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Affinity Photo 2 benchmark comparison: Apple M1 faces off against Intel Core, AMD Ryzen and Nvidia GeForce

With the recent release of Affinity Photo 2, Designer 2 and Publisher 2, there are now new alternatives to Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign. We have tested out the performance of Affinity Photo 2 on various systems to find out which CPU and GPU work best for Affinity users.
Software


Affinity Photo 2 pitches itself as a complete alternative to Adobe Photoshop CC. The software doesn't just offer a similar range of features, but is also significantly less expensive than Photoshop. Instead of requiring a subscription, Serif Labs is asking for a one-off payment of €84.99 (US$69.99). Much like Designer 2 (Illustrator alternative) and Publisher 2 (InDesign alternative), Affinity Photo 2 is available on Windows as well as macOS and iPadOS.

In the benchmark results below, we will show you which devices provide the best performance running these creative apps. The results were obtained using the integrated benchmark tool in Affinity Photo 2, which tests both raster and vector performance. According to the developer, you can directly compare the results between different platforms and operating systems as long as the same version of the app is used.

The user interface of Affinity Photo 2 can be configured and customised to your preferences.
The user interface of Affinity Photo 2 can be configured and customised to your preferences.

GPU benchmarks: Apple dominates Nvidia GeForce

The benchmark results can be compared linearly. In other words, scoring twice as many points means having twice as much performance. As it turns out, Affinity Photo 2 is especially well optimised for the Apple M1 and Apple M2. For instance, even an M2-based iPad Pro (approx. €970/US$770/£860 on Amazon) received a GPU score of 12,337 – almost double the performance of a system powered by an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop with a TGP of 115 watts (including Dynamic Boost).

The performance of the M2 is almost eight times higher than that of the fastest Intel Xe Graphics G7 iGPU. Theoretically, this means that the Apple M2 can get GPU-accelerated workflows done in just one eighth of the time. Whilst the graphics unit in the M2 is a respectable 40 per cent faster than the one in the M1, the M1 Pro (16 GPU cores) and the M1 Max (24 GPU cores) are still 16 and 48 per cent more powerful than the M2 respectively.

Affinity Photo 2 - Combined (Single / Multi GPU)
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2021 M1 Max 24-Core GPU
Apple M1 Max, Apple M1 Max 24-Core GPU
18284 Points
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2021 M1 Pro
Apple M1 Pro, Apple M1 Pro 16-Core GPU
14293 Points
Apple iPad Pro 11 2022
Apple M2, Apple M2 10-Core GPU
12337 Points
Apple iPad Pro 12.9 2021 A2378
Apple M1, Apple M1 8-Core GPU
8843 Points
Apple MacBook Air 2020 M1 Entry
Apple M1, Apple M1 7-Core GPU
8447 Points
Lenovo Legion 5 Pro 16IAH7H
Intel Core i7-12700H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
6335 Points
MSI Raider GE76 12UHS @175 W TGP
Intel Core i9-12900HK, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU
6055 Points
Asus ROG Maximus XIII Hero, GeForce RTX 2080 Super FE
Intel Core i9-11900K, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Super (Desktop)
5669 Points
Apple iPad Pro 11 2018
Apple A12X Bionic, Apple A12X Bionic GPU
4131 Points
AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX
AMD Ryzen 9 7950X, AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX
2656 Points
AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT
AMD Ryzen 9 7950X, AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT
2627 Points
Asus Maximum XIII Hero Desktop MSI GTX 1080 Ti FE
Intel Core i9-11900K, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 (Desktop)
2352 Points
MSI Prestige 14 Evo A11MO-026US
Intel Core i7-1195G7, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs
1560 Points
Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13 i7 256GB
Intel Core i7-6567U, Intel Iris Graphics 550
1345 Points
Acer Swift 3 SF314-42-R9YN
AMD Ryzen 7 4700U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 7
1008 Points
Eve-Tech Eve V i7
Intel Core i7-7Y75, Intel HD Graphics 615
724 Points
BMAX MaxBook Y11 H1M6
Intel Celeron N4100, Intel UHD Graphics 600
243 Points

CPU benchmarks: Apple M1 beats Intel Core i9-11900K

When it comes to processor performance, Affinity Photo 2 demonstrates a similarly high level of optimisation for Apple's platform. Even the power-efficient Apple M1 in the iPad Pro managed to slightly outperform the desktop processor Intel Core i9-11900K, despite the fact that the Intel CPU is ahead of the M1 in benchmarks such as Cinebench R23 and Geekbench 5 in terms of both single- and multi-core performance.

