Apple M1 (8-core) vs Apple M2 Max (12-core)
36.5Single-core47.6
20.8Multi-core41.5
77.1Efficiency77.1
20Platform55.5
0 spec wins — Apple M1 (8-core)10 spec wins — Apple M2 Max (12-core)
InnoReviews verdict
Apple M2 Max (12-core) wins this laptop processor face-off, 51.5 to 34.4, pulling ahead mainly in platform (+36) and Multi-core (+21). Apple M1 (8-core) still makes sense if its price or standout specs fit your needs better.
Key differences
Reasons to pick the Apple M1 (8-core)
No decisive spec advantages — this side competes on price and preference.
Reasons to pick the Apple M2 Max (12-core)
- Stronger Single-core score: 48 vs 37
- Stronger Multi-core score: 42 vs 21
- Stronger platform score: 56 vs 20
- 500% higher Max memory: 96 GB vs 16 GB
- 100% higher Performance cores: 8 vs 4
General
| Spec | Apple M1 (8-core) | Apple M2 Max (12-core) |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2020 | 2023 |
| Process | 5 nm | 5 nm |
Cores & Clocks
| Spec | Apple M1 (8-core) | Apple M2 Max (12-core) |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 8 | 12+50% |
| Performance cores | 4 | 8+100% |
| Efficiency cores | 4 | 4 |
| Threads | 8 | 12+50% |
| Boost clock | 3.2 GHz | 3.7 GHz+15% |
Integrated GPU
| Spec | Apple M1 (8-core) | Apple M2 Max (12-core) |
|---|---|---|
| iGPU | Apple 8-core GPU | Apple 38-core GPU |
Memory
| Spec | Apple M1 (8-core) | Apple M2 Max (12-core) |
|---|---|---|
| Memory support | LPDDR4X-4266 | LPDDR5-6400 |
| Max memory | 16 GB | 96 GB+500% |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple M1 (8-core) | Apple M2 Max (12-core) |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 2,340 | 2,760+18% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 8,350 | 14,500+74% |
| Cinebench R23 (single) | 1,500 | 1,600+7% |
| Cinebench R23 (multi) | 7,760 | 14,600+88% |
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