consumption: 15W vs. 280W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, you need 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

Let's say you plan to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for programming, streaming, machine learning, video editing or video rendering, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to achieve maximum performance, the processor includes all threads and cores that it has. You will learn 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 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 Threadripper 3990X
Cinbench 15 Single-core	389	200
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	2220	10542
Cinbench 20 Single-core	761	495
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	3801	24763
Cinbench 23 Single-core	2204	1254
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	17142	74422

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

	Apple M2 Max	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3990X
Single-Core	6536	2528
Multi-Core	42246	81559

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

	Apple M2 Max	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3990X
Single-Core	2096	1341
Multi-Core	17617	37544

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the processor release date and overclocking capability will be the most helpful. The later the processor is released, the longer it will last you. 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 continue to maintain maximum FPS in new games. Accordingly, you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The economy are obvious!

	Apple M2 Max	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3990X
Announcement date	October 20, 2022	February 07, 2020
Type	Desktop;Laptop	Desktop
Socket	M2	sTRX4
Core name	8x Avalanche and 4x Blizzard	Castle Peak
Architecture	hybrid (big.LITTLE)	Zen 2
Generation	2	3
Turbo Frequency		4.3 MHz
Frequency	3.49 MHz	2.9 MHz
Cores	12	64
Threads	12	128
Bus rate
Bit	64	64
Lithography	4 nm	7 nm
Transistors count	68000 millions	22600 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	15 W	280 W
Memory type	LPDDR5 - Up to 6400MHz	DDR4
Max. Memory	64 Gb
Memory Frequency	6400	3200
Memory bandwidth	412 GByte/s
L1 cache	4MB	4MB
L2 cache	24MB	32MB
L3 cache	48MB	256MB
Overclocking	No	Yes
Supports ECC	No	No
Part number		100-000000163 100-100000163WOF

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here M2 Max is 16% better than Ryzen Threadripper 3990X in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Ryzen Threadripper 3990X has 52 more core than M2 Max. 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: 14
The number of parameters for which AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3990X is better: 22
However, it should be realized that all the data in the table above do not mean that taking them into account you should completely trust a simple comparison of these figures. Be sure to watch benchmarks video and read the reviews of of people who bought Apple M2 Max and AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3990X 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 Threadripper 3990X specs and review.