At this point, we need to emphasise that each run of the benchmark in Affinity Photo 2 only lasts a few seconds. That is to say, the results do not reflect any possible performance limitations caused by inadequate cooling under sustained load. In any case, Affinity Photo 2 benefits from higher CPU core counts. The Intel Core i7-12700H (14 cores) performed 13 per cent better than the Core i9-11900K (8 cores) – this is roughly the same margin you would expect to see in Cinebench R23 and Geekbench 5.

Unsurprisingly, the Apple M1 Pro and M1 Max delivered around the same level of performance because they practically share the same CPU configuration. Both chips performed around 43 and 50 per cent better than the Core i7-12700H and Apple M2 respectively. Even though an older device such as the Wacom Mobile Studio Pro 13 equipped with an Intel Core i7-6567U (two Skylake cores) trailed far behind newer systems with a score of 97, Affinity Photo 2 remained usable even when processing larger images. Sure, it takes a few seconds to apply filters, but the user interface and particularly the brushes respond instantly to inputs.

Affinity Photo 2 - Combined (Multi CPU)
AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX
AMD Ryzen 9 7950X, AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX
1384 Points
AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT
AMD Ryzen 9 7950X, AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT
1371 Points
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2021 M1 Pro
Apple M1 Pro, Apple M1 Pro 16-Core GPU
1044 Points
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2021 M1 Max 24-Core GPU
Apple M1 Max, Apple M1 Max 24-Core GPU
1024 Points
Lenovo Legion 5 Pro 16IAH7H
Intel Core i7-12700H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
732 Points
MSI Raider GE76 12UHS @175 W TGP
Intel Core i9-12900HK, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU
717 Points
Apple iPad Pro 11 2022
Apple M2, Apple M2 10-Core GPU
699 Points
Apple MacBook Air 2020 M1 Entry
Apple M1, Apple M1 7-Core GPU
664 Points
Asus ROG Maximus XIII Hero, GeForce RTX 2080 Super FE
Intel Core i9-11900K, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Super (Desktop)
648 Points
Apple iPad Pro 12.9 2021 A2378
Apple M1, Apple M1 8-Core GPU
632 Points
Asus Maximum XIII Hero Desktop MSI GTX 1080 Ti FE
Intel Core i9-11900K, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 (Desktop)
615 Points
Apple iPad Pro 11 2018
Apple A12X Bionic, Apple A12X Bionic GPU
330 Points
Acer Swift 3 SF314-42-R9YN
AMD Ryzen 7 4700U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 7
275 Points
MSI Prestige 14 Evo A11MO-026US
Intel Core i7-1195G7, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs
188 Points
Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13 i7 256GB
Intel Core i7-6567U, Intel Iris Graphics 550
98 Points
Eve-Tech Eve V i7
Intel Core i7-7Y75, Intel HD Graphics 615
61 Points
BMAX MaxBook Y11 H1M6
Intel Celeron N4100, Intel UHD Graphics 600
53 Points
Lenovo Yoga C630 (Snapdragon)
Qualcomm Snapdragon 850, Qualcomm Adreno 630
14 Points

Verdict

Affinity Photo 2 has been optimised especially for Apple chips, as clearly demonstrated by our benchmark results. To do better than an Apple M2, you will need at least an Intel Core i7-12700H combined with a current high-end GPU – components found only in devices that are far thicker, heavier and more expensive than Apple M2-based machines.

Power users, in particular, will notice these massive differences in benchmark results. The higher the resolution of a raster image or the more complex a vector graphic, the bigger the difference in the actual amount of time required to process a filter or export an image. But there is good news for casual users: Affinity Photo 2 remains usable even on older systems, some of which are 80 per cent slower than an M2-based device. As long as images are not extremely large or complex, the user interface and brushes will be pleasantly responsive.

Disclaimer: a free copy of the software reviewed in this article was provided by the developer to the author.

Price and availability

Affinity Photo 2 usually costs €84.99 (US$69.99) on Windows and macOS, and the iOS version goes for €23.99 (US$19.99). The developer is currently offering a launch discount, bringing the price of the software down to €48.99 (US$40.99) on PC and Mac, and €14.99 (US$11.99) on the iPad. The universal licence, which contains Affinity Photo 2, Designer 2 and Publisher 2 for all supported operating systems, normally costs €199.99 (US$169.99), but is available right now at a discounted price of €119.99 (US$99.99). You can visit the developer's website for more information.

