Apple M2 vs AMD Ryzen 9 7900X

Processor comparisons 20-10-2022

   Let's say you can't decide which CPU to buy, you can make a decision by looking at the Apple M2 vs AMD Ryzen 9 7900X tests and decide which is better for games or normal use for video editing, rendering, streaming, programming, machine learning. Here is all information from various benchmarks or real streaming and video editing tests. A careful analysis of all the technical characteristics, to make it easier to understand, is made by the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of joint testing in synthetic type tests like VeraCrypt, AIDA64, GeekBench 6, 5.2, RealBench, Gears 5, PassMark, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, UserBenchmark, 3DMark, Dolphin Emulator, 7zip, WPrime, Blender, SuperPi, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), Handbrake, PCMark 10, DaVinci Resolve Studio, Prime95, MATLAB, Blender, Furmark.
   Gaming performance of processors in:

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

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

Summary benchmark results

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

59%

Ryzen 9 7900X

66%

This value shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Ryzen 9 7900X is 10% better than M2. The data source is several popular tests. Detailed information can be found below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

55%

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 of course, this is a server processor, on which no one will run games. Because the cost of this processor reaches 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 processors were compared: Horizon Zero Dawn, Forza Horizon 4, Metro Exodus, Hitman 3, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, NBA 2K20, DOTA 2A, Ghostrunner, Monster Hunter World, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, League of Legends (LOL), Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Control, Battlefield V, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Half-Life: Alyx, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG).

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	97.4	110.0
Valorant	110.7	125.1
Cyberpunk 2077	62.0	70.0
Apex Legends	104.1	117.5
Call of Duty Warzone	83.0	93.8
Overwatch	89.7	101.3
Red Dead Redemption 2	76.4	86.3
DOOM Eternal	55.4	62.5
Warzone	86.4	97.5
Assassin's Creed	93.0	105.0
Valheim	91.9	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 tested computers not only did they have different video cards and different amounts of RAM. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 2K, FullHD or 4K. 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 get acquainted with the benchmarks that are made with the same video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

535%

Ryzen 9 7900X

42%

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 is more energy efficient than the Ryzen 9 7900X as it consumes less power: 12W vs. 170W. Power consumption is particularly important for laptops. And TDP should be taken into account when choosing a processor cooling system. 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, machine learning, video editing or video rendering, streaming, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to reach maximum performance, the processor includes all cores and threads that it has. You will learn this data from the benchmark tables below. Before you take into account 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. Since there are still many programs that use only one core to run, 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	AMD Ryzen 9 7900X
Cinbench 15 Single-core	298	310
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	1586	5138
Cinbench 20 Single-core	558	749
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	2699	12290
Cinbench 23 Single-core	2057	1918
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	10520	33781

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

	Apple M2	AMD Ryzen 9 7900X
Single-Core	4095	4063
Multi-Core	29665	54482

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

	Apple M2	AMD Ryzen 9 7900X
Single-Core	1929	2172
Multi-Core	9243	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 later the processor is released, the longer it will last you. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system later. 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 even in new games. The savings are obvious! It turns out that you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer.

	Apple M2	AMD Ryzen 9 7900X
Announcement date	October 18, 2022	September 27, 2022
Type	Laptop	Desktop
Socket	M2	AM5
Core name	4 x Avalanche and 4 x Blizzard	Raphael
Architecture	hybrid (big.LITTLE)	Zen 4
Generation	2	5
Turbo Frequency		5.6 MHz
Frequency	3.49 MHz	4.7 MHz
Cores	8	12
Threads	8	24
Bus rate
Bit	64	64
Lithography	5 nm	5 nm
Transistors count	20000 millions	12600 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	12 W	170 W
Memory type	LPDDR5 - Up to 6400MHz	DDR4
Max. Memory
Memory Frequency	2400	3200
Memory bandwidth
L1 cache	2MB	768KB
L2 cache	12MB	12MB
L3 cache	16MB	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 in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Ryzen 9 7900X has 4 more core than M2. 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 is better: 5
The number of parameters for which AMD Ryzen 9 7900X is better: 28
Although it should be understood that the summary data in the article above do not mean that you should be guided entirely by them and trust a simple quantitative comparison. Be sure to watch the testing video and read the opinion of of people who bought Apple M2 and AMD Ryzen 9 7900X before deciding which processor to buy for gaming and which not.

Apple M2 - all data

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

• Apple M2 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.