Is the M2 really faster than the M1?

[Misheemee]

So am I reading this correctly -

https://www.apple.com/macbook-air-m2/

Apple tested a M2 Air with 24GB Ram and 8 Core CPU and 10 Core GPU, against an M1 Air with 16GB of Ram, 8 Core CPU and 8 core GPU, and are claiming that the M2 is up to 1.4x faster than the M1?

Isn’t it technically about 33% more RAM and 2 additional GPU cores they’re testing the M2 over the M1 with?? Of course it would be faster with the added RAM and cores!!! So is the M2 really faster than the M1 in a like for like scenario? 🤔

 

[senttoschool]

Yes. It really is faster.

 

[Misheemee]

Yes. It really is faster.

they’re testing a M2 with 24GB Ram and 2 additional GPU cores against a M1 with 16GB Ram - of course the M2 is going to be faster, they’re using 33% more RAM. It’s misleading - they’re not testing like against like, and are claiming that the M2 air is up to 1.4x faster than the M1

 

[StudioMacs]

they’re testing a M2 with 24GB Ram and 2 additional GPU cores against a M1 with 16GB Ram - of course the M2 is going to be faster, they’re using 33% more RAM. It’s misleading - they’re not testing like against like, and are claiming that the M2 air is up to 1.4x faster than the M1

How do you suggest the RAM increased the speed?

If the test only uses 8GB of RAM, the additional ram is just overhead.

M1 was based on the A14 and M2 is based on the A15, and the A15 is faster.

 

[Misheemee]

How do you suggest the RAM increased the speed?

If the test only uses 8GB of RAM, the additional ram is just overhead.

The 2 additional cores would have come in handy using Final Cut Pro for a “complex 2 minute project” as mentioned in the footnote. Ram would play a part as well

 

[MayaUser]

only the gpu cores are increased...the cpu is by its own faster and we already know that from A14 vs A15
The gpu is around 35% faster thanks to the extra 2 more cores and the slightly better core

 

[Xiao_Xi]

Apple claims that the M2 is up to 18% faster than the M1 using undisclosed benchmarks.

1. Testing conducted by Apple in May 2022 using preproduction 13-inch MacBook Pro systems with Apple M2, 8-core CPU, 10-core GPU, and 16GB of RAM, and production 13-inch MacBook Pro systems with Apple M1, 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, and 16GB of RAM. Performance measured using select industry‑standard benchmarks. Performance tests are conducted using specific computer systems and reflect the approximate performance of MacBook Pro.

Let's wait for third party benchmarks for more meaningful results.

 

[Natrium]

My observations:

First, Apple's disclaimer for the "up to 35%" faster GPU performance: "Final Cut Pro 10.6.2 tested using a complex 2-minute project with 4K ProRes 422 media." (Apple Store M2 MacBook Air page, footnote 3). The performance increase is likely due to the M2's hardware ProRes encoder/decoder. This is a very specific task so we can't generalize it.

Second, the "up to 18%" faster CPU claim is hidden behind a "Go inside M2" button and apparently only applies to the M2 MacBook Pro: "Testing conducted by Apple in May 2022 using preproduction 13-inch MacBook Pro systems with Apple M2" (Apple Store M2 MacBook Air page, footnote 4). The Air is likely too thermally constrained due to its thin and fan-less design.

I can't find the claims related to the disclaimers in footnotes 5-9.

We will have to wait for reports and benchmarks by users to get a more accurate picture of the performance of the M2.

 

[MayaUser]

OP : I guess you are asking if the M2 with the same exact specs as the M1 is faster ?! If yes read next, if not, dont read
So lets take M2 binned with 8cpu cores and 8gpu cores with 8gb unified Ram vs M1 8cpu and 8 gpu cores with also 8gb unified Ram
Still faster around 18% in cpu raw power and also around 11-12% faster in gpu

 

[MayaUser]

Second, the "up to 18%" faster CPU claim is hidden behind a "Go inside M2" button and apparently only applies to the M2 MacBook Pro: "Testing conducted by Apple in May 2022 using preproduction 13-inch MacBook Pro systems with Apple M2" (Apple Store M2 MacBook Air page, footnote 4). The Air is likely too thermally constrained due to its thin and fan-less design.

The cpu from M2 air should work around the same as the M1 MBA since is the exact number of cores and are more "colder" cores(Avalanche+blizzard)
The question is around the gpu here...since they are 10cores now and also draw more power 16W vs 12W (M1 Air)

 

[Xiao_Xi]

Do the A14 and A15 SOC use the 1st generation 5nm?

