Core i9 13980HX vs Apple M2 Max – We Declared One Better

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Uzair Qureshi

At Tech4Gamers, I proudly wear the title of Comparisons Specialist. Focused on CPUs and GPUs, I bring forth a wealth of hands-on experience and a keen eye for detail to provide our audience with the latest insights and analyses.

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Pros And Cons

Core i9 13980HX vs Apple M2 Max – Comparison Table

Architectural Differences

• Core and Threads: The M2 Max maintains an ideal core-to-thread ratio with 24 cores and 12 threads, enabling effective processing resource utilization and seamless multitasking. However, the 12 threads and 32 cores of the Core i9 13980HX offer a benefit for heavily threaded tasks, offering improved performance in distributed programs.
• Clock Speed: A strong foundation for dependable and smooth performance is provided by the Core i9 13980HX’s basic clock speed of 2.2GHz. However, its amazing boost clock speed of 5.6GHz is where its true strength resides.
  In contrast, the M2 Max has a faster base clock speed of 2.4GHz and a boost clock of up to 3.7GHz. This indicates that, as compared to the Core i9 13980HX, it works at a faster base speed.
• TDP: Users may regulate power consumption depending on their unique demands with the customizable TDP of 55W offered by the Intel Core i9 13980HX, maximizing performance and energy savings. The Apple M2 Max, on the other hand, has a set TDP of 79W and focuses on power efficiency while providing an equitable performance-to-power ratio.
• Supported Technologies: Apple’s exclusive Apple Silicon architecture, which is meant to be highly effective and power-friendly, forms the foundation of the M2 Max. Contrarily, a larger range of technologies, including Intel Thread Director and Turbo Boost Max 3.0, are supported by the Core i9 13980HX.

Apple and Intel are well-known manufacturers of top-of-the-line processors that deliver outstanding performance in the world of computers. The i9 13980HX vs M2 Max, Intel, and Apple’s top-of-the-line chip, are the most recent products from each manufacturer, both aimed towards professionals who want exceptional performance.

We will examine each processor’s characteristics in-depth and evaluate how they compare to one another in our extensive comparison of the Core i9 13980HX and Apple M2 Max.

Benchmark Tests

This section of the M2 Max vs Core i9 13980HX comparison will concentrate on the increase in real-world performance on both CPUs now that we’ve understood much of what differentiates the two chips.

Laptops Used:

• Titan GT77HX 13VI-042US 17.3″ UHD Gaming Laptop (Core i9 13980HX)
• M2 Max 16″ MacBook Pro (Apple M2 Max)

Geekbench 5 Single-Core Score

• In our Geekbench Single-core benchmarks, the Apple M2 Max scored an impressive 2,067 points.
• With a score of around 2,081 points, the Core i9 13980HX demonstrated a minor increase of 0.675%. This improvement in efficiency is due to the Core i9 13980HX’s faster clock rates.

Geekbench 5 Multi-Core Score

• The Apple M2 Max scored somewhere around 15,359 points for multi-core performance.
• We were shocked to see that the Core i9 13980HX exceeded the 20,000-point threshold in Geekbench 5, scoring 21,006 points, showcasing a notable increase of 31.05%.

Geekbench 5 Metal GPU Score

• The M2 Max delivers impressive visual fidelity and smoothness in our graphically demanding applications with a score of 86,092.
• The Core i9 13980HX surpasses its rival with a remarkable score of 254,831, setting a new benchmark for GPU performance.

Speedometer 2.0 Web Browsing

• The M2 Max is impressive for finishing 434 runs in our Speedometer 2.0 test. It provides a seamless and non-stop online viewing experience, providing effective page navigation.
• Speedometer 2.0 test shows off the Core i9 13980HX’s capabilities in online browsing productivity with 369 runs. We saw that it also offers users quick page loads and optimized web interactivity.

