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.

M2

2022

Why buy it

✅Draws 20W instead of 65W, a 45W reduction.
✅Newer platform on none with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 3600 across 43 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (14,933 vs 17,685).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 3600.

Ryzen 5 3600

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +19.4% higher average FPS across 43 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike M2.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $199 MSRP, while M2 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌225% higher power demand at 65W vs 20W.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while M2 moves to none and DDR5.

M2

2022

Ryzen 5 3600

2019

Why buy it

✅Draws 20W instead of 65W, a 45W reduction.
✅Newer platform on none with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +19.4% higher average FPS across 43 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike M2.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 3600 across 43 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (14,933 vs 17,685).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 3600.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $199 MSRP, while M2 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌225% higher power demand at 65W vs 20W.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while M2 moves to none and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 3600 better than M2?

Yes. Ryzen 5 3600 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 19.4% average FPS lead across 43 shared CPU game tests in our data and 18.4% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 5 3600 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 19.4% more average FPS across 43 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 5 3600 is the better fit. You are getting 18.4% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads.

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

Ryzen 5 3600 is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 5 3600 is at an unclear MSRP at $199 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 19.4% average FPS lead across 43 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (88.9 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible none + DDR5 setup, M2 can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap.

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

M2 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2019) and a healthier platform with none and DDR5 instead of AM4. 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.

M2 Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 3600 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	M2	Ryzen 5 3600
1080p
low	175 FPS	200 FPS
medium	140 FPS	161 FPS
high	113 FPS	135 FPS
ultra	90 FPS	106 FPS
1440p
low	141 FPS	154 FPS
medium	111 FPS	119 FPS
high	88 FPS	96 FPS
ultra	69 FPS	75 FPS
4K
low	66 FPS	70 FPS
medium	55 FPS	58 FPS
high	44 FPS	46 FPS
ultra	35 FPS	36 FPS

Open M2 Open Ryzen 5 3600

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	M2	Ryzen 5 3600
1080p
low	288 FPS	442 FPS
medium	246 FPS	404 FPS
high	213 FPS	332 FPS
ultra	166 FPS	295 FPS
1440p
low	248 FPS	420 FPS
medium	220 FPS	359 FPS
high	193 FPS	303 FPS
ultra	150 FPS	263 FPS
4K
low	174 FPS	297 FPS
medium	159 FPS	259 FPS
high	136 FPS	230 FPS
ultra	106 FPS	201 FPS

Open M2 Open Ryzen 5 3600

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	M2	Ryzen 5 3600
1080p
low	373 FPS	442 FPS
medium	373 FPS	442 FPS
high	373 FPS	442 FPS
ultra	373 FPS	442 FPS
1440p
low	373 FPS	442 FPS
medium	373 FPS	442 FPS
high	373 FPS	442 FPS
ultra	363 FPS	432 FPS
4K
low	373 FPS	442 FPS
medium	314 FPS	361 FPS
high	277 FPS	305 FPS
ultra	221 FPS	242 FPS

Open M2 Open Ryzen 5 3600

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	M2	Ryzen 5 3600
1080p
low	373 FPS	442 FPS
medium	373 FPS	442 FPS
high	373 FPS	442 FPS
ultra	373 FPS	442 FPS
1440p
low	373 FPS	442 FPS
medium	373 FPS	442 FPS
high	373 FPS	442 FPS
ultra	373 FPS	442 FPS
4K
low	373 FPS	442 FPS
medium	373 FPS	442 FPS
high	373 FPS	413 FPS
ultra	328 FPS	357 FPS

Open M2 Open Ryzen 5 3600

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of M2 and Ryzen 5 3600

M2

The M2 is manufactured by Apple. It was released in 10 June 2022 (3 years ago). It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.424 GHz, with boost up to 3.48 GHz. L2 cache: 20 MB. Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: none. Thermal design power (TDP): 20 Watt. Memory support: LPDDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 14,933 points. Launch price was $149.

Ryzen 5 3600

The Ryzen 5 3600 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 July 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Matisse (2019−2020) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 17,685 points. Launch price was $199.

⚡

Processing Power

The M2 packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the Ryzen 5 3600 offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the M2 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.48 GHz on the M2 versus 4.2 GHz on the Ryzen 5 3600 — a 18.8% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 3600 (base: 2.424 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Ryzen 5 3600 is built on the Matisse (2019−2020) architecture. In PassMark, the M2 scores 14,933 against the Ryzen 5 3600's 17,685 — a 16.9% lead for the Ryzen 5 3600.

Feature	M2	Ryzen 5 3600
Cores / Threads	8 / 8+33%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	3.48 GHz	4.2 GHz+21%
Base Clock	2.424 GHz	3.6 GHz+49%
L3 Cache	—	32 MB (total)
L2 Cache	20 MB+3900%	512K (per core)
Process	5 nm-29%	7 nm, 12 nm
Architecture	—	Matisse (2019−2020)
PassMark	14,933	17,685+18%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	9,500
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,295
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	1,898

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Memory & Platform

The M2 uses the none socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 5 3600 uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	M2	Ryzen 5 3600
Socket	none	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	—	128 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	No
PCIe Lanes	—	24

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (M2) / Yes (Ryzen 5 3600). Primary use case: Ryzen 5 3600 targets Gaming/Budget Workstation. Direct competitor: Ryzen 5 3600 rivals Core i5-10400.