Apple A15 Bionic vs Apple M1 Max (32-GPU). Specifications, performance, tests

Comprehensive background on the processors being compared, detailing their series, generation, and targeted market segment.

• Segment
  Mobile Mobile
• Family
  Apple A series Apple M series
• Generation
  15 1
• CPU group
  Apple A15 Apple M1
• Predecessor
  Apple A14 Bionic --

Essential parameters including the number of cores, threads, base and turbo frequencies, and cache size. These metrics provide insight into the processor’s speed—higher values generally indicate better performance.

• Frequency
  3.23 GHz 3.20 GHz
• Turbo (1 Core)
  No turbo No turbo
• Hyperthreading
  No No
• Overclocking
  No No
• Core architecture
  hybrid (big.LITTLE) hybrid (big.LITTLE)

The integrated graphics (iGPU) do not influence the CPU performance significantly; they serve as a substitute for a dedicated graphics card in the absence of one or are utilized in mobile devices.

• GPU name
  Apple A15 (5 GPU Cores) Apple M1 Max (32 Core)
• GPU frequency
  1.80 GHz 1.30 GHz
• GPU (Turbo)
  3.20 GHz No turbo
• Execution units
  5 512
• Shader
  0 4096
• Max. GPU Memory
  8 GB 32 GB
• Max. displays
  3 3
• Generation
  12 1
• Technology
  5 nm 5 nm
• Release date
  Q3/2021 Q3/2021

This section details the built-in codecs used for encoding and decoding media content, which significantly enhance processing speed and efficiency.

• h265 / HEVC (8 bit)
  Decode / Encode Decode / Encode
• h265 / HEVC (10 bit)
  Decode / Encode Decode / Encode
• h264
  Decode / Encode Decode / Encode
• VP9
  Decode / Encode Decode / Encode
• VP8
  Decode / Encode Decode
• AV1
  Decode No
• AVC
  Decode Decode
• VC-1
  Decode Decode
• JPEG
  Decode / Encode Decode / Encode

Overview of the types and quantities of RAM supported by Apple M1 Max (32-GPU) and Apple A15 Bionic. The supported memory frequencies may vary depending on the motherboard configuration.

• Memory type
  LPDDR4X-4266 LPDDR5-6400
• Max. Memory
  8 GB 64 GB
• ECC
  No No
• Memory channels
  2 4

Analyze the TDP (Thermal Design Power) requirements of Apple A15 Bionic and Apple M1 Max (32-GPU) to make an informed decision on the appropriate cooling system. Remember that TDP refers to thermal watts, not electrical watts.

• TDP (PL1)
  8.5 W 30 W
• TDP up
  -- 60 W

Information on architecture, interfaces, and additional instructions supported by Apple A15 Bionic and Apple M1 Max (32-GPU), including virtual machine technologies and fabrication processes.

• Instruction set (ISA)
  x86-64 (64 bit) ARMv8-A64 (64 bit)
• Virtualization
  None None
• ISA extensions
  Rosetta 2 x86-Emulation
• L2-Cache
  4.00 MB 28.00 MB
• Architecture
  A15 M1
• Technology
  5 nm 5 nm
• Socket
  N/A N/A
• Release date
  Q3/2021 Q3/2021
• Part Number
  -- APL 1104