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Apple A18 Pro vs Apple M2
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CPU comparison with benchmarks
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| Apple A18 Pro | Apple M2 | |
CPU comparisonApple A18 Pro or Apple M2 - which processor is faster? In this comparison we look at the differences and analyze which of these two CPUs is better. We compare the technical data and benchmark results.
The Apple A18 Pro has 6 cores with 6 threads and clocks with a maximum frequency of 4.04 GHz. Up to 8 GB of memory is supported in 1 memory channels. The Apple A18 Pro was released in Q3/2024. The Apple M2 has 8 cores with 8 threads and clocks with a maximum frequency of 3.50 GHz. The CPU supports up to 24 GB of memory in 2 memory channels. The Apple M2 was released in Q2/2022. |
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| Apple A series (25) | Family | Apple M series (32) |
| Apple A18 Pro (2) | CPU group | Apple M2 (8) |
| 18 | Generation | 2 |
| Donan | Architecture | M2 |
| Smartphone / Tablet | Segment | Notebook |
| Apple A17 Pro | Predecessor | Apple M1 |
| -- | Successor | Apple M3 |
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CPU Cores and Base FrequencyThe Apple A18 Pro has 6 CPU cores and can calculate 6 threads in parallel. The clock frequency of the Apple A18 Pro is 0.70 GHz (4.04 GHz) while the Apple M2 has 8 CPU cores and 8 threads can calculate simultaneously. The clock frequency of the Apple M2 is at 0.66 GHz (3.50 GHz). |
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| Apple A18 Pro | Characteristic | Apple M2 |
| 6 | Cores | 8 |
| 6 | Threads | 8 |
| hybrid (big.LITTLE) | Core architecture | hybrid (big.LITTLE) |
| No | Hyperthreading | No |
| No | Overclocking ? | No |
| 0.70 GHz (4.04 GHz) 2x Donan P-Core |
A-Core | 0.66 GHz (3.50 GHz) 4x Avalanche |
| 0.74 GHz (2.30 GHz) 4x Donan E-Core |
B-Core | 0.60 GHz (2.42 GHz) 4x Blizzard |
NPU AI performanceThe performance values of the processor's AI unit. The isolated NPU performance is specified here, the total AI performance (NPU+CPU+iGPU) can be higher. Processors with support for artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) can process many calculations, especially audio, image and video processing, much faster than classic processors. |
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| Apple A18 Pro | Characteristic | Apple M2 |
| Apple Neural Engine | AI hardware | Apple Neural Engine |
| 16 Neural cores @ 38 TOPS | AI specifications | 16 Neural cores @ 15.8 TOPS |
| -- | NPU + CPU + iGPU | -- |
Integrated graphics (iGPU)The Apple A18 Pro or Apple M2 has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short. The iGPU uses the system's main memory as graphics memory and sits on the processor's die. |
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| Apple A18 Pro (6 GPU Cores) | GPU | Apple M2 (10 Core) |
| 0.39 GHz | GPU frequency | 0.45 GHz |
| 1.68 GHz | GPU (Turbo) | 1.40 GHz |
| -- | GPU Generation | 2 |
| 3 nm | Technology | 5 nm |
| 1 | Max. displays | 2 |
| 24 | Compute units | 160 |
| 768 | Shader | 1280 |
| Yes | Hardware Raytracing | No |
| No | Frame Generation | No |
| 8 GB | Max. GPU Memory | 24 GB |
| -- | DirectX Version | -- |
Hardware codec supportA photo or video codec that is accelerated in hardware can greatly accelerate the working speed of a processor and extend the battery life of notebooks or smartphones when playing videos. |
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| Apple A18 Pro (6 GPU Cores) | GPU | Apple M2 (10 Core) |
| Decode / Encode | Codec h265 / HEVC (8 bit) | Decode / Encode |
| Decode / Encode | Codec h265 / HEVC (10 bit) | Decode / Encode |
| Decode / Encode | Codec h264 | Decode / Encode |
| Decode / Encode | Codec VP9 | Decode / Encode |
| Decode / Encode | Codec VP8 | Decode |
| Decode | Codec AV1 | No |
| Decode | Codec AVC | Decode |
| Decode | Codec VC-1 | Decode |
| Decode / Encode | Codec JPEG | Decode / Encode |
Memory & PCIeThe Apple A18 Pro can use up to 8 GB of memory in 1 memory channels. The maximum memory bandwidth is 60.0 GB/s. The Apple M2 supports up to 24 GB of memory in 2 memory channels and achieves a memory bandwidth of up to 102.4 GB/s. |
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| Apple A18 Pro | Characteristic | Apple M2 |
| LPDDR5X-7500 | Memory | LPDDR5-6400 |
| 8 GB | Max. Memory | 24 GB |
| 1 (Single Channel) | Memory channels | 2 (Dual Channel) |
| 60.0 GB/s | Max. Bandwidth | 102.4 GB/s |
| No | ECC | No |
| 20.00 MB | L2 Cache | 20.00 MB |
| 24.00 MB | L3 Cache | -- |
| -- | PCIe version | 4.0 |
| -- | PCIe lanes | -- |
| -- | PCIe Bandwidth | -- |
Thermal ManagementThe thermal design power (TDP for short) of the Apple A18 Pro is 12 W, while the Apple M2 has a TDP of 20 W. The TDP specifies the necessary cooling solution that is required to cool the processor sufficiently. |
