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AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945 vs Apple M1 Ultra: Comparison
AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945 vs Apple M1 Ultra total cores compared
Expect a near tie. The closest thing to a difference is total cores, AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945 12 against Apple M1 Ultra 20. There is a split on p-core base clock as well, 3.4 GHz on the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945 versus 2.064 GHz on the Apple M1 Ultra. Tdp is not the same on both, 65 W on the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945 versus 60 W on the Apple M1 Ultra. They differ on release year too, 2025 on the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945 versus 2022 on the Apple M1 Ultra. There is a split on microarchitecture as well, Zen 5 on the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945 versus Apple Silicon, First Generation on the Apple M1 Ultra.
Which should you buy, AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945 or Apple M1 Ultra?
The AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945 is the one to take for mainstream desktops and everyday productivity, though it is the wrong buy for competitive gaming rigs and heavy content creation. it is not built for anyone needing a portable chip, this is desktop-only silicon. It is equally the pick for Mac Studio buyers running the most demanding local video, 3D, or scientific computing workloads that can use 20 CPU cores. It is not the one for typical everyday or light creative use, where the cost premium over the M1 Max isn't justified. Our rating of the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945 (7.9/10): the AMD Ryzen PRO 9 9945 is a well-rounded mainstream desktop chip that covers everyday computing and light gaming without a premium price tag.
Frequently asked questions
Do the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945 and Apple M1 Ultra differ on performance cores?
Yes. Performance Cores reads 12 on the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945 versus 16 on the Apple M1 Ultra.
Is the Integrated Graphics the same on the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945 and Apple M1 Ultra?
It is. Both are listed at Yes, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Form Factor
- AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945
- Desktop
- Apple M1 Ultra
- Desktop
Release Year
- AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945
- 2025
- Apple M1 Ultra
- 2022
TDP
- AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945
- 65 W
- Apple M1 Ultra
- 60 W
Market Segment
- AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945
- Desktop
- Apple M1 Ultra
- Desktop
Microarchitecture
- AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945
- Zen 5 (9000 series)
- Apple M1 Ultra
- Apple Silicon, First Generation
Process Node
- AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945
- TSMC 4nm FinFET
- Apple M1 Ultra
- 5 nm
Total Cores
- AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945
- 12
- Apple M1 Ultra
- 20Best
Performance Cores
- AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945
- 12
- Apple M1 Ultra
- 16Best
Efficiency Cores
- AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945
- 0
- Apple M1 Ultra
- 4Best
Total Threads
- AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945
- 24Best
- Apple M1 Ultra
- 20
SMT Enabled
- AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945
- Yes
- Apple M1 Ultra
- No
P-Core Base Clock
- AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945
- 3.4 GHz
- Apple M1 Ultra
- 2.064 GHz
P-Core Boost Clock
- AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945
- 5.4 GHz
- Apple M1 Ultra
- 3.2 GHz
Base Power
- AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945
- 65 W
- Apple M1 Ultra
- 60 W
Integrated Graphics
- AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945
- Yes
- Apple M1 Ultra
- Yes
Which one should you pick?
Choose 9945 if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Choose M1 Ultra if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Verdict
AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945
7.9 / 10 Expert Rating
The AMD Ryzen PRO 9 9945 is a well-rounded mainstream desktop chip that covers everyday computing and light gaming without a premium price tag.