Figma 500 Designs Webpage Export

• The M2 Max proves its effectiveness by successfully exporting 500 high-resolution webpages from Figma in just 1 minute and 35 seconds. It guarantees an efficient and effective design process.
• The Core i9 13980HX’s export time, which was 1 minute and 31 seconds quicker, demonstrates its high-performance potential. It excels at managing difficult design projects and enables users to export a sizable number of high-resolution websites easily.

Cinebench R23 Points Per Watt

• The M2 Max’s outstanding score of 400 points per watt demonstrates its capacity to utilize power resources to the fullest extent possible in our Cinebench test. High-performance computing is made possible for professionals without sacrificing power efficiency.
• Even while the Core i9 13980HX scored somewhat lower (205 points per watt), it still exhibits a significant amount of performance potential. It serves customers who value striking a balance between raw processing capability and power efficiency.

3DMark Wild Life Extreme Unlimited

• The M2 Max attained a performance of 150.7 FPS during the graphics-intensive test we carried out, which placed the CPU’s visuals module to the test.
• A fantastic performance from, the Core i9 13980HX outperformed the M2 Max by a large margin of 53.04%. It managed to execute at 259.5 FPS, demonstrating a significant increase in graphics capacity.

Blender Rendering – BMW

• The depiction of the BMW project was finished by our M2 Max in around 21.8 seconds.
• However, when we loaded the identical project on the Core i9 13980HX, the rendering speed significantly increased. Just 5.4 seconds after pressing the render button, the render was complete.

Blender Rendering – PartyTug

• Users are able to swiftly accomplish rendering jobs due to the M2 Max’s 1-minute and 4-second rendering time, which guarantees a productive workflow.
• The Core i9 13980HX’s outstanding 13-second rendering speed highlights its unmatched efficiency and unbridled computing power. It enables experts to tackle even the most difficult rendering assignments quickly and effectively.

Lightroom Classic 499x Photo Export

• The M2 Max produced the Lightroom project with a photo export resolution of 499x in around 3 minutes and 58 seconds.
• Nevertheless, when we exported the identical image using the Core i9 13980HX, we saw a significant reduction in export time. With a noteworthy increase of 31.63%, the export was finished in just 2 minutes and 53 seconds.

 Resolve 18 5min 4K HEVC Export

• The 4K HEVC export is finished by the M2 Max in under 45 seconds, showcasing its effectiveness. It simplifies the post-production procedure, saving experts important time.
• While exporting in HEVC, the Core i9 13980HX preserves the quality of the 4K film despite having a slightly longer export duration of 59 seconds. It guarantees the transmission of high-quality, compressed videos fit for usage by professionals.

Core i9 13980HX vs Apple M2 Max – Which One Should You Choose?

The Apple M2 Max and the Intel Core i9 13980HX are both high-performance CPUs, and they are designed for various types of devices.

Intel Core i9 13980HX: The Intel Core i9 13980HX supports 128GB memory via 2 channels. The processor also ensures efficient processing, especially for single-core tasks. We also discovered that with an unlocked multiplier, users can adjust clock speed for optimal performance.

Apple M2 Max: Designed for desktops, the Apple M2 Max features improved power efficiency in our benchmarks. It excels in multi-core performance. Supporting up to 192GB of memory via 8 channels, it enables smooth multitasking and faster data movement between CPU and memory.

We recommend the Intel Core i9 13980HX as it has a powerful impact on the benchmarks we tested in this comparison. Moreover, this processor is also overclockable which further increases the impact of the Core i9 13980HX.

More From Core i9 13980HX:

• Ryzen 9 7945HX Vs Core i9 13980HX
• Core i9 13980HX Vs Core i9 13900H
• Core i9 13900H Vs Ryzen 9 7940HS

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• Core i9 13900K Vs Apple M2 Max
• Apple M2 Max vs Apple M1 Max
• Apple M2 Ultra Vs Apple M2 Max

Uzair Qureshi

[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@tech4gamers.com