Apple M2 Apple M5 Pro (15-CPU 16-GPU)
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Apple M2 vs Apple M5 Pro (15-CPU 16-GPU)

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The Apple M2 processor was designed for general use in compact desktop systems and is primarily aimed at private users and students.

Manufactured using the 5-nm process, this chip features an architecture that combines efficiency and everyday computing power. In synthetic benchmarks, the Apple M2 shows solid single-core performance, while the multi-core performance is optimized for standard applications. The integrated Apple M2 (10 Core) graphics unit enables smooth work for basic graphical tasks, but often reaches its limits in demanding gaming scenarios.

The thermal power dissipation remains low, allowing for simple cooling. The price-performance ratio is beneficial for users seeking a reliable basis for office work and media consumption. The memory bandwidth of 102 GB/s is appropriate for this target group. The Apple M5 Pro (15-CPU 16-GPU) is designed for professional users who require a high computing capacity for complex projects.

Through manufacturing in the advanced 3-nm process, it offers high efficiency with increased transistor density. In benchmarks, it significantly outperforms the Apple M2 in both single-core and multi-core performance, making it predestined for specialized software. With a memory bandwidth of 307 GB/s, the Apple M5 Pro also offers good AI performance.

The Apple M5 Pro (16 Core) graphics unit ensures a more stable frame rate in games and accelerates professional rendering processes. Despite the high number of cores, the power consumption remains moderate in relation to the performance provided. It is positioned in the higher price segment and is recommended for workstations.

Apple M2

  • Manufactured using the 5-nm process
  • Integrated Apple M2 (10 Core) graphics
  • Optimized for everyday tasks and efficiency
  • Beneficial price-performance ratio for home users

Apple M5 Pro (15-CPU 16-GPU)

  • Advanced 3-nm manufacturing technology
  • High memory bandwidth of 307 GB/s for good AI performance
  • Integrated Apple M5 Pro (16 Core) graphics unit
  • Superior multi-core performance for professional workstations

Performance Overview
Average performance across multiple benchmarks

Single-core performance
Rank 2 - 61 %
Apple M2
Rank 1 - 100 %
Apple M5 Pro (15-CPU 16-GPU)
Multi-core performance
Rank 2 - 40 %
Apple M2
Rank 1 - 100 %
Apple M5 Pro (15-CPU 16-GPU)
Cinebench 2024 Single-Core

Cinebench 2024 Single-Core
Single-core performance

Apple M2
Apple M2 60 %
8C / 8T · 3.50 GHz
120 pts
Apple M5 Pro (15-CPU 16-GPU)
15C / 15T · 4.61 GHz
199 pts
Geekbench 6 Single-Core

Geekbench 6 Single-Core
Single-core performance

Apple M2
Apple M2 61 %
8C / 8T · 3.50 GHz
2,596
Apple M5 Pro (15-CPU 16-GPU)
15C / 15T · 4.61 GHz
4,250
Geekbench 6 Multi-Core

Geekbench 6 Multi-Core
Multi-core performance

Apple M2
Apple M2 40 %
8C / 8T · 3.50 GHz
10,062
Apple M5 Pro (15-CPU 16-GPU)
15C / 15T · 0.91 GHz
25,000
iGPU - FP32 Performance (Single-precision GFLOPS)

iGPU - FP32 Performance (Single-precision GFLOPS)

Apple M2
Apple M2 43 %
Apple M2 (10 Core)
3,550
Apple M5 Pro (15-CPU 16-GPU)
Apple M5 Pro (16 Core)
8,213

More benchmarks

At a glance

Wischen
Apple M2Apple M5 Pro (15-CPU 16-GPU)
FamilyApple M series (38)Apple M series (38)
CPU groupApple M2 (8)Apple M5 (6)
ArchitectureM2M5
Technology5 nm3 nm
SegmentNotebookNotebook
Socket
PredecessorApple M1Apple M4 Pro (12-CPU 16-GPU)
SuccessorApple M3

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

Wischen
Apple M2Apple M5 Pro (15-CPU 16-GPU)
CPU Cores / Threads8 / 815 / 15
Hyperthreading / SMT
Core architecturehybrid (big.LITTLE)hybrid (big.LITTLE)
Core Cluster 1: 4x Avalanche
0.66 - 3.50 GHz
5x Super-Core
0.91 - 4.61 GHz
Core Cluster 2: 4x Blizzard
0.60 - 2.42 GHz
10x Performance-Core
0.90 - 3.05 GHz
L2-Cache20.00 MB22.00 MB
L3-Cache
Overclocking

Integrated graphics (iGPU)

Wischen
Apple M2Apple M5 Pro (15-CPU 16-GPU)
GPU nameApple M2 (10 Core)Apple M5 Pro (16 Core)
GPU frequency0.45 - 1.40 GHz0.34 - 1.90 GHz
CUs / Shader160 / 1280256 / 2048
Raytracing
Max. displays24
Max. GPU Memory24 GB48 GB
Technology5 nm3 nm
Release dateQ2/2022Q1/2026

NPU AI performance

Wischen
Apple M2Apple M5 Pro (15-CPU 16-GPU)
AI hardwareApple Neural EngineApple Neural Engine
AI specifications16 Neural cores @ 15.8 TOPS16 Neural cores @ 60 TOPS
NPU + CPU + iGPU

Memory & PCIe

Wischen
Apple M2Apple M5 Pro (15-CPU 16-GPU)
MemoryLPDDR5-6400 (102.4 GB/s)
LPDDR5X-9600 (307.2 GB/s)
Max. Memory24 GB48 GB
Memory channels24
ECCNoNo
PCIe4.05.0 x 8
PCIe Bandwidth31.5 GB/s

Thermal Management

Wischen
Apple M2Apple M5 Pro (15-CPU 16-GPU)
TDP20 W45 W
TDP (PL2)
TDP up30 W
TDP down10 W35 W
T. junction max.100 °C100 °C

Technical details

Wischen
Apple M2Apple M5 Pro (15-CPU 16-GPU)
Chip designMonolithicMonolithic
AES-NI
Operating systemsmacOS, iPadOSmacOS, iPadOS
Instruction setArmv8.5-A (64 bit)Armv9.2-A (64 bit)
ISA extensionsRosetta 2 x86-EmulationRosetta 2 x86-Emulation, AVX2, SME
Release dateQ2/2022Q1/2026
Release price
DocumentsTechnical data sheet

Your rating

Here you can rate one or both of the processors. The average rating of Apple M2 is 4.4 stars (743 ratings), while Apple M5 Pro (15-CPU 16-GPU) has received 4.9 stars (51 ratings).

Click on the stars to rate one or both processors.

Apple M2
Apple M2
8C / 8T · 0.66 - 3.50 GHz
Apple M5 Pro (15-CPU 16-GPU)
Apple M5 Pro (15-CPU 16-GPU)
15C / 15T · 0.91 - 4.61 GHz

Most popular CPUs in both categories

Apple M2
Apple M2
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