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| Apple A18 Pro | Characteristic | Apple M2 |
| 12 W | TDP (PL1 / PBP) | 20 W |
| -- | TDP (PL2) | -- |
| -- | TDP up | 30 W |
| -- | TDP down | 10 W |
| -- | Tjunction max. | 100 °C |
Technical detailsThe Apple A18 Pro is manufactured in 3 nm and has 44.00 MB cache. The Apple M2 is manufactured in 5 nm and has a 20.00 MB cache. |
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| Apple A18 Pro | Characteristic | Apple M2 |
| 3 nm | Technology | 5 nm |
| Chiplet | Chip design | Monolithic |
| Armv9-A (64 bit) | Instruction set (ISA) | Armv8.5-A (64 bit) |
| -- | ISA extensions | Rosetta 2 x86-Emulation |
| -- | Socket | -- |
| None | Virtualization | Apple Virtualization Framework |
| No | AES-NI | Yes |
| iOS | Operating systems | macOS, iPadOS |
| Q3/2024 | Release date | Q2/2022 |
| -- | Release price | -- |
| show more data | show more data | |
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8C 8T @ 0.66 GHz (3.50 GHz) buy now on Amazon and save!
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Rate these processors
Average performance in benchmarks
⌀ Single core performance in 1 CPU benchmarks
⌀ Multi core performance in 1 CPU benchmarks
Geekbench 6 Single-Core
Geekbench 6 is a partial load benchmark for modern computers, notebooks and smartphones. In the single-core test, only the fastest CPU core is measured. The test run simulates the performance in practice.
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Apple A18 Pro
6C 6T @ 4.04 GHz |
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Apple M2
8C 8T @ 3.50 GHz |
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Geekbench 6 Multi-Core
The practical Geekbench 6 multi-core benchmark tests the system's performance under partial load. The processor's maximum power consumption is far from being used up.
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Apple A18 Pro
6C 6T @ 4.04 GHz |
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Apple M2
8C 8T @ 3.50 GHz |
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iGPU - FP32 Performance (Single-precision GFLOPS)
The theoretical computing performance of the internal graphics unit of the processor with simple accuracy (32 bit) in GFLOPS. GFLOPS indicates how many billion floating point operations the iGPU can perform per second.
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Apple A18 Pro
Apple A18 Pro (6 GPU Cores) @ 1.68 GHz |
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Apple M2
Apple M2 (10 Core) @ 1.40 GHz |
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AI performance (NPU)
The performance values of the processor's AI unit. The isolated NPU performance is given here, the total AI performance (NPU+CPU+iGPU) can be higher.
Processors with the support of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) can process many calculations, especially audio, image and video processing, much faster than classic processors. The performance is given in the number (trillions) of arithmetic operations per second (TOPS).
Processors with the support of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) can process many calculations, especially audio, image and video processing, much faster than classic processors. The performance is given in the number (trillions) of arithmetic operations per second (TOPS).
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Apple A18 Pro
6C 6T @ 0.70 GHz |
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Apple M2
8C 8T @ 0.66 GHz |
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Cinebench 2024 Single-Core
The Cinebench 2024 benchmark is based on the Redshift rendering engine, which is also used in Maxon's 3D program Cinema 4D. The benchmark runs are each 10 minutes long to test whether the processor is limited by its heat generation.
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Apple A18 Pro
6C 6T @ 4.04 GHz |
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Apple M2
8C 8T @ 3.50 GHz |
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Cinebench 2024 Multi-Core
The Multi-Core test of the Cinebench 2024 benchmark uses all cpu cores to render using the Redshift rendering engine, which is also used in Maxons Cinema 4D. The benchmark run is 10 minutes long to test whether the processor is limited by its heat generation.
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Apple A18 Pro
6C 6T @ 4.04 GHz |
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Apple M2
8C 8T @ 3.50 GHz |
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Cinebench R23 Single-Core
Cinebench R23 is the successor of Cinebench R20 and is also based on the Cinema 4 Suite. Cinema 4 is a worldwide used software to create 3D forms. The single-core test only uses one CPU core, the amount of cores or hyperthreading ability doesn't count.
