Apple unveils M2 Professional and M2 Max: extra CPU and GPU cores, extra L2 cache, extra unified reminiscence

When Apple unveiled the M2 chipset in June of final yr, it introduced 18% CPU and 35% GPU efficiency enhance in comparison with the unique M1. Nonetheless, the M2 was solely out there in a single configuration – 8 CPU cores and 10 GPU cores.

As we speak Cupertino is lifting the veil off two increased energy chips, the M2 Professional and M2 Max, which pile on extra cores and add help for extra reminiscence. Apple additionally introduced two new merchandise constructed with the brand new chips, MacBook Professional (14” and 16”) and Mac mini, these are coated in a separate submit.

The Apple M2 Professional chipset is constructed on a second era 5nm node and options 40 billion transistors, 20% greater than the M1 Professional. The brand new chip additionally helps as much as 32GB of unified reminiscence with 200GB/s bandwidth.

The M2 Professional has 10 or 12 CPU cores – 6 or 8 high-performance cores plus 4 high-efficiency cores – in addition to as much as 19 GPU cores, plus bigger L2 cache.

Apple M2 Professional CPU and GPU configuration

This leads to as much as 20% increased CPU efficiency over the M1 Professional (10-core) and 30% increased GPU efficiency.

The Apple M2 Max chip has a whopping 67 billion transistors, thrice as many as the bottom M2. Additionally, it helps as much as 96GB of unified reminiscence (4x what the M2 can deal with) operating at 400GB/s (twice as quick because the M2 Professional).

The CPU is identical because the 12-core model of the M2 Professional. The GPU is twice the dimensions with 38 cores, the L2 cache is even greater.

Apple M2 Max CPU and GPU configuration

Each the M2 Professional and M2 Max share some {hardware}. Each use 16-core Neural Engine able to 15.8 TOPS, 40% sooner than the earlier era. Additionally they have inbuilt video encode/decode engines and ProRes engines – considered one of every within the Professional, two of every within the Max. Which means the chips can deal with a number of 4K and 8K video streams utilizing ProRes, HEVC and H.264.

The brand new MacBook Professionals utilizing the M2 Professional and M2 Max chips can last as long as 22 hours on a single cost. The previous M1-based MacBook Professionals topped out at 21 hours.

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