Apple M2 Pro 12 Core 3480 MHz — Benchmarks & Specs
Bottom line: how fast is the Apple M2 Pro 12 Core 3480 MHz?
At 1440p (High), the Apple M2 Pro 12 Core 3480 MHz averages 60 fps in Cyberpunk 2077, per MacGamingDB. For local LLM inference it generates 37.9 tokens/sec running llama:7b at q4_0 under llama.cpp, per llama.cpp GitHub Discussion #4167. In PassMark CPU Mark it scores 26,689 points, per PassMark Software.
Every figure above is a row in the tables below, and each row links out to the review or public benchmark database the number was taken from. SpecPicks aggregates published measurements; it does not report first-party benchmark runs.
The Apple M2 Pro 12 Core 3480 MHz is a processor from Apple. Data on this page draws on 10 synthetic benchmark results, 9 community AI inference reports, 1 measured game frame-rate result, aggregated from public benchmark databases (TechPowerUp, PassMark, Geekbench, Cinebench) and the LocalLLaMA community. Read this page when shopping the Apple M2 Pro 12 Core 3480 MHz, comparing it against other processors in your build, or sizing it for a specific workload (gaming at 1080p/1440p/4K, productivity benchmarks, or local LLM inference).
Gaming Performance (measured FPS)
Average and 1% low frame rates by game, resolution, and quality preset. Bars are scaled against the fastest result on this page.
| Game | Resolution | Settings | Relative | Avg FPS | 1% low | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 1440p | High | 60 fps | — | MacGamingDB 2025-07-24 |
AI Inference Performance
Tokens per second under each model + quantization. Higher = faster generation. Bars compare runs across the same model.
| Model | Quantization | Relative | Tokens/sec | VRAM used | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| llama:7b | q4_0 llama.cpp | 37.9 tok/s | — | llama.cpp GitHub Discussion #4167 2023-11-01 | |
| llama3:8b | q4_K_M llama.cpp | 27.0 tok/s | — | Ominous Industries 2024-06-02 | |
| llama3.1:8b | q4_K_M ollama | 24.0 tok/s | — | kunalganglani.com LLM Benchmarks 2024-11-01 | |
| llama2:7b | q8_0 llama.cpp | 22.7 tok/s | — | llama.cpp GitHub 2023-11-21 | |
| llama3.1:8b | q4_K_M llama.cpp | 22.0 tok/s | — | ModelPiper 2025-01-01 | |
| llama3.1:8b | q4_K_M ollama | 22.0 tok/s | — | ModelPiper 2026-03-26 | |
| qwen2.5:14b | q4_K_M ollama | 14.0 tok/s | — | kunalganglani.com LLM Benchmarks 2024-11-01 | |
| llama2:7b | FP16 llama.cpp | 12.5 tok/s | — | llama.cpp GitHub 2023-11-21 | |
| qwen2.5:14b | q4_K_M llama.cpp | 12.0 tok/s | — | ModelPiper 2025-01-01 |
Synthetic Benchmarks
Higher is better. Bars are scaled within each benchmark family (multi-thread, single-thread, etc.) so you can compare like-with-like at a glance.
| Benchmark | Relative | Score | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| PassMark CPU Mark | 26,689 points | PassMark Software 2026-06-02 | |
| Geekbench 6 multi | 16,466 points | Geekbench Browser 2023-01-17 | |
| Cinebench R23 multi | 14,795 points | Notebookcheck 2023-03-01 | |
| Geekbench 6 multi | 14,568 points | Notebookcheck 2023-03-01 | |
| Geekbench 6 multi | 14,317 points | AppleInsider 2023-02-13 | |
| PassMark CPU Mark single-thread | 4,090 points | PassMark Software 2026-09-04 | |
| PassMark Single Thread | 4,088 points | PassMark Software 2026-06-02 | |
| Geekbench 6 single | 2,663 points | Notebookcheck 2023-03-01 | |
| Geekbench 6 single | 2,656 points | AppleInsider 2023-02-13 | |
| Geekbench 6 single | 2,409 points | Geekbench Browser 2023-01-17 |
Apple M2 Pro 12 Core 3480 MHz — Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Apple M2 Pro 12 Core 3480 MHz best used for?
When was the Apple M2 Pro 12 Core 3480 MHz released, and what was its launch MSRP?
Where do the benchmark numbers on this page come from?
How does the Apple M2 Pro 12 Core 3480 MHz compare to its predecessor?
Where can I buy the Apple M2 Pro 12 Core 3480 MHz?
Buying guides that rank the Apple M2 Pro 12 Core 3480 MHz's class
This page is the raw performance data. The guides below turn it into a ranked pick for a specific build.
