Apple M2 vs Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2

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CPU comparison with benchmarks


Apple M2 CPU1 vs CPU2 Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
Apple M2 Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2

CPU comparison

In this CPU comparison, we compare the Apple M2 and the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and use benchmarks to check which processor is faster.

We compare the Apple M2 8 core processor released in Q2/2022 with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 which has 8 CPU cores and was introduced in Q4/2022.
Apple M series (25) Family Qualcomm Snapdragon (104)
Apple M2 (8) CPU group Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (2)
2 Generation 2
M2 Architecture Cortex-X3 / -A715 / -A510
Notebook Segment Smartphone / Tablet
Apple M1 Predecessor Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
Apple M3 Successor Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

The Apple M2 is a 8 core processor with a clock frequency of 0.66 GHz (3.50 GHz). The processor can compute 8 threads at the same time. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 clocks with 3.36 GHz, has 8 CPU cores and can calculate 8 threads in parallel.

Apple M2 Characteristic Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
8 Cores 8
8 Threads 8
hybrid (big.LITTLE) Core architecture hybrid (Prime / big.LITTLE)
No Hyperthreading No
No Overclocking ? No
0.66 GHz (3.50 GHz)
4x Avalanche
A-Core 3.36 GHz
1x Cortex-X3
0.60 GHz (2.42 GHz)
4x Blizzard
B-Core 2.80 GHz
4x Cortex-A715/A710
-- C-Core 2.00 GHz
3x Cortex-A510

NPU AI performance

The 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.

Apple M2 Characteristic Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
Apple Neural Engine AI hardware Qualcomm AI engine
16 Neural cores @ 15.8 TOPS AI specifications Hexagon 780 @ 26 TOPS
-- NPU + CPU + iGPU --

Integrated graphics (iGPU)

Graphics (iGPU) integrated into the processor not only enable image output without having to rely on a dedicated graphics solution, but can also efficiently accelerate video playback.

Apple M2 (10 Core) GPU Qualcomm Adreno 740
0.45 GHz GPU frequency 0.68 GHz
1.40 GHz GPU (Turbo) --
2 GPU Generation 8
5 nm Technology 4 nm
2 Max. displays 2
160 Compute units --
1280 Shader --
No Hardware Raytracing Yes
No Frame Generation No
24 GB Max. GPU Memory 6 GB
-- DirectX Version 12.1

Hardware codec support

A 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.

Apple M2 (10 Core) GPU Qualcomm Adreno 740
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 Codec VP8 Decode / Encode
No Codec AV1 Decode
Decode Codec AVC Decode
Decode Codec VC-1 Decode
Decode / Encode Codec JPEG Decode / Encode

Memory & PCIe

Up to 24 GB of memory in a maximum of 2 memory channels is supported by the Apple M2, while the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 supports a maximum of 24 GB of memory with a maximum memory bandwidth of 67.0 GB/s enabled.

Apple M2 Characteristic Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
LPDDR5-6400 Memory LPDDR5X-8400
24 GB Max. Memory 24 GB
2 (Dual Channel) Memory channels 4 (Quad Channel)
102.4 GB/s Max. Bandwidth 67.0 GB/s
No ECC No
20.00 MB L2 Cache --
-- L3 Cache 8.00 MB
4.0 PCIe version --
-- PCIe lanes --
-- PCIe Bandwidth --

Thermal Management

The Apple M2 has a TDP of 20 W. The TDP of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is --. System integrators use the TDP of the processor as a guide when dimensioning the cooling solution.

Apple M2 Characteristic Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
20 W TDP (PL1 / PBP) --
-- TDP (PL2) --
30 W TDP up --
10 W TDP down --
100 °C Tjunction max. --

Technical details

The Apple M2 has 20.00 MB cache and is manufactured in 5 nm. The cache of Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is at 8.00 MB. The processor is manufactured in 4 nm.

