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AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945 vs Apple M2 Ultra: Comparison

What is the difference between AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945 and Apple M2 Ultra?

These two are close on paper, and total cores is the only measure that separates them at all: AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945 12 against Apple M2 Ultra 24. They differ on release year too, 2025 on the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945 versus 2023 on the Apple M2 Ultra. Microarchitecture is not the same on both, Zen 5 on the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945 versus Apple Silicon, Second Generation on the Apple M2 Ultra. There is a split on smt enabled as well, Yes on the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945 versus No on the Apple M2 Ultra.

AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945 vs Apple M2 Ultra: which one fits your build

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 the pick for anyone needing a portable chip, this is desktop-only silicon. It also earns its place with Mac Studio or Mac Pro buyers running the most demanding local video, 3D, or scientific computing workloads that can use 24 CPU cores. Avoid it for buyers wanting Mac Pro-style PCIe GPU or storage expansion, Apple Silicon Mac Pros have no discrete GPU option. 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.

What AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945 and Apple M2 Ultra have in common

The common ground is wider than the gap: total threads, integrated graphics, form factor and market segment are identical here.

Frequently asked questions

Do the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945 and Apple M2 Ultra differ on performance cores?

Yes. Performance Cores reads 12 on the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945 versus 16 on the Apple M2 Ultra.

Specs and benchmarks

  • Form Factor

    AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945
    Desktop
    Apple M2 Ultra
    Desktop
  • Release Year

    AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945
    2025
    Apple M2 Ultra
    2023
  • TDP

    AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945
    65 W
    Apple M2 Ultra
    60 W
  • Market Segment

    AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945
    Desktop
    Apple M2 Ultra
    Desktop
  • Microarchitecture

    AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945
    Zen 5 (9000 series)
    Apple M2 Ultra
    Apple Silicon, Second Generation
  • Process Node

    AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945
    TSMC 4nm FinFET
    Apple M2 Ultra
    5 nm
  • Total Cores

    AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945
    12
    Apple M2 Ultra
    24Best
  • Performance Cores

    AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945
    12
    Apple M2 Ultra
    16Best
  • Efficiency Cores

    AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945
    0
    Apple M2 Ultra
    8Best
  • Total Threads

    AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945
    24
    Apple M2 Ultra
    24
  • SMT Enabled

    AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945
    Yes
    Apple M2 Ultra
    No
  • P-Core Base Clock

    AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945
    3.4 GHz
    Apple M2 Ultra
    2.42 GHz
  • P-Core Boost Clock

    AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945
    5.4 GHz
    Apple M2 Ultra
    3.49 GHz
  • Base Power

    AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945
    65 W
    Apple M2 Ultra
    60 W
  • Memory Type

    AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945
    DDR5
    Apple M2 Ultra
    LPDDR5X
  • Integrated Graphics

    AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945
    Yes
    Apple M2 Ultra
    Yes

    Which one should you pick?

    Choose 9945 if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.

    Choose M2 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.