Apple M2 Pro vs AMD Ryzen 9 7900X

Processor comparisons   22-10-2022
   If you can't decide which processor to buy, you can make a decision by looking at the Apple M2 Pro vs AMD Ryzen 9 7900X tests and understand which is better for games or simple use for video editing, streaming, machine learning, rendering, programming. Here is useful information from real streaming and video editing tests or many benchmarks. A step-by-step analysis of all the specifications, to make it easier to understand, is made by the table.
   From the video comparison, you can get the results of joint testing in synthetic type tests such as Prime95, MATLAB, SuperPi, WPrime, Blender, Gears 5, GeekBench 6, 5.2, 7zip, RealBench, PassMark, Furmark, AIDA64, Blender, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), VeraCrypt, PCMark 10, Handbrake, DaVinci Resolve Studio, 3DMark, Dolphin Emulator, UserBenchmark, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark.
   And how good the CPUs are in games:

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

After looking at the data these benchmarks and videos, you can already make an briefed decision about which processor is better to buy for gaming AMD Ryzen 9 7900X or Apple M2 Pro.

Summary benchmark results

As a percentage of the maximum value based on a sample from the entire base of all processors
Processor Benchmark

M2 Pro

61%

Ryzen 9 7900X

66%

This parameter shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Ryzen 9 7900X is 7% better than M2 Pro. The data source is several popular tests. More detailed information of the benchmarks is below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

M2 Pro

59%

Ryzen 9 7900X

62%

For the maximum in this test, the results of the most powerful processor in the site database are taken. And it is clear that this is a server processor, on which no one will play 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: Hitman 3, Metro Exodus, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, League of Legends (LOL), Ghostrunner, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, NBA 2K20, DOTA 2A, Control, Battlefield V, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Forza Horizon 4, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Half-Life: Alyx, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Horizon Zero Dawn, Monster Hunter World.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	104.8	110.0
Valorant	119.1	125.1
Cyberpunk 2077	66.7	70.0
Apex Legends	111.9	117.5
Call of Duty Warzone	89.3	93.8
Overwatch	96.5	101.3
Red Dead Redemption 2	82.2	86.3
DOOM Eternal	59.5	62.5
Warzone	92.9	97.5
Assassin's Creed	100.0	105.0
Valheim	98.8	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 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 Pro

496%

Ryzen 9 7900X

42%

To make a final 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 Pro is more energy efficient than the Ryzen 9 7900X as it consumes less power: 14W vs. 170W. 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

For example you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for programming, video editing or video rendering, machine learning, streaming, then first of all you need to pay attention to the performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to achieve maximum efficiency, the processor includes all threads and cores that it has. You will find out this data from the benchmark tables below. Before using 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. Since there are still many programs that use only one core to work, and all the advantages 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 Pro	AMD Ryzen 9 7900X
Cinbench 15 Single-core	366	310
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	2078	5138
Cinbench 20 Single-core	714	749
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	3555	12290
Cinbench 23 Single-core	2063	1918
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	16023	33781

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

	Apple M2 Pro	AMD Ryzen 9 7900X
Single-Core	6111	4063
Multi-Core	39485	54482

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

	Apple M2 Pro	AMD Ryzen 9 7900X
Single-Core	2085	2172
Multi-Core	16467	21612

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 later. The same benefits from the presence of overclocking. When the processor can be overclocked, increasing its performance, then it will continue to maintain maximum FPS in the newest games. The economy are obvious! It turns out that you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer.

	Apple M2 Pro	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	42000 millions	12600 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	14 W	170 W
Memory type	LPDDR5 - Up to 6400MHz	DDR4
Max. Memory	32 Gb
Memory Frequency	6400	3200
Memory bandwidth	208 GByte/s
L1 cache	4MB	768KB
L2 cache	24MB	12MB
L3 cache	36MB	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 Pro 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 Pro is better: 11
The number of parameters for which AMD Ryzen 9 7900X is better: 25
Although it should be understood that the summary data in the text above do not mean that taking them into account you should completely trust a simple comparison of these figures. Better to watch the video tests and read the reviews of of people who bought Apple M2 Pro and AMD Ryzen 9 7900X before deciding which of the CPUs to buy for gaming.

Apple M2 Pro - all data

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

• Apple M2 Pro 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.