Blender 2.79 isn't native it's running through Rosetta. Blender 3.1 and up are a better indicator of the SOC performance. Several reviews have placed the M3 max around the i9 13980HX of the 18" alienware M18 in blender. That laptop got a 198wPL2 and143w PL1. So similar performance at 92w for the M3 max, vs beyond 200w for the 7845HX and 13980HX.The TDP of a SOC cannot be attributed solely to the CPU. The boost and TDP configurations of x86 CPUs in laptops differ based on the implementation of each model/brand etc. For instance, the same chip can be configured for power consumption ranging from 20-30 watts in handheld devices utilizing the Z1/7840u, while laptops can push this boundary significantly, reaching levels close to 100 watts in PL2.
Apple's chips leverage a 256-bit bus, providing substantially greater bandwidth compared to today's x86 chips. It's the same as comparing oranges to apples. Therefore, let's shift the comparison to the CPU itself and choose a benchmark that reflects real-world scenarios.
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Some people mistakenly believe that ARM is inherently more efficient than x86, often preaching about it as if it were a revolutionary concept and advocating for the immediate demise of x86. "x86's days are numbered"
However, the more grounded individuals understand the complexities involved and are skeptical: https://chipsandcheese.com/2024/03/27/why-x86-doesnt-need-to-die/
I must say, Choosing the M3 max was weird since it's a 3nm chip. So let's see how the M2 max compare to the 7840HS...M2 max = 72w vs Ryzen 7 = 103w. Apple arch is more efficient. At equivalent nodes, it's not a massive difference, but they still have an edge on that aspect. I don't necessarily attribute that to the fact that it's ARM, but that Apple was absolutely focused on making an efficient arch for their laptops. The fact that there's no performance hit when you are unplugged is telling.
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