All Benchmarks

Show Restrictions
PosModelScreen ResolutionScreen TypeAffinity Photo 2 Combined (Multi CPU) ↓Affinity Photo 2 Combined (Single / Multi GPU)
Asus ProArt StudioBook 16 H7600ZW3840x2400OLED
893
8213
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2021 M1 Pro3456x2234Mini-LED
1044
14293
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2021 M1 Max 24-Core GPU3024x1964Mini-LED
1024
18284
Apple iPad Pro 12.9 2021 A23782732x2048IPS mini-LED
632
8843
Lenovo Legion 5 Pro 16IAH7H2560x1600IPS
732n2
6335n2
Acer Swift 3 SF314-42-R9YN1920x1080IPS
275
1008
Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13 i7 256GB2560x1440IPS
98
1345
BMAX MaxBook Y11 H1M61920x1080IPS
53
243
MSI Prestige 14 Evo A11MO-026US1920x1080IPS
188
1560
Lenovo Yoga C630 (Snapdragon)1920x1080IPS
14
Eve-Tech Eve V i72880x1920IPS
61
724
Apple MacBook Air 2020 M1 Entry2560x1600IPS
664
8447
Apple iPad Pro 11 20222388x1668IPS
699
12337
Apple iPad Pro 11 20182388x1668IPS
330
4131
HP EliteBook 835 G91920x1200IPS
419
588
Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 2023 G834JY-N6005W2560x1600IPS
1394
8007.5n2
Asus Maximum XIII Hero Desktop MSI GTX 1080 Ti FE3840x2160
615
2352
Asus ROG Maximus XIII Hero, GeForce RTX 2080 Super FE3840x2160
648
5669
AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT0x0
1371
2627
PosModelScreen ResolutionScreen TypeAffinity Photo 2 Combined (Multi CPU) ↓Affinity Photo 2 Combined (Single / Multi GPU)
AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX0x0
1384
2656
MSI Raider GE76 12UHS @175 W TGP1920x1080
717
6055
ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 3080 Ti OC3840x2160
1351
8130
Palit GeForce RTX 4090 GameRock OC
Palit GeForce RTX 4090 GameRock OC Desktop GPU review: High end performance with a price to match
Corsair MP600 GS 2TB SSD in review: Fast SSD for laptops, desktop and mini PCs		3840x2160
1369
8448
AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT0x0
1348
2676
AMD Radeon RX 68000x0
1365
2761
KFA2 GeForce RTX 3070 Ti SG3840x2160
1389
7682
KFA2 GeForce RTX 4080 SG3840x2160
1343
8144
MSI Radeon RX 6950 XT Gaming X Trio0x0
1307
2759
KFA2 GeForce GTX 1650 Super EX One Click OC0x0
1318
4173
PNY GeForce GTX 16600x0
1371
5816
Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 Super0x0
1435
7590
Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 Super0x0
1406
7722
KFA2 GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SG3840x2160
1428
9014
Minisforum Neptune Series NAD9x
643
4176
Sapphire Nitro+ Radeon RX 6650 XT0x0
1309
2688
Minisforum Venus Series UM690x
534
697
Minisforum Venus Series UM690 (Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Ti FE TB3)0x0
578
2968
Minisforum Neptune Series HX99Gx
643
4176
Minisforum Neptune Series HX99G (Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Ti FE TB3)0x0
578
2968
PosModelScreen ResolutionScreen TypeAffinity Photo 2 Combined (Multi CPU) ↓Affinity Photo 2 Combined (Single / Multi GPU)
Sapphire Pulse Radeon RX 66000x0
1369
2619
SCHENKER XMG SECTOR, i9 13900K, RTX 4090x
1621
9135
Intel NUC 12, NUC12SNKi72_Serpent Canyonx
737n2
4537n2
Intel NUC11ATKPE, N6005
Intel NUC11 Essential Kit alias Atlas Canyon with Intel Pentium Silver N6005 and Intel Celeron N4505 review
Intel NUC11 Essential Kit alias Atlas Canyon with Intel Pentium Silver N6005 and Intel Celeron N4505 review		x
128
1166
Intel NUC11ATKC2, N4505x
65
509
PNY GeForce RTX 3050 XLR83840x2160
1380
7296
Sapphire Nitro+ Radeon RX 5500 XT 8G SE0x0
1354
2640
Sapphire Pulse Radeon RX 5600 XT0x0
1379
1633
AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D0x0
1326
8771
Morefine M600, 6900HXx
494
748
Morefine M600 (Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Ti FE TB3)0x0
496
2919
AMD Radeon RX 57000x0
1419
2739
AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT0x0
1360
2733
Sapphire Pulse Radeon RX 6500 XT0x0
