Apple M2 Pro vs Apple M1 Max (24-GPU). Specifications, performance, tests

Comprehensive background on the processors being compared, detailing their series, generation, and targeted market segment.

• Family
  Apple M series Apple M series
• CPU group
  Apple M2 Apple M1
• Segment
  Mobile Mobile
• Generation
  2 1
• Predecessor
  Apple M1 Pro (10-CPU 14-GPU) --

Essential parameters including the number of cores, threads, base and turbo frequencies, and cache size. These metrics provide insight into the processor’s speed—higher values generally indicate better performance.

• CPU Cores / Threads
  12 / 12 10 / 10
• Core architecture
  hybrid (big.LITTLE) hybrid (big.LITTLE)
• A-Core
  8x Avalanche 8x Firestorm
• B-Core
  4x Blizzard 2x Icestorm
• Overclocking
  No No

The integrated graphics (iGPU) do not influence the CPU performance significantly; they serve as a substitute for a dedicated graphics card in the absence of one or are utilized in mobile devices.

• GPU name
  Apple M2 Pro (16 Core) Apple M1 Max (24 Core)
• GPU frequency
  1.40 GHz 1.30 GHz
• GPU (Turbo)
  No turbo No turbo
• Execution units
  256 384
• Shader
  2048 3072
• Max. GPU Memory
  32 GB 32 GB
• Max. displays
  2 3
• Generation
  2 1
• Technology
  5 nm 5 nm
• Release date
  Q4/2022 Q3/2021

This section details the built-in codecs used for encoding and decoding media content, which significantly enhance processing speed and efficiency.

• h265 / HEVC (8 bit)
  Decode / Encode Decode / Encode
• h265 / HEVC (10 bit)
  Decode / Encode Decode / Encode
• h264
  Decode / Encode Decode / Encode
• VP8
  Decode Decode
• VP9
  Decode / Encode Decode / Encode
• AV1
  No No
• AVC
  Decode Decode
• VC-1
  Decode Decode
• JPEG
  Decode / Encode Decode / Encode

Overview of the types and quantities of RAM supported by Apple M1 Max (24-GPU) and Apple M2 Pro. The supported memory frequencies may vary depending on the motherboard configuration.

• Memory type
  LPDDR5-6400 LPDDR5-6400
• Max. Memory
  32 GB 64 GB
• Memory channels
  2 (Dual Channel) 4
• ECC
  No No
• PCIe
  4.0 4.0
• AES-NI
  Yes Yes

Analyze the TDP (Thermal Design Power) requirements of Apple M2 Pro and Apple M1 Max (24-GPU) to make an informed decision on the appropriate cooling system. Remember that TDP refers to thermal watts, not electrical watts.

• TDP (PL1)
  45 W 30 W
• TDP up
  -- 60 W
• Tjunction max.
  100 °C --

Information on architecture, interfaces, and additional instructions supported by Apple M2 Pro and Apple M1 Max (24-GPU), including virtual machine technologies and fabrication processes.

• Technology
  5 nm 5 nm
• Socket
  N/A N/A
• L2-Cache
  36.00 MB 28.00 MB
• Architecture
  M2 M1
• Virtualization
  Apple Virtualization Framework None
• Instruction set (ISA)
  ARMv8-A64 (64 bit) ARMv8-A64 (64 bit)
• ISA extensions
  Rosetta 2 x86-Emulation Rosetta 2 x86-Emulation
• Release date
  Q2/2022 Q3/2021
• Part Number
  -- APL 1104