EPYC 4244P vs M2 Max

CPU

GPU

EPYC 4244P

6 Cores12 Thrd65 WWMax: 5.1 GHz2024

Popular choices:

•••••••••

M2 Max

12 Cores12 Thrd36 WWMax: 3.7 GHz2023

Popular choices:

•••••••••

Performance Spectrum - CPU

EPYC 4244P

6 / 12

27,164

+1.3%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

M2 Max

12 / 12

26,824

0.0%

About PassMark

PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

EPYC 4244P

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +13.5% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 6 cores / 12 threads, plus 28 PCIe lanes vs 0.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (32 MB vs 48 MB).
❌80.6% higher power demand at 65W vs 36W.

M2 Max

2023

Why buy it

✅+50% larger total L3 cache (48 MB vs 32 MB).
✅Draws 36W instead of 65W, a 29W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 4244P across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (26,824 vs 27,164).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 4244P, which brings 6 cores / 12 threads and 28 PCIe lanes.

EPYC 4244P

2024

M2 Max

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +13.5% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 6 cores / 12 threads, plus 28 PCIe lanes vs 0.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅+50% larger total L3 cache (48 MB vs 32 MB).
✅Draws 36W instead of 65W, a 29W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (32 MB vs 48 MB).
❌80.6% higher power demand at 65W vs 36W.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 4244P across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (26,824 vs 27,164).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 4244P, which brings 6 cores / 12 threads and 28 PCIe lanes.

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 4244P better than M2 Max?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. EPYC 4244P makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while M2 Max is the better mainstream desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and day-to-day practicality.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, EPYC 4244P is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 13.5% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 4244P is the better fit. You are getting 1.3% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

EPYC 4244P still looks like the safer overall buy. EPYC 4244P is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 13.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

EPYC 4244P is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2023), more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 12/12, and AVX-512 support for heavier modern compute workloads. That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

Games Benchmarks

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

EPYC 4244P Benchmark Check

M2 Max Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	EPYC 4244P	M2 Max
1080p
low	246 FPS	189 FPS
medium	228 FPS	152 FPS
high	197 FPS	124 FPS
ultra	171 FPS	98 FPS
1440p
low	217 FPS	155 FPS
medium	182 FPS	121 FPS
high	151 FPS	94 FPS
ultra	133 FPS	76 FPS
4K
low	151 FPS	71 FPS
medium	127 FPS	59 FPS
high	99 FPS	46 FPS
ultra	85 FPS	38 FPS

Open EPYC 4244P Open M2 Max

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	EPYC 4244P	M2 Max
1080p
low	525 FPS	505 FPS
medium	441 FPS	437 FPS
high	370 FPS	342 FPS
ultra	332 FPS	279 FPS
1440p
low	451 FPS	429 FPS
medium	392 FPS	379 FPS
high	333 FPS	306 FPS
ultra	288 FPS	240 FPS
4K
low	283 FPS	266 FPS
medium	251 FPS	239 FPS
high	234 FPS	210 FPS
ultra	203 FPS	173 FPS

Open EPYC 4244P Open M2 Max

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	EPYC 4244P	M2 Max
1080p
low	679 FPS	671 FPS
medium	679 FPS	670 FPS
high	679 FPS	625 FPS
ultra	679 FPS	552 FPS
1440p
low	679 FPS	605 FPS
medium	679 FPS	483 FPS
high	679 FPS	444 FPS
ultra	621 FPS	388 FPS
4K
low	539 FPS	423 FPS
medium	471 FPS	329 FPS
high	411 FPS	292 FPS
ultra	341 FPS	234 FPS

Open EPYC 4244P Open M2 Max

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	EPYC 4244P	M2 Max
1080p
low	679 FPS	671 FPS
medium	679 FPS	671 FPS
high	679 FPS	671 FPS
ultra	679 FPS	668 FPS
1440p
low	679 FPS	671 FPS
medium	679 FPS	663 FPS
high	679 FPS	569 FPS
ultra	645 FPS	489 FPS
4K
low	675 FPS	545 FPS
medium	594 FPS	486 FPS
high	526 FPS	427 FPS
ultra	437 FPS	368 FPS

Open EPYC 4244P Open M2 Max

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of EPYC 4244P and M2 Max

EPYC 4244P

The EPYC 4244P is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 21 May 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Raphael (2023−2025) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.8 GHz, with boost up to 5.1 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: AM5. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 27,164 points. Launch price was $229.

M2 Max

The M2 Max is manufactured by Apple. It was released in 17 January 2023 (2 years ago). It features 12 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.424 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 48 MB. L2 cache: 36 MB. Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: none. Thermal design power (TDP): 36 MB + 48 MB. Memory support: LPDDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 26,824 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The EPYC 4244P packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the M2 Max offers 12 cores / 12 threads — the M2 Max has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.1 GHz on the EPYC 4244P versus 3.7 GHz on the M2 Max — a 31.8% clock advantage for the EPYC 4244P (base: 3.8 GHz vs 2.424 GHz). The EPYC 4244P is built on the Raphael (2023−2025) architecture. In PassMark, the EPYC 4244P scores 27,164 against the M2 Max's 26,824 — a 1.3% lead for the EPYC 4244P. L3 cache: 32 MB (total) on the EPYC 4244P vs 48 MB on the M2 Max.

Feature	EPYC 4244P	M2 Max
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	12 / 12+100%
Boost Clock	5.1 GHz+38%	3.7 GHz
Base Clock	3.8 GHz+57%	2.424 GHz
L3 Cache	32 MB (total)	48 MB+50%
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)	36 MB+3500%
Process	5 nm	5 nm
Architecture	Raphael (2023−2025)	—
PassMark	27,164+1%	26,824
Cinebench R23 Multi	11,244	—
Geekbench 6 Single	2,602	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	11,244	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The EPYC 4244P uses the AM5 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the M2 Max uses none (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-5200 memory speed. The EPYC 4244P supports up to 192 GB of RAM compared to 96 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (EPYC 4244P) vs 4 (M2 Max). PCIe lanes: 28 (EPYC 4244P) vs 0 (M2 Max) — the EPYC 4244P offers 28 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	EPYC 4244P	M2 Max
Socket	AM5	none
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-5200	LPDDR5-6400
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB+100%	96 GB
RAM Channels	2	4+100%
ECC Support	Yes	No
PCIe Lanes	28	0

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Only the EPYC 4244P supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: AMD-V, AMD-Vi (EPYC 4244P) vs Virtualization (M2 Max). Both include integrated graphics — Radeon Graphics (EPYC 4244P) and Apple M2 Max GPU (M2 Max) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: EPYC 4244P targets Entry Server, M2 Max targets Mobile. Direct competitor: EPYC 4244P rivals Xeon E-2436.

Feature	EPYC 4244P	M2 Max
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	Radeon Graphics	Apple M2 Max GPU
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	Yes	No
Virtualization	AMD-V, AMD-Vi	Virtualization
Target Use	Entry Server	Mobile