Notebookcheck Logo

Apple M2 8-Core GPU vs Apple M2 Max 30-Core GPU

Apple M2 8-Core GPU

► remove from comparison Apple M2 8-Core GPU

The Apple M2 8-core GPU is an integrated graphics card offering 8 of the 10 cores designed by Apple and integrated in the Apple M2 SoC. It uses the unified memory architecture of the M2 SoC (up to 24 GB LPDDR5-6400 with 100 GB/s bandwidth) and should offer 128 execution units.

The performance is positioned right between the old 8-core model in the M1 GPU and the higher end 10-core model in the M2. The theoretical performance should be around 2.9 Teraflops, as the 8-core version offers the same 1,398 MHz maximum clock rate as the 10-core version. Compared to other iGPUs from AMD and Intel, the M2 benefits greatly from the unified memory architecture and the high bandwidth.

The M2 chip is manufactured in the second generation 5nm process at TSMC (most likely N5P). The power consumption is around 10 Watt (in our tests under load of the MBP13) compared to the 13.5W of the 10-core version.

Apple M2 Max 30-Core GPU

► remove from comparison Apple M2 Max 30-Core GPU

The Apple M2 Max 30-Core-GPU is an integrated graphics card by Apple offering 30 of the 38 cores in the M2 Max Chip.

The graphics card has no dedicated graphics memory but can use the fast LPDDR5-6400 unified memory with a 512 bit bus (up to 400 GBit/s).

The GPU is intended to use Apple Metal 2 API and could still be based on the older PowerVR architectures (last used in the Apple A10). A new feature in the MacBook Pro 14 and 16 of 2023 is the support for HDMI 2.1 and 8k output.

The Apple M2 Pro is manufactured in the second generation 5nm process at TSMC.

Apple M2 8-Core GPUApple M2 Max 30-Core GPU
Apple M2 Series
M2 Max 38-Core GPU compare 38
M2 Max 30-Core GPU 30
M2 Pro 19-Core GPU compare 19 @ 0.44 - 1.4 GHz
M2 Pro 16-Core GPU compare 16
M2 10-Core GPU compare 10 @ 1.4 GHz
M2 8-Core GPU 8 @ 1.4 GHz
M2 Max 38-Core GPU compare 38
M2 Max 30-Core GPU 30
M2 Pro 19-Core GPU compare 19 @ 0.44 - 1.4 GHz
M2 Pro 16-Core GPU compare 16
M2 10-Core GPU compare 10 @ 1.4 GHz
M2 8-Core GPU 8 @ 1.4 GHz
Pipelines8 - unified30 - unified
Core Speed1398 (Boost) MHz
Memory TypeLPDDR5-6400LPDDR5-6400
Shared Memorynono
Power Consumption10 Watt
technology5 nm5 nm
Date of Announcement06.06.2022 17.01.2023
PredecessorM1 8-Core GPU
Notebook Sizemedium sized

Benchmarks

3DMark - 3DMark Wild Life Unlimited
21009 Points (11%)
3DMark - 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Unlimited
5689 Points (7%)
20692 Points (24%)
Blender - Blender 3.3 Classroom METAL *
83 Seconds (9%)
Cinebench R15
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64 Bit + Apple M2 8-Core GPU
Cinebench R15 - Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64 Bit
128.6 fps (8%)
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64 Bit + Apple M2 Max 30-Core GPU
145.7 fps (9%)
Cinebench R15 OpenGL Ref. Match 64 Bit + Apple M2 8-Core GPU
Cinebench R15 - Cinebench R15 OpenGL Ref. Match 64 Bit
99.5 % (100%)
Cinebench R15 OpenGL Ref. Match 64 Bit + Apple M2 Max 30-Core GPU
99.5 % (100%)
GFXBench - GFXBench 5.0 4K Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen
39.8 fps (16%)
145.3 fps (59%)
GFXBench - GFXBench 5.0 Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen
91 fps (17%)
326.1 fps (59%)
GFXBench - GFXBench 5.0 Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Offscreen
247 fps (18%)
853 fps (63%)
GFXBench - GFXBench Car Chase Offscreen
199.9 fps (23%)
585 fps (66%)
GFXBench 3.1 - GFXBench Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen
306.9 fps (6%)
GFXBench 3.0 - GFXBench 3.0 Manhattan Offscreen
483.7 fps (28%)
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7
GFXBench T-Rex HD Offscreen C24Z16 + Apple M2 8-Core GPU
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7 - GFXBench T-Rex HD Offscreen C24Z16
839 fps (7%)
Geekbench 6.2 - Geekbench 6.2 GPU OpenCL
74601 Points (22%)
Geekbench 6.2 - Geekbench 6.2 GPU Metal
126173 Points (81%)
Power Consumption - The Witcher 3 Power Consumption - external Monitor *
24.4 Watt (3%)
83.7 Watt (12%)
Power Consumption - Witcher 3 Power Consumption *
27.4 Watt (6%)

