CPU Comparison
Apple M2 vs Intel Core Ultra 7 355
A side-by-side comparison of specs, performance and value. The Apple M2 is a second‑generation 5 nm ARM‑based system‑on‑chip for Macs, with an 8‑core CPU, up to a 10‑core GPU, 16‑core Neural Engine, and 100 GB/s unified memory bandwidth, designed for thin‑and‑light laptops and compact desktops.
The Bottom Line
Overview & Launch
Specifications Compared
Performance Compared
Productivity
Very strong single‑thread and good multi‑thread performance for everyday apps and light creator workloads.
Smooth multitasking with many browser tabs, office applications, and light creative applications. The hybrid core design handles mixed workloads well.
Gaming
Solid for 1080p and many 1440p titles at medium–high settings; not intended for high‑refresh 4K gaming or heavy ray tracing.
Capable of running e-sports titles and older games at 1080p medium settings, but modern AAA titles will require significant compromises or an external GPU.
Virtualization
Capable of light VM/container use, but limited to 8 threads and not aimed at heavy server workloads.
Adequate for running a couple of light VMs or containers for development, but not suited for heavy virtualization workloads.
Efficiency
Outstanding performance per watt; typically around 20 W CPU package power under multi‑threaded load, far below comparable x86 ultrabook chips.
Excellent performance per watt, a hallmark of the 2nm process and Panther Lake architecture, enabling long battery life in thin designs.
Specialized Performance
AI / ML
- 16‑core Neural Engine at 15.8 TOPS
- Good for on‑device inference and Core ML workloads
- No large‑scale training focus; more for consumer features than datacenter AI
- Dedicated 50 TOPS NPU for efficient AI inference
- Accelerates Windows Studio Effects (background blur, eye contact)
- Supports local AI assistant and small model execution
- Not designed for training large AI models
Content Creation
Gaming
- Integrated 8–10 core GPU with up to 3.6 TFLOPS FP32
- Good for 1080p and some 1440p gaming at medium–high settings
- Limited by unified memory bandwidth and 8 CPU threads for CPU‑heavy titles
- Best experienced in macOS; Windows via virtualization or translation has overhead
- Dependent on integrated Xe3 Graphics (512 shading units)
- Suitable for e-sports (CS2, Valorant) and casual titles at 1080p
- Not intended for high-refresh-rate AAA gaming
- Ray tracing is not supported
Industry Impact
Best CPU by Use Case
Target Audience
Strengths & Weaknesses
Pros
- Very strong single‑core performance for an ultrabook‑class chip
- Integrated 8–10 core GPU with up to 3.6 TFLOPS and hardware ProRes acceleration
- Unified memory architecture with 100 GB/s bandwidth simplifies development and avoids CPU–GPU copies
- 16‑core Neural Engine accelerates on‑device ML workloads
- Fanless designs in MacBook Air and very quiet operation under typical loads
Cons
- Not sold as a standalone CPU; only available inside Macs
- No user‑upgradable RAM or PCIe slots; I/O limited to what Apple provides
- Only 8 CPU threads; heavy multi‑threaded workloads are limited compared to higher‑core M2 Pro/Max or x86 chips
- CPU efficiency is slightly worse than M1 at maximum performance due to higher clocks and power
- Gaming performance is constrained by 8 threads and integrated GPU; not a gaming‑focused SoC
Pros
- Excellent performance per watt from 2nm process
- Strong integrated Xe3 graphics for an iGPU
- Dedicated NPU accelerates AI tasks efficiently
- Good single-core and multi-threaded responsiveness for everyday use
- Supports fast LPDDR5X memory for high bandwidth
- Configurable TDP suits various laptop designs
Cons
- Not intended for CPU-intensive gaming or heavy workloads
- Only 8 threads limit extreme multi-tasking capability
- Locked multiplier prevents enthusiast overclocking
- Soldered BGA socket means no CPU upgrades
- Limited PCIe lanes compared to desktop platforms
Competitors & Alternatives
Apple M2
- AMD Ryzen 7 6800URival
Ultrabook
- Intel Core i7‑1260PRival
Ultrabook
- Intel Core i7‑1355URival
Ultrabook
- AMD Ryzen 7 7730URival
Ultrabook
- Compare head-to-headApple M1Rival
Ultrabook
- Alt
More CPU/GPU cores and higher memory bandwidth for heavier creator workloads.
Compare head-to-head - AMD Ryzen 7 7840UAlt
Stronger multi‑threaded performance and better x86 Windows compatibility in ultrabook form factors.
- Intel Core Ultra 7 155HAlt
Good balance of CPU and integrated GPU performance for Windows ultrabooks with NPU‑accelerated AI features.
- Alt
Newer architecture with higher performance and better efficiency if you are buying a new Mac in 2024+.
Compare head-to-head
Intel Core Ultra 7 355
- AMD Ryzen AI 7 350Rival
Thin & Light Laptop
- Apple M5 (10-Core)Rival
Premium Laptop
- Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 EliteRival
Always-Connected PC
- Compare head-to-headIntel Core Ultra 7 365Rival
Thin & Light Laptop
- Intel Core Ultra 7 255HRival
Thin & Light Laptop (Previous Gen)
- Intel Core Ultra 7 355HAlt
Higher-wattage 'H' variant with better sustained multi-core performance for creator laptops.
- Intel Core Ultra 5 325HAlt
Lower-cost option with similar architecture but fewer cores, suitable for less demanding tasks.
Our Verdict on Each
A very efficient, well‑balanced SoC that makes more sense inside a Mac than as a standalone chip; strong single‑core performance, capable integrated graphics, and excellent efficiency, but not a workstation‑class part.
Best for: You are buying a new or refurbished Mac laptop or desktop and want a significant step up from Intel‑based Macs or older M1 models, especially for single‑threaded tasks and GPU‑accelerated apps.
Read the full reviewA capable and efficient mobile processor with a strong feature set for its segment, including integrated Xe3 graphics and an NPU. Its 8-core design offers good multi-threaded responsiveness, though it's not intended for high-end gaming or extreme workstation loads.
Best for: Purchasing a premium thin-and-light laptop (e.g., Dell XPS 14, ASUS Zenbook) where you need strong everyday performance, light creator capability, and excellent battery life in a portable form factor.
Read the full reviewFrequently Asked Questions
Which is better, Apple M2 or Intel Core Ultra 7 355?
Based on our editorial ratings, the Apple M2 comes out ahead with a score of 8.8/10. That said, the best choice depends on your workload — check the spec and performance breakdown above for gaming, productivity and efficiency differences.
Which is faster for gaming, Apple M2 or Intel Core Ultra 7 355?
For gaming, the Apple M2 leads with a gaming performance score of 78/100 among Apple M2 and Intel Core Ultra 7 355.
Do Apple M2 and Intel Core Ultra 7 355 use the same socket?
No. They use different sockets (Apple M2: On‑Package (BGA), Intel Core Ultra 7 355: FCBGA2540), so each needs a compatible motherboard.
Which is faster in multi-core benchmarks?
The Apple M2 posts the highest multi-core benchmark score. Multi-core results: Apple M2 (9,800), Intel Core Ultra 7 355 (636). Benchmark figures are approximate and workload-dependent.