Apple M2 Characteristic Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
5 nm Technology 4 nm
Chiplet Chip design Chiplet
Armv8.5-A (64 bit) Instruction set (ISA) Armv9-A (64 bit)
Rosetta 2 x86-Emulation ISA extensions --
-- Socket --
Apple Virtualization Framework Virtualization None
Yes AES-NI No
macOS, iPadOS Operating systems Android, Windows 10/11 (ARM)
Q2/2022 Release date Q4/2022
-- Release price --
show more data show more data


Rate these processors

Here you can rate the Apple M2 to help other visitors make their purchasing decisions. The average rating is 4.5 stars (446 ratings). Rate now:
Here you can rate the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 to help other visitors make their purchasing decisions. The average rating is 4.3 stars (178 ratings). Rate now:

Average performance in benchmarks

Single core performance in 2 CPU benchmarks
Apple M2 (100%)
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (78%)
Multi core performance in 2 CPU benchmarks
Apple M2 (100%)
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (55%)

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.
Apple M2 Apple M2
8C 8T @ 3.50 GHz
2596 (100%)
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
8C 8T @ 3.36 GHz
1985 (76%)

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.
Apple M2 Apple M2
8C 8T @ 3.50 GHz
10062 (100%)
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
8C 8T @ 3.36 GHz
5315 (53%)

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.
Apple M2 Apple M2
8C 8T @ 3.50 GHz
1874 (100%)
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
8C 8T @ 3.36 GHz
1502 (80%)

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.
Apple M2 Apple M2
8C 8T @ 3.50 GHz
8853 (100%)
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
8C 8T @ 3.36 GHz
5089 (57%)

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.
Apple M2 Apple M2
Apple M2 (10 Core) @ 1.40 GHz
3550 (100%)
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
Qualcomm Adreno 740 @ 0.68 GHz
1740 (49%)

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).
Apple M2 Apple M2
8C 8T @ 0.66 GHz
15.8 (61%)
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
8C 8T @ 3.36 GHz
26 (100%)

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.
Apple M2 Apple M2
8C 8T @ 3.50 GHz
120 (100%)
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
8C 8T @ 3.36 GHz
0 (0%)

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.
Apple M2 Apple M2
8C 8T @ 3.50 GHz
555 (100%)
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
8C 8T @ 3.36 GHz
0 (0%)

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.
Apple M2 Apple M2
8C 8T @ 3.50 GHz
1592 (100%)
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
8C 8T @ 3.36 GHz
0 (0%)

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.
Apple M2 Apple M2
8C 8T @ 3.50 GHz
8558 (100%)
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
8C 8T @ 3.36 GHz
0 (0%)

AnTuTu 10 Benchmark

The AnTuTu 10 benchmark is one of the best-known benchmarks for mobile processors, which is now available in version 10. There is a version for Android-based smartphones and tablets, as well as a version for Apple mobile devices, i.e. iPhones and iPads.

The Antutu 10 benchmark has 3 phases. In the first phase, the device's RAM is tested, in phase 2 the graphics are tested and in the final phase the entire device is pushed to its performance limits by rendering 3D graphics.

Antutu 10 is therefore ideal for comparing the performance of different devices.
Apple M2 Apple M2
8C 8T @ 0.66 GHz
0 (0%)
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
8C 8T @ 3.36 GHz
1628500 (100%)

AnTuTu 9 Benchmark

The AnTuTu 9 benchmark is very well suited to measuring the performance of a smartphone. AnTuTu 9 is quite heavy on 3D graphics and can now also use the "Metal" graphics interface. In AnTuTu, memory and UX (user experience) are also tested by simulating browser and app usage. AnTuTu version 9 can compare any ARM CPU running on Android or iOS. Devices may not be directly comparable when benchmarked on different operating systems.

In the AnTuTu 9 benchmark, the single-core performance of a processor is only slightly weighted. The rating is made up of the multi-core performance of the processor, the speed of the working memory, and the performance of the internal graphics.
Apple M2 Apple M2
8C 8T @ 0.66 GHz
0 (0%)
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
8C 8T @ 3.36 GHz
1281650 (100%)

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.
Apple M2 Apple M2
8C 8T @ 3.50 GHz
15472 (100%)
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
8C 8T @ 3.36 GHz
0 (0%)

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.
Apple M2 Apple M2
8C 8T @ 3.50 GHz
277 (100%)
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
8C 8T @ 3.36 GHz
0 (0%)

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.
Apple M2 Apple M2
8,558 CB R23 MC @ 20 W
428 (100%)
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
3.36 GHz
0 (0%)

Devices using this processor

Apple M2 Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
Apple MacBook Air 14 (2022)
Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022)
Unknown

News and articles for the Apple M2 and the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2

Most popular processors in the first half of 2022
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.
Apple M2 Pro with more CPU cores and production in 3 nm ?
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.
Apple M2 vs Apple M1 - What are the differences?
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.

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