As noted in the CPU section above, you can get the M2 Pro/Max SoC with a 16-, 19-, 30-, or 38-core GPU. Our unit has the base configuration with 16 cores. The GPU shares the same memory pool as the CPU, but unlike most integrated graphics, it can use as much of the shared memory as it needs. Regarding the media engines, the Pro chips have one video and one ProRes (decode and encode) engine. In contrast, the Max chips have two of each, providing better performance in video editing and image rendering tasks. Choosing between these SoCs will depend on your usage. The base configuration can handle most workloads, though the higher configurations will provide a smoother experience in more demanding tasks and complete jobs faster.
As for gaming, the M2 Pro with 16 GPU cores can handle demanding titles, but you’ll almost certainly have to play at 1080p with medium to low graphical settings to achieve playable frame rates. The top-end M2 Max with 38 GPU cores can handle more demanding games and run some at 1440p. That said, gaming performance can vary significantly depending on whether the game runs natively or through Rosetta 2, as the latter can cause a drop in performance or graphical glitches. Games included in Apple’s Arcade subscription service will run well because they’re mobile games designed for ARM-based SoCs.