How does the 2nd generation 5nm improve over the 1st generation 5nm?

 

[MayaUser]

"energy efficiency is improved by 18% on the peak performance states versus the A14. If we had been able to measure both SoCs at the same performance level, this efficiency advantage of the A15 would grow even larger."

 

[iHorseHead]

it could be faster, but I don't think it's worth upgrading just yet.

 

[MayaUser]

it could be faster, but I don't think it's worth upgrading just yet.

depends...if you come from binned M1 with 7gpu cores and you go straight to the 10 gpu cores because you need the extra graphics...i think the over 40% gpu increase can make a difference for some

 

[iHorseHead]

depends...if you come from binned M1 with 7gpu cores and you go straight to the 10 gpu cores because you need the extra graphics...i think the over 40% gpu increase can make a difference for some

I'd say it's worth upgrading if you are on Intel and wait till M3 and if you upgrade that often then you should always buy the base model.

 

[calstanford]

they’re testing a M2 with 24GB Ram and 2 additional GPU cores against a M1 with 16GB Ram - of course the M2 is going to be faster, they’re using 33% more RAM. It’s misleading - they’re not testing like against like, and are claiming that the M2 air is up to 1.4x faster than the M1

Amount of RAM doesn't make a CPU or GPU benchmark faster. It only matters once you fill the RAM and don't have to swap to SSD.

 

[iHorseHead]

Amount of RAM doesn't make a CPU or GPU benchmark faster. It only matters once you fill the RAM and don't have to swap to SSD.

There are too many people that think having more ram equals faster computer. It's not really the case. I know from my own personal experiences.

 

[MayaUser]

I'd say it's worth upgrading if you are on Intel and wait till M3 and if you upgrade that often then you should always buy the base model.

thats for sure...from intel to M2 it is a different world

 

[MayaUser]

Amount of RAM doesn't make a CPU or GPU benchmark faster. It only matters once you fill the RAM and don't have to swap to SSD.

in Maya big projects...the amount of Ram because its share with the gpu...makes the graphics faster for higher resolutions 3d modelling
So having more "vRam" in graphics limits have its advantages

 

[Slartibart]

So am I reading this correctly […]

[…]a M2 Air with 24GB Ram [….] against an M1 Air with 16GB of Ram, 8 Core CPU and 8 core GPU […]

Isn’t it technically about 33% more RAM […] they’re testing the M2 over the M1 with??

Just because it annoys me professionally: No, you do not read it correctly. 24 is 50% more RAM than 16. 🤓

 

[MayaUser]

Just because it annoys me professionally: 24 is 50% more RAM compared to 16.

no no no its 33.333333%
i think he made how much is 8 compared to the 24 and not to 16

 

[Ifti]

M2 is a higher number the M1, so that must mean its faster, right??
lol

Sounds silly - but a lot of non-technical people will purchase thinking just that!

 

[Kaikidan]

How much faster is memory bandwith on the M2, 50gb/s vs 100gb/s now? this can impact performance significantly in some situations specially on the GPU side as it shares memory. I'll wait for an Mini M2 to see if it will come with full M2 8cpu/10gpu like M1 8cpu/8gpu, and check benchmarks to see if it's worth the upgrade for a long term computer, or if It's better to just wait for the M3 in arm v9

 

[anakin44011]

The point I haven't come across yet is the poor "optics" of the situation...

18% increase over two years?

Yes, I know about A14 v A15 (or A16), and the number of cores, and the chip shortage, etc -- I'm just talking about the optics of the presentation. It "appears" that Apple has only been able eke out a 9% improvement YoY in actual core speed of their Apple Silicon.

Intel would be ridiculed for this type of announcement. And both sides would be partially right.

Again, I know that it will improve with A16 or A17 (whichever the M3 is based on), even more cores, etc. It just looks bad given the timing and the compromises they had to make to get the M2 launched along with their hardware schedule.

That said, I have a MacBook Pro and Mac Studio, both with M1 Max, and I'm really, really impressed with them. I have to do insane things to them in order to hear the fans come on.

 

[StudioMacs]

The 2 additional cores would have come in handy using Final Cut Pro for a “complex 2 minute project” as mentioned in the footnote. Ram would play a part as well

The M1 and M2 are systems on a chip, so all the improvements being mentioned are part of why the M2 is faster than the M1.

Most of the discussion in this thread is using outdated concepts, as if the M2 is separate from the RAM. The M2 has faster RAM than the M1, and that's part of the architecture that makes it what it is.