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NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Max-Q vs Apple M2 8-Core GPU

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Max-Q

► remove from comparison NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Max-Q

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Max-Q (for laptops, GN20-E7 Max-Q) is the former name for a RTX 3080 Laptop GPU with Max-Q technologies. In previous generations, the Max-Q name was used for low power versions. With the RTX 3000 series, every TGP-version can now use Max-Q technologies and all GPUs are called RTX 3080 Laptop GPU (80 - 150W+).

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.

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NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Max-QApple M2 8-Core GPU
Apple M2 Series
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 Ti compare 10752 @ 1.56 - 1.86 GHz384 Bit @ 21000 MHz
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 compare 10496 @ 1.4 - 1.7 GHz384 Bit @ 19500 MHz
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti compare 10240 @ 1.37 - 1.67 GHz384 Bit @ 19000 MHz
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 12 GB compare 8960/ cores @ 1.26 - 1.71 GHz384 Bit @ 19000 MHz
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 compare 8704 @ 1.45 - 1.71 GHz320 Bit @ 19000 MHz
GeForce RTX 3070 Ti compare 6144 @ 1.58 - 1.77 GHz256 Bit @ 19000 MHz
GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU compare 7424 @ 0.98 - 1.59 GHz256 Bit @ 14000 MHz
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 compare 5888 @ 1.5 - 1.73 GHz256 Bit @ 14000 MHz
GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU compare 6144 @ 0.78 - 1.25 GHz256 Bit @ 14000 MHz
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti compare 4864 @ 1.41 - 1.67 GHz256 Bit @ 14000 MHz
GeForce RTX 3070 Ti Laptop GPU compare 5888 @ 0.92 - 1.48 GHz256 Bit @ 14000 MHz
GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU compare 5120 @ 0.78 - 1.29 GHz256 Bit @ 14000 MHz
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 compare 3584 @ 1.32 - 1.78 GHz192 Bit @ 15000 MHz
GeForce RTX 3080 Max-Q 6144 @ 0.78 - 1.25 GHz256 Bit @ 6000 MHz
GeForce RTX 3070 Max-Q compare 5120 @ 1.29 GHz256 Bit
GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU compare 3840 @ 0.82 - 1.7 GHz192 Bit @ 14000 MHz
GeForce RTX 3060 Max-Q compare 3840 @ 1.28 GHz192 Bit
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 compare 2560 @ 1.55 - 1.78 GHz128 Bit Bit @ 1750 MHz
GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Laptop GPU compare 2560 @ 1.22 - 1.49 GHz128 Bit @ 12000 MHz
GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU compare 2560 @ 1.24 - 1.49 GHz96 Bit @ 12000 MHz
GeForce RTX 3050 A Laptop GPU compare 1792 64 Bit
GeForce RTX 3050 4GB Laptop GPU compare 2048 @ 1.24 - 1.5 GHz128 Bit @ 12000 MHz
M2 Max 38-Core GPU compare 38
M2 Max 30-Core GPU compare 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
CodenameGN20-E7 GA104
ArchitectureAmpere
Pipelines6144 - unified8 - unified
Core Speed780 - 1245 (Boost) MHz1398 (Boost) MHz
Memory Speed6000 MHz
Memory Bus Width256 Bit
Memory TypeGDDR6LPDDR5-6400
Max. Amount of Memory16 GB
Shared Memorynono
APIDirectX 12_2, Shader 6.7, OpenGL 4.6
Power Consumption80 Watt10 Watt
technology8 nm5 nm
Notebook Sizelarge
Date of Announcement04.01.2021 06.06.2022
PredecessorM1 8-Core GPU

Benchmarks

3DMark - 3DMark Wild Life Unlimited
21009 Points (11%)
3DMark - 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Unlimited
5689 Points (7%)
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 Ref. Match 64 Bit + Apple M2 8-Core GPU
Cinebench R15 - Cinebench R15 OpenGL Ref. Match 64 Bit
99.5 % (100%)
GFXBench - GFXBench 5.0 4K Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen
39.8 fps (15%)
GFXBench - GFXBench 5.0 Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen
91 fps (16%)
GFXBench - GFXBench 5.0 Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Offscreen
247 fps (18%)
GFXBench - GFXBench Car Chase Offscreen
199.9 fps (19%)
GFXBench 3.1 - GFXBench Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen
306.9 fps (6%)
GFXBench 3.0 - GFXBench 3.0 Manhattan Offscreen
483.7 fps (20%)
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%)
Power Consumption - The Witcher 3 Power Consumption - external Monitor *
24.4 Watt (3%)
Power Consumption - Witcher 3 Power Consumption *
27.4 Watt (6%)

Average Benchmarks Apple M2 8-Core GPU → 0% n=0

- Range of benchmark values for this graphics card
red legend - 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.

Borderlands 3

Borderlands 3

2019
low 1280x720
M2 8-Core GPU:
43  fps
med. 1920x1080
M2 8-Core GPU:
29.7  fps
high 1920x1080
M2 8-Core GPU:
16.6  fps
ultra 1920x1080
M2 8-Core GPU:
13.4  fps
Total War: Three Kingdoms

Total War: Three Kingdoms

2019
low 1280x720
M2 8-Core GPU:
77  fps
med. 1920x1080
M2 8-Core GPU:
39  fps
high 1920x1080
M2 8-Core GPU:
18  fps
ultra 1920x1080
M2 8-Core GPU:
14  fps
Shadow of the Tomb Raider

Shadow of the Tomb Raider

2018
low 1280x720
M2 8-Core GPU:
62  fps
med. 1920x1080
M2 8-Core GPU:
28  fps
high 1920x1080
M2 8-Core GPU:
24  fps
ultra 1920x1080
M2 8-Core GPU:
20  fps
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Max-QApple M2 8-Core GPU
lowmed.highultraQHD4Klowmed.highultraQHD4K
Borderlands 34329.716.613.4
Total War: Three Kingdoms77391814
Shadow of the Tomb Raider62282420
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Max-QApple M2 8-Core GPU
lowmed.highultraQHD4Klowmed.highultraQHD4K
< 30 fps
< 60 fps
< 120 fps
≥ 120 fps

















< 30 fps
< 60 fps
< 120 fps
≥ 120 fps
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For more games that might be playable and a list of all games and graphics cards visit our Gaming List

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v1.33
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> 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)