More M2 Max benchmarks leak, show better performance
A second set of purported M2 Max Geekbench results have been seen online, and with a faster processor speed, they've gained significantly on a previous leak.
When the first M2 Max benchmarks were spotted on Geekbench in November, they failed to show much of an improvement over its predecessor, the M1 Max. However, a new Geekbench entry now shows quite a substantial difference.
Those previous M2 Max figures showed a single-core score of 1853, and a multi-core score of 13855. The new figures are single-core 2027, and multi-core 14888.
In both cases, the benchmarks identify the device as Mac14,6. References to that model were first spotted in July 2022, but it's still unclear whether it refers to a new Mac Studio, or a MacBook Pro.
It's also possible that the figures are fabricated, but if they are accurate then they also show what is responsible for difference between November's leak and this one. The previous data said that the Mac had one 12-core processor running at 3.54 GHz, while the new has the same number of cores but is clocked at 3.68 GHz.
Unsurprisingly, if there is to be an M2 version of the Mac Studio, it now isn't expected until 2023. There were persistent rumors that there would be an M2 MacBook Pro in November 2022, but Tim Cook's own comments suggested this, too, will now be next year.
Read on AppleInsider
When the first M2 Max benchmarks were spotted on Geekbench in November, they failed to show much of an improvement over its predecessor, the M1 Max. However, a new Geekbench entry now shows quite a substantial difference.
Those previous M2 Max figures showed a single-core score of 1853, and a multi-core score of 13855. The new figures are single-core 2027, and multi-core 14888.
In both cases, the benchmarks identify the device as Mac14,6. References to that model were first spotted in July 2022, but it's still unclear whether it refers to a new Mac Studio, or a MacBook Pro.
It's also possible that the figures are fabricated, but if they are accurate then they also show what is responsible for difference between November's leak and this one. The previous data said that the Mac had one 12-core processor running at 3.54 GHz, while the new has the same number of cores but is clocked at 3.68 GHz.
Unsurprisingly, if there is to be an M2 version of the Mac Studio, it now isn't expected until 2023. There were persistent rumors that there would be an M2 MacBook Pro in November 2022, but Tim Cook's own comments suggested this, too, will now be next year.
Read on AppleInsider
Comments
The 14,6 numbering frankly doesn't make a lot of sense. MacPro's have "MacPro" in their model ID, iMacs have "iMac," &c. and the Studio's is "mac13,1." I figure it's a smokescreen.
The 6 is indeed confusing unless you believe Apple will have at least 6 basic M2 based Studio configurations. Danox has an interesting suggestion - might Apple merge the Studio and Pro lines?
https://www.macrumors.com/2022/03/08/apple-silicon-mac-pro-coming/
The Studio is only 215W:
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213100
The Mac Pro can quadruple this (80TFLOPs):
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201796
but if they use 3nm, they can nearly double the current Studio performance so a 2x Ultra would be enough for a Mac Pro around 500W. Two Studios on top of each other make a 7.7" Cube. A ~60-80TFLOPs Cube under $10k would be a nice computer for higher end work.
I'm expecting the Mac Pro to be a dual Ultra, either in a mini-tower or Cube form factor. It may retain some PCIe connectivity but doesn't need the large GPU slots. RAM soldered up to 256GB-384GB.
Apple is past its two year transition timeline but given that it's only the Mac Pro left, they could launch that at WWDC 2023. Maybe they'll have a special event earlier in the year. Given that it's a new design, it's not likely they'd just launch it without an event.
I hope M2 Pro and Max bring a much needed improvement including hardware raytracing, something that’s increasingly being utilized and Apple already prepared for with Metal.
Despite Apple's claims, M1 Ultra GPU is not as powerful as RTX 3090
Could this explain the lack of a mac pro release...? Hopefully not...
I am reminded of the admission that the 2013 pro gpu design ended up being described as a 'thermal corner'...
... and if I recall correctly dual gpu support seemed only for Apple apps such as FCP vs systemic ...
Any increase in Hz now is going to cost them a quadratic to cubic exponential increase in Watts over what they baselined when mass production started, if the chips can actually be clocked higher.