Apple M2 vs Apple A17 Pro

The Apple M2, internally known as M2, is a processor for Apple's Mac systems, aiming for high performance for productivity and creativity.

The Apple A17 Pro, codenamed Ibiza, is a mobile SoC from Apple, built into iPhones, offering a combination of peak performance and energy efficiency.

The Apple M2 is manufactured using the 5 nm process and features a 10-core graphics unit, 102 GB/s memory bandwidth, and PCIe 4.0. The Apple A17 Pro uses the more advanced 3 nm process with a 6-core GPU and 51 GB/s memory bandwidth. In single-core performance, the Apple A17 Pro slightly outperforms the Apple M2 (over 10%).

However, for multi-core tasks, the Apple M2 shows significantly higher performance, surpassing the Apple A17 Pro by over 30%. For gaming, the Apple M2 offers superior, sustained performance thanks to its stronger graphics unit and higher memory bandwidth. The Apple A17 Pro delivers excellent mobile gaming performance but is primarily designed for maximum energy efficiency for smartphones.

The Apple M2 operates under higher thermal budgets for sustained performance. Since both processors are firmly integrated into Apple devices, a direct price-performance evaluation is only possible within the context of the end device. The Apple M2 is ideal for demanding desktop applications and gaming, while the Apple A17 Pro stands for leading mobile performance and efficiency.