Apple M2 (8-GPU) vs Apple M1 Pro (8-CPU)

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CPU comparison with benchmarks

-VS-

CPU lineage

Apple M2 (8-GPU) or Apple M2 (8-GPU) – which processor offers superior performance? In this comparison, we examine disparities and assess which of these two CPUs outperforms the other. We delve into technical specifications and benchmark outcomes.
The Apple M2 (8-GPU) features 8 processor cores and has the capability to manage 8 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q2/2022 and belongs to the 2 generation of the Apple M series series.
The Apple M1 Pro (8-CPU) features 8 processor cores and has the capability to manage 8 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q3/2021 and belongs to the 1 generation of the Apple M series series.
Mobile Segment Mobile
Apple M2 (8-GPU) Name Apple M1 Pro (8-CPU)
Apple M series Family Apple M series
2 Generation 1
Apple M2 Group Apple M1
 
 

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

The Apple M2 (8-GPU) has 8 CPU cores and can calculate 8 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the A-Core is 3.5 GHz.
The number of CPU cores greatly affects the speed of the processor and is an important performance indicator.
Processors with hybrid (big.LITTLE) architecture strike a balance between performance and power efficiency, making them ideal for mobile devices.
The Apple M1 Pro (8-CPU) has 8 CPU cores and can calculate 8 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the A-Core is 3.2 GHz.
2.8 GHz B-Core Frequency 2.06 GHz
3.5 GHz A-Core Frequency 3.2 GHz
4x Blizzard Cores B 2x Icestorm
4x Avalanche Cores A 6x Firestorm
No Overclocking No
hybrid (big.LITTLE) Core architecture hybrid (big.LITTLE)
8 Threads 8
No Hyperthreading No
8 CPU Cores 8
 
 

Internal Graphics

The Apple M2 (8-GPU) has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the Apple M2 (8-GPU) uses the Apple M2 (8 Core), which has 1024 texture shaders
and 128 execution units.
The iGPU uses the system's main memory as graphics memory and sits on the processor's die.
The Apple M1 Pro (8-CPU) has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the Apple M1 Pro (8-CPU) uses the Apple M1 Pro (14 Core), which has 1792 texture shaders
and 224 execution units.
1.4 GHz GPU frequency 1.3 GHz
Q2/2022 Release date Q3/2021
-- Direct X --
Apple M2 (8 Core) GPU name Apple M1 Pro (14 Core)
5 nm Technology 5 nm
-- Max. displays --
1024 Shaders 1792
24.0 GB Max. GPU Memory 32.0 GB
128 Execution units 224
2 Generation 1
-- GPU (Turbo) --
 
 

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

16 Neural cores @ 15.8 TOPS AI specifications 16 Neural cores @ 11 TOPS
Apple Neural Engine AI hardware Apple Neural Engine
 
 

Hardware codec support

A photo or video codec that is accelerated in hardware can greatly accelerate the working speed of a processor and extend the battery life of notebooks or smartphones when playing videos.
Decode AVC Decode
Decode VC-1 Decode
Decode / Encode VP9 Decode / Encode
Decode / Encode h265 / HEVC (10 bit) Decode / Encode
Decode / Encode h264 Decode / Encode
Decode VP8 Decode
Decode / Encode h265 / HEVC (8 bit) Decode / Encode
Decode / Encode JPEG Decode / Encode
No AV1 No
 
 

Memory & PCIe

The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 24.0 GB distributed across 2 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 32.0 GB distributed across 2 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 204.8 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
2 Memory channels 2
24.0 GB Max. Memory 32.0 GB
pci PCIe pci
Yes AES-NI Yes
No ECC No
102.4 GB/s Bandwidth 204.8 GB/s
LPDDR5-6400 Memory type LPDDR5-6400
 
 

Thermal Management

The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 22 W watts.
TDP indicates the cooling solution needed to effectively manage the processor's heat. It generally provides an approximate indication of the actual power consumption of the CPU itself.
The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 30 W watts.
None TDP up 40 W
100 °C Tjunction max --
22 W TDP (PL1 / PBP) 30 W
10 W TDP down None
 
 

Technical details

The Apple M2 (8-GPU) is manufactured using a 5 nm process.
A smaller manufacturing process indicates a more contemporary and energy-efficient CPU.
A substantial cache can significantly enhance the processor's performance, particularly in scenarios like gaming.
The Apple M1 Pro (8-CPU) is manufactured using a 5 nm process.
Q2/2022 Release date Q3/2021
-- Part Number APL 1103
20.0 MB L2-Cache 24.0 MB
Apple Virtualization Framework Virtualization Apple Virtualization Framework
Rosetta 2 x86-Emulation ISA extensions Rosetta 2 x86-Emulation
Chiplet Chip design Chiplet
M2 Architecture M1
5 nm Technology 5 nm
Socket
macOS, iPadOS Operating systems macOS
-- Release price --
Technical data sheet Documents Technical data sheet
ARMv8-A64 (64 bit) Instruction set (ISA) ARMv8-A64 (64 bit)
0 bytes L3-Cache 0 bytes