Average Benchmarks Apple M2 8-Core GPU → 100% n=7

Average Benchmarks Apple M2 Max 30-Core GPU → 277% n=7

- Range of benchmark values for this graphics card
- Average benchmark values for this graphics card
* Smaller numbers mean a higher performance
1 This benchmark is not used for the average calculation

Game Benchmarks

The following benchmarks stem from our benchmarks of review laptops. The performance depends on the used graphics memory, clock rate, processor, system settings, drivers, and operating systems. So the results don't have to be representative for all laptops with this GPU. For detailed information on the benchmark results, click on the fps number.

low 1280x720
100%
M2 8-Core GPU:
43  fps
med. 1920x1080
100%
M2 8-Core GPU:
29.7  fps
high 1920x1080
100%
M2 8-Core GPU:
16.6  fps
320%
M2 Max 30-Core GPU:
53.2  fps
ultra 1920x1080
100%
M2 8-Core GPU:
13.4  fps
337%
M2 Max 30-Core GPU:
45.2  fps
QHD 2560x1440
M2 Max 30-Core GPU:
35.1  fps
low 1280x720
100%
M2 8-Core GPU:
77  fps
med. 1920x1080
100%
M2 8-Core GPU:
39  fps
high 1920x1080
100%
M2 8-Core GPU:
18  fps
506%
M2 Max 30-Core GPU:
91  fps
ultra 1920x1080
100%
M2 8-Core GPU:
14  fps
464%
M2 Max 30-Core GPU:
65  fps
QHD 2560x1440
M2 Max 30-Core GPU:
41.4  fps
low 1280x720
100%
M2 8-Core GPU:
62  fps
med. 1920x1080
100%
M2 8-Core GPU:
28  fps
high 1920x1080
100%
M2 8-Core GPU:
24  fps
479%
M2 Max 30-Core GPU:
115  fps
ultra 1920x1080
100%
M2 8-Core GPU:
20  fps
510%
M2 Max 30-Core GPU:
102  fps
QHD 2560x1440
M2 Max 30-Core GPU:
69  fps

Average Gaming Apple M2 8-Core GPU → 100%

Average Gaming 30-70 fps → 100%

Average Gaming Apple M2 Max 30-Core GPU → 436%

Average Gaming 30-70 fps → 374%

Apple M2 8-Core GPUlowmed.highultraQHD4K
Borderlands 34329.716.613.4
Total War: Three Kingdoms77391814
Shadow of the Tomb Raider62282420
< 30 fps
< 60 fps
< 120 fps
≥ 120 fps

1
2
2
1

3


3








Apple M2 Max 30-Core GPUlowmed.highultraQHD4K
Borderlands 353.245.235.1
Total War: Three Kingdoms916541.4
Shadow of the Tomb Raider11510269
< 30 fps
< 60 fps
< 120 fps
≥ 120 fps







1
2

1
2

2
1



For more games that might be playable and a list of all games and graphics cards visit our Gaming List

Add one or more devices and compare

In the following list you can select (and also search for) devices that should be added to the comparison. You can select more than one device.

restrict list:

show all (including archived), 2024, 2023
v1.26
log 05. 13:40:39

#0 checking url part for id 11375 +0s ... 0s

#1 checking url part for id 11572 +0s ... 0s

#2 not redirecting to Ajax server +0s ... 0s

#3 did not recreate cache, as it is less than 5 days old! Created at Sat, 04 May 2024 05:42:18 +0200 +0.001s ... 0.001s

#4 composed specs +0.089s ... 0.09s

#5 did output specs +0s ... 0.09s

#6 start showIntegratedCPUs +0s ... 0.09s

#7 getting avg benchmarks for device 11375 +0.029s ... 0.119s

#8 got single benchmarks 11375 +0.007s ... 0.126s

#9 getting avg benchmarks for device 11572 +0.002s ... 0.127s

#10 got single benchmarks 11572 +0.006s ... 0.134s

#11 got avg benchmarks for devices +0s ... 0.134s

#12 min, max, avg, median took s +0.055s ... 0.189s

#13 before gaming benchmark output +0s ... 0.189s

#14 Got 33 rows for game benchmarks. +0.005s ... 0.194s

#15 composed SQL query for gamebenchmarks +0s ... 0.194s

#16 got data and put it in $dataArray +0.003s ... 0.197s

#17 benchmarks composed for output. +0.007s ... 0.204s

#18 calculated avg scores. +0s ... 0.204s

#19 return log +0.043s ... 0.247s

Please share our article, every link counts!
> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Benchmarks / Tech > Graphics Card Comparison - Head 2 Head
Redaktion, 2017-09- 8 (Update: 2023-07- 1)