Apple’s new M2 Max chip may not be a huge upgrade
As noted by ShrimpApplePro on Twitter, a test result from Geekbench 5 (a platform used to measure CPU performance) has been published from a device identified as “Mac14.6.” Interestingly, Geekbench 5 shows that this device has an Apple M2 Max CPU, which doesn’t officially exist.
According to the platform, the M2 Max chip used in the benchmark test has a 12-core CPU with 3.54GHz and 96GB of RAM. It scored 1853 on single core and 13855 on multi-core. For comparison, the M1 Max chip that powers the MacBook Pro and entry-level Mac Studio has 10 cores with 3.2GHz and scores 1746 in single-core and 12154 in multi-core.
Based on these tests, the M2 Max chip is only about 14% faster than the M1 Max chip. Considering that the results are from a real machine, it’s unclear whether Geekbench 5 failed to measure the full performance of the new CPU or whether M2 Max in fact won’t be a huge upgrade compared to M1 Max, which doesn’t sound unlikely.
For instance, the base M2 chip, which was introduced earlier this year with the new MacBook Air, is only 11% faster than the M1 in single-core and 19% faster in multi-core. This is because Apple kept the same 5-nanometer architecture in the new chip and focused on power efficiency rather than performance gains.
At the same time, Apple’s chip supplier TSMC is yet to deliver next-generation 3-nanometer chips, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if the new M2 Max is also based on the current 5-nanometer architecture.
New M2 Macs rumored to be coming in 2023
Apple is rumored to introduce multiple new Macs in 2023. This includes new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro, Mac Studio, and the long-awaited Apple Silicon-powered Mac Pro.
When it comes to the M2 Max chip, it is most likely to power the high-end versions of the new MacBook Pro and the entry-level Mac Studio model, which is also expected to have an even more powerful version with the M2 Ultra chip. Apple also has a new Mac mini in the works, which will have versions with the M2 and M2 Pro chips.