Editorial guides covering the Apple M2 Pro 12 Core 3480 MHz
In-depth SpecPicks reviews, build guides, and head-to-heads referencing this processor.
- Arc B580 12GB vs RTX 3060 12GB: Which 12GB Card for 1440p in 2026?
- GTX 1660 VRAM: Why 8GB Doesn't Exist (Real Specs)
- Best Wired Gear for Tournament-Legal LAN Play in 2026
- Alien: Isolation on Steam Deck: Best Settings for 2025
- The Greatest GPU Awards: A Decade of Standout Cards
- One Monitor, Two PCs: Monitor KVM vs Dual-Input for a Gaming Rig and AI Box
- How to Filter Steam Deck's 20K+ Games by FPS, Price, HLTB
- Best Gear for Online D&D and Virtual Tabletop Nights in 2026
- Browse all SpecPicks reviews →
More guides & deep dives from the SpecPicks archive
Browse all articles & guides →- RTX 4070 Super vs RX 7800 XT — Which to Buy in 2026
- How to Build a Windows 98 Retro PC in 2026
- The Complete Voodoo5 5500 AGP Driver Guide (2026 Edition)
- Emulation Hardware in 2026: FPGA, Software, and Cart-Reader Ecosystems
- Best 1440p Gaming GPUs in 2026
- Best Retro Handhelds in 2026 — From $35 to $500
- Best Budget Gaming PC Build 2026 — ~$1,000 ($800 on Sale)
More reviews from the SpecPicks archive
Browse all reviews →- Air vs AIO for the Ryzen 7 5800X: Noctua NH-U12S vs CoolerMaster ML240L
- Best Sim Racing Wheel for PC and Console in 2026
- Build a Wall-Mounted Raspberry Pi 4 Arcade Cabinet: 3D-Printed Case, SSD Boot, Real BOM
- AI-Driven Driver Install on Win98: Using a Vision LLM to Recover a Voodoo3 PCI Card
- Best SATA, IDE & CompactFlash Adapters for Retro PC Data Recovery in 2026
- Build a Pi Zero W Retro Handheld in 2026: Full Parts List and Setup
- AA-AgentPerf: What the New Agentic Benchmark Means for Local Coding Rigs
- Logitech G920 vs HORI Racing Wheel: Best First Sim Wheel?
- Ryzen AI Max+ 'Gorgon Halo' 192GB vs RTX 3060 12GB for Local LLMs (2026)
- Ryzen AI Max 385 Mini PC: Specs and What It's Really For
- Best IDE & SATA-to-USB Adapters for Retro PC Builds in 2026
- Kimi K3 Costs $10.57 per Agentic Task: Is Local Cheaper?
- Best Gaming Mouse Pads for FPS and MOBA in 2026
- Best GPU + Monitor Pairings for 1440p QD-Mini-LED Gaming in 2026
- Best Game Controller for PC and PS5 in 2026
- RTX 5090 Benchmark 2026: 4K Gaming & AI vs. AMD
- Can a Ryzen AI Max+ 395 Mini-PC With 128GB Run Big LLMs? The r/LocalLLaMA Question
- Sound BlasterX G6 on a Windows 98/XP Retro Gaming PC: What It Actually Does
- Fix Windows 98 SE on 1GB+ RAM: The Vcache Gotcha
- llama.cpp on a 12GB RTX 3060: llama-bench Setup and Measured tok/s
- Best SATA SSD to Upgrade Your PS4 Pro Storage in 2026
- Best SSD for Steam Deck and Handheld Gaming Storage Expansion 2026
- Raspberry Pi Pico SDK 2.3.0 Ships: What Changed
- RTX 5080 vs RTX 4090: Which GPU Is Best in 2026?
More buying guides from SpecPicks
Browse all buying guides →- Best GPUs for Running Local LLMs in 2026
- Best Retro Gaming Consoles & Handhelds for 2026
- Best CPUs for Gaming in 2026
- Best PC Cases for Building in 2026
- Best Mechanical Keyboards for Gaming in 2026
- Best Tools for Building and Repairing Retro PCs in 2026
- Best CPU Coolers for 2026
- Best Graphics Cards for Gaming in 2026
- Best Controllers for PC Gaming in 2026
- Best NVMe External Enclosures for 2026
- Best 4K Monitors for Content Creators in 2026
- Best AM5 Motherboards for 2026
- Best GPUs for 4K Gaming in 2026
- Best External SSDs for Content Creators in 2026
- Best CPUs for Content Creators in 2026
- Best 1440p 240Hz Gaming Monitors in 2026
- Best Gaming Monitors for 2026
- Best Gaming Mice for 2026
- Best GPU for Running 27B-32B Local LLMs in 2026
- Best DDR5 RAM for Gaming PCs in 2026
- Best NVMe SSDs for Gaming in 2026