1378
1194
Intel NUC 13 Pro Kit NUC13ANKx
530
4590
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 FE3840x2160
1426
8699
KFA2 GeForce RTX 4070 EX Gamer3840x2160
1383
8704
KFA2 GeForce RTX 4070 Ti EX Gamer3840x2160
1364
8516
Minisforum Venus Series UM560 XTx
445
1539
ACEMagician Ace Magician AM08 Prox
492
1825
PosModelScreen ResolutionScreen TypeAffinity Photo 2 Combined (Multi CPU) ↓Affinity Photo 2 Combined (Single / Multi GPU)
ACEMagician Ace Magician AM08 Prox
534
697
Geekom AS 5x
501
1471
Sapphire Pulse Radeon RX 6750 XT3840x2160
1405
7323
MSI GeForce RTX 4060 Ti Gaming X Trio 8G3840x2160
1423
6970
Minisforum Mercury Series EM680x
446
555
KFA2 GeForce RTX 4060 Ti EX3840x2160
1363
6672
Geekom Mini IT11, i7-11390Hx
283
2644
AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D0x0
724
10221
ACEMagician Ace Magician AM08 Prox
535
1909
Geekom AS 6, R9 6900HXx
534
697
Minisforum Venus Series UM790 Prox
705
1331
KFA2 GeForce RTX 4060 1-Click-OC 2X3840x2160
1296
6882
Blackview MP200x
381
1171
Khadas Mindx
416
3724
Intel NUC 13 Pro Desk Edition Kitx
506
4510
ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 4060 Ti OC3840x2160
1422
6788
MEMORY:PC, R7 5700X, AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE0x0
570
8066
AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE3840x2160
1412
7671
XFX Speedster QICK 308 Radeon RX 7600 Black Edition3840x2160
1380
6273
Nvidia Titan X (Pascal)0x0
1391
6141
PosModelScreen ResolutionScreen TypeAffinity Photo 2 Combined (Multi CPU) ↓Affinity Photo 2 Combined (Single / Multi GPU)
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Ti FE0x0
1355
7004
KFA2 GeForce GTX 1660 Super0x0
1339
5661
AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT3840x2160
1395
8274
KFA2 GeForce RTX 4060 Ti EX, 16GB GDDR63840x2160
1391
6314
Acemagic AD15x
420
2123
Acemagic AM20x
457
1511
Sapphire Pulse Radeon RX 7700 XT3840x2160
1313
7462
Minisforum Venus Series UN1245x
431
2769
Palit GeForce RTX 4090 GameRock OC0x0
1801
7987
n.a.0x0
1091
8732
NiPoGi CK10x
390
2668
Acer Predator BiFrost Arc A770 OC, 16GB GDDR63840x2160
1412
4469
MSI GeForce RTX 3070 Ti Suprim X3840x2160
1432
7181
Acemagic S1x
144
1085
Trigkey G4x
149
111
Acer Predator BiFrost Arc A750 OC3840x2160
1397
4375
Geekom MiniAir 12x
155
1124
Geekbench Mini IT12 (Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Ti FE TB3)0x0
384
3175
Geekom Mini IT12x
387
2688
Minisforum EliteMini UM780 XTXx
671
1399
PosModelScreen ResolutionScreen TypeAffinity Photo 2 Combined (Multi CPU) ↓Affinity Photo 2 Combined (Single / Multi GPU)
GPD G1 Radeon RX 7600M XT (OCuLink @PCIe x4 3.0)3840x2160
1377
3672
Acemagic Tank03x
299
4713
Acemagic Tank03x
488
5223
Acemagic Tank03x
630
5403
Nvidia Titan RTX0x0
1373
6714
NiPoGi AD08x
429
3442
NiPoGi AD08x
352
3342
NiPoGi AD08x
235
2490
Minisforum BD770ix
768
889
Minisforum Mars Series MC560x
352
1360
Zotac RTX 4080 Super Trinity Black Edition0x0
1586
8399
KFA2 GeForce RTX 4080 Super SG0x0
1553
8557
Acemagic AD15x
356
2291
Aoostar GOD77x
564
1833
Geekom A7x
653
1396
XFX Radeon RX 7900 XTX Merc 310 Black Edition0x0
1593
8232
ASRock Arc A580 Challenger OC0x0
1555
4870
Minisforum Mercury Series EM780x
517
1233
Minisforum EM780 (GPD G1 Radeon RX 7600M XT @USB4) 0x0
518
1927
Sparkle Intel Arc A380 Elf0x0
1595
3945
PosModelScreen ResolutionScreen TypeAffinity Photo 2 Combined (Multi CPU) ↓Affinity Photo 2 Combined (Single / Multi GPU)
Palit GeForce RTX 4090 GameRock OC0x0
1623
9060
Acemagic F2Ax
770
4928
Acemagic AM18x
610
1371
(-) * Smaller values are better. / n123 Number of benchmarks for this median value
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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Affinity Photo 2 benchmark comparison: Apple M1 faces off against Intel Core, AMD Ryzen and Nvidia GeForce
Hannes Brecher, 2022-12- 1 (Update: 2022-12-13)