AMD Ryzen 7 7840U
Rated: 8.5/10
Apple M2
Rated: 7/10
Pros And Cons
| CPU | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Ryzen 7 7840U | ✅ Better Overall Performance ✅ Better iGPU Performance ✅ Thunderbolt Accessories Connectibility | ❌ Worse Power Efficiency ❌ Less Tight User Experience ❌ HMP Absence |
| Apple M2 | ✅ Faster CPU Speed ✅ Bigger L2 Cache ✅ Uses big.LITTLE Technology | ❌ Hefty Price Tag ❌ Lower Core Count ❌ No Multithreading |
- The Ryzen 7 7840U was anywhere from 15-71% faster than the M2 in our synthetic testing suite.
- Apple’s M2 processor has significantly better efficiency than anything else on the market according to our experience with the processor.
- However, it was brought to our attention that the M2 has a lower amount of configurable RAM i.e. 24GB than the Ryzen 7 7840U’s 256GB, which can be a deciding factor for certain creative workloads.
Ryzen 7 7840U Vs Apple M2 – Comparison Table
| Technical Specs | Apple M2 | AMD Ryzen 7 7840U |
|---|---|---|
| Vendor | Apple | Amd |
| Released | June 6, 2022 | May 3, 2023 |
| Type | Laptop | Laptop |
| instruction set | ARMv8 | x86-64 |
| Codename | Apple M2 | Zen 4 (Phoenix) |
| Integrated GPU | Apple M2 GPU | Radeon 780M |
| Bus Frequency | - | 100 MHz |
| Multiplier | - | 33x |
| L1 Cache | 192K (per core) | 64K (per core) |
| L2 Cache | 16MB (shared) | 1MB (per core) |
| L3 Cache | - | 16MB (shared) |
| Release Date | Q2/2022 | Q2/2023 |
Architectural Differences
- Core Count: Both processors, the Ryzen 7 7840U and the Apple M2 have the same number of 8 cores, but the hyperthreading of the Ryzen brings the total core count up to 16 threads, whereas the Apple M2 does not contain hyperthreading, keeping the total at 8 threads.
- Clock Speeds: The cores on the Apple M2 clock anywhere from 2.8GHz to 3.5GHz, whereas the Ryzen 7 has a base clock of 3.3GHz and a boost of up to 5.1GHz.
- TDP: The Ryzen has a 6-watt higher TDP than the M2, 28 watts compared to the latters 22 watts, allowing the latter to have a lower power package.
- Lithography: The Ryzen 7 7840U utilizes the latest Zen 4 mobile architecture, which uses 4nm processing nodes, whereas the Apple M2 uses still modern, though less complex, 5nm manufacturing process.
- Memory: The Apple M2 can only be configured with up to 24GB of LPDDR5 memory, much lower than the RAM available with the Ryzen, 256GB. This can be a bottlenecking factor for larger creative projects.
- Other Features: Depending on the laptop manufacturer, the 7840U can be equipped with user-serviceable and upgradeable RAM and storage, whereas the Apple M2 comes with all of its memory and storage soldered on.
The new and improved Apple Silicon processors have been making waves for their power efficiency and performance, making some consumers think that they are the best processors available on a laptop. To test if this is the case, in the Ryzen 7 7840U vs Apple M2 comparison, we will see how Apple’s baseline processor stacks up to one of AMD’s best Ryzen 7 processors.
Productivity Benchmarks
After delving into the distinct manufacturing approaches these processors employ, this segment of the Ryzen 7 7840U vs Apple M2 analysis will now shed light on the performance disparities exhibited by these chips in synthetic benchmark tests.
Note that the M2 processor will almost certainly have nearly the same performance as we show in the benchmarks. On the other hand, the numbers displayed will likely differ from those of the 7840U model because of varying cooling abilities and power restrictions among different laptops.
Cinebech R23
- In the first of our tests, we saw that the Ryzen 7 7840U was 15% ahead of the Apple M2 with a score of 1829 points vs the M2’s 1590 points in terms of single-core performance. This test theoretically tests both platforms very equally as it is equally well optimized for AMD and Apple Silicon processors.
- The multi-core test had the Ryzen blazing ahead of the M2, with a performance lead of a whopping 71%. Apple’s M2 had a respectable score of 8753 points, whereas AMD blew this processor out of the water with the Ryzen’s 14925 points.
Geekbench 5
- The single-core performance of both processors was more or less equivalent in our Geekbench 5 benchmark, with the 7840U achieving a score of 1933 points while the M2 was ever so slightly ahead with a score of 1938 points.
- The multi-core score of the Ryzen was once again ahead of the M2 by about 16%. The score of the Ryzen 7 tallied up to 10423 points, whereas the M2 had a score of around 9016 points.
Geekbench 6
- Breaking the trend of the gap narrowing between these two processors, Apple takes a win in the single-core portion of Geekbench 6, securing a 5% win with a performance of 2536 points, whereas the Ryzen 7 7840U had a score of 2446 points.
- The multi-core performance gave the Ryzen back its crown as it scored 10% higher than the M2 in our test. The Ryzen had a score of 10726 points, whereas the Apple M2 had a score of 9691 points outpaced.
FP32
- The Ryzen 7 7840U’s Radeon graphics had an 18% lead over M2’s 10-core graphics.
- The Ryzen 7 7840U had a performance of 4201 GFLOP in FP32, whereas the Apple M2 had a performance of only 3550 GFLOPS.
Apple M2 Vs Ryzen 7 7840U – Which One Should You Go For?
AMD Ryzen 7 7840U: According to our synthetic benchmark testing, the Ryzen is anywhere from 15-40% faster than the M2, depending on the optimization of the program on hand. This makes the Ryzen 7 7840U a better option for people who need power.
Apple M2: As a low-powered processor, we found that the Ryzen 7 7840U doesn’t match the integration of the M2, which comfortably enables a day or more of laptop battery life. Consequently, the Apple M2 emerges as the superior choice for those prioritizing extended battery life.
If you want a good, well-rounded user experience, go with the M2 processor. If your workflow includes more tinkering and you do some light gaming on the side, go for the Ryzen. If you tend to buy a MacBook with a usable amount of storage, it will come at a price premium, making the Ryzen a more price-appealing option.
Frequently Asked Questions
The M2-powered Macbook Air 13-inch with a terabyte of storage costs about $1500, which is around the price of an entry-level MacBook Pro.
The Ryzen 7 7840U has hyperthreading on all of its cores, whereas none of the Apple Silicon products utilizes hyperthreading in their core architecture.
As the M2 is focused on using as little energy as possible while competing with the Windows laptop market, it is fair to compare this processor with the ultra-low powered U series chips from Intel and AMD.
More From Apple M2:
More From Ryzen 7 7840U:
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[Comparisons Specialist]
I’m a passionate computer hardware expert specializing in CPUs and GPUs. With a lifelong curiosity for hardware and extensive hands-on experience, I provide valuable insights, practical advice, and in-depth analysis on these components. Engaging with the hardware community, I exchange knowledge and stay at the forefront of technological advancements.
Get In Touch: uzair@old.tech4gamers.com