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Apple A18 Pro
6C 6T @ 4.04 GHz |
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Apple M2
8C 8T @ 3.50 GHz |
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Cinebench R23 Multi-Core
Cinebench R23 is the successor of Cinebench R20 and is also based on the Cinema 4 Suite. Cinema 4 is a worldwide used software to create 3D forms. The multi-core test involves all CPU cores and taks a big advantage of hyperthreading.
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Apple A18 Pro
6C 6T @ 4.04 GHz |
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Apple M2
8C 8T @ 3.50 GHz |
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Geekbench 5, 64bit Single-Core
Geekbench 5 is a cross plattform benchmark that heavily uses the systems memory. A fast memory will push the result a lot. The single-core test only uses one CPU core, the amount of cores or hyperthreading ability doesn't count.
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Apple A18 Pro
6C 6T @ 4.04 GHz |
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Apple M2
8C 8T @ 3.50 GHz |
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Geekbench 5, 64bit Multi-Core
Geekbench 5 is a cross plattform benchmark that heavily uses the systems memory. A fast memory will push the result a lot. The multi-core test involves all CPU cores and taks a big advantage of hyperthreading.
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Apple A18 Pro
6C 6T @ 4.04 GHz |
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Apple M2
8C 8T @ 3.50 GHz |
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Estimated results for PassMark CPU Mark
Some of the CPUs listed below have been benchmarked by CPU-monkey. However the majority of CPUs have not been tested and the results have been estimated by a CPU-monkey’s secret proprietary formula. As such they do not accurately reflect the actual Passmark CPU mark values and are not endorsed by PassMark Software Pty Ltd.
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Apple A18 Pro
6C 6T @ 4.04 GHz |
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Apple M2
8C 8T @ 3.50 GHz |
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Blender 2.81 (bmw27)
Blender is a free 3D graphics software for rendering (creating) 3D bodies, which can also be textured and animated in the software. The Blender benchmark creates predefined scenes and measures the time (s) required for the entire scene. The shorter the time required, the better. We selected bmw27 as the benchmark scene.
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Apple A18 Pro
6C 6T @ 4.04 GHz |
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Apple M2
8C 8T @ 3.50 GHz |
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CPU performance per watt (efficiency)
Efficiency of the processor under full load in the Cinebench R23 (multi-core) benchmark. The benchmark result is divided by the average energy required (CPU package power in watts). The higher the value, the more efficient the CPU is under full load.
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Apple A18 Pro
0.70 GHz |
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Apple M2
8,558 CB R23 MC @ 20 W |
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Devices using this processor |
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| Apple A18 Pro | Apple M2 |
| Apple iPhone 16 Pro Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max |
Apple MacBook Air 14 (2022) Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) |
News and articles for the Apple A18 Pro and the Apple M2
Most popular processors in the first half of 2022
Posted by Stefan on 2022-07-05
In the past we had repeatedly written about our most popular processors. Since this format was quiet popular, I would like to continue this today and introduce you the most popular processors in the first half of 2022.
With more than 2 million page views per month, CPU-Monkey is one of the biggest comparison sites for processors and is currently available in 16 languages.
With more than 2 million page views per month, CPU-Monkey is one of the biggest comparison sites for processors and is currently available in 16 languages.
Apple M2 Pro with more CPU cores and production in 3 nm ?
Posted by Stefan on 2022-06-28
After Apple surprisingly presented the normal Apple M2 processor as the first successor to the Apple M1 already in June 2022, the Apple M2 Pro and the Apple M2 Max may follow in autumn. The difference in performance compared to the basic version could be even greater this time and range from 25 to 40 percent.
In this article we describe how Apple could realize this and why the price should also go up.
In this article we describe how Apple could realize this and why the price should also go up.
Apple M2 vs Apple M1 - What are the differences?
Posted by Stefan on 2022-06-09
During WWDC 2022 on June 6th, 2022 Apple surprisingly presented its new Apple M2 processor. This will initially be installed in a completely revised Apple MacBook Air with 13.6 inches, a even thinner form factor and new colors. Apple also updated the already known (old) Apple MacBook Pro 13.3 with touch bar.
Many leakers had counted on Apple not presenting its new second-generation M processor until the fall. But things turned out differently. And there is very likely a reason for that: the improvements in the Apple M2 are limited compared to the predecessor.
Many leakers had counted on Apple not presenting its new second-generation M processor until the fall. But things turned out differently. And there is very likely a reason for that: the improvements in the Apple M2 are limited compared to the predecessor.
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