M2
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Ryzen 5 5600
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Performance Spectrum - CPU
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.
M2
2022Why 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 5600 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
- ❌Lower PassMark (14,933 vs 21,550).
- ❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 5600.
Ryzen 5 5600
2022Why buy it
- ✅Better for gaming: +23.8% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
- ✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
- ✅Includes a boxed cooler (Wraith Stealth), 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
2022Ryzen 5 5600
2022Why 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: +23.8% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
- ✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
- ✅Includes a boxed cooler (Wraith Stealth), unlike M2.
Trade-offs
- ❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 5600 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
- ❌Lower PassMark (14,933 vs 21,550).
- ❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 5600.
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 5600 better than M2?
Which one is better for gaming?
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Games Benchmarks
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.
Path of Exile 2
| Preset | M2 | Ryzen 5 5600 |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 175 FPS | 161 FPS |
| medium | 140 FPS | 130 FPS |
| high | 113 FPS | 112 FPS |
| ultra | 90 FPS | 93 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 141 FPS | 141 FPS |
| medium | 111 FPS | 113 FPS |
| high | 88 FPS | 95 FPS |
| ultra | 69 FPS | 78 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 66 FPS | 79 FPS |
| medium | 55 FPS | 69 FPS |
| high | 44 FPS | 55 FPS |
| ultra | 35 FPS | 44 FPS |
Counter-Strike 2
| Preset | M2 | Ryzen 5 5600 |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 288 FPS | 508 FPS |
| medium | 246 FPS | 419 FPS |
| high | 213 FPS | 351 FPS |
| ultra | 166 FPS | 310 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 248 FPS | 447 FPS |
| medium | 220 FPS | 375 FPS |
| high | 193 FPS | 323 FPS |
| ultra | 150 FPS | 277 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 174 FPS | 313 FPS |
| medium | 159 FPS | 268 FPS |
| high | 136 FPS | 243 FPS |
| ultra | 106 FPS | 209 FPS |
League of Legends
| Preset | M2 | Ryzen 5 5600 |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 373 FPS | 539 FPS |
| medium | 373 FPS | 526 FPS |
| high | 373 FPS | 483 FPS |
| ultra | 373 FPS | 414 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 373 FPS | 539 FPS |
| medium | 373 FPS | 434 FPS |
| high | 373 FPS | 396 FPS |
| ultra | 363 FPS | 339 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 373 FPS | 371 FPS |
| medium | 314 FPS | 298 FPS |
| high | 277 FPS | 255 FPS |
| ultra | 221 FPS | 197 FPS |
Valorant
| Preset | M2 | Ryzen 5 5600 |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 373 FPS | 539 FPS |
| medium | 373 FPS | 539 FPS |
| high | 373 FPS | 539 FPS |
| ultra | 373 FPS | 539 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 373 FPS | 539 FPS |
| medium | 373 FPS | 539 FPS |
| high | 373 FPS | 539 FPS |
| ultra | 373 FPS | 493 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 373 FPS | 501 FPS |
| medium | 373 FPS | 448 FPS |
| high | 373 FPS | 398 FPS |
| ultra | 328 FPS | 349 FPS |
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of M2 and Ryzen 5 5600
M2
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 5600
Ryzen 5 5600
The Ryzen 5 5600 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 20 April 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Vermeer (2020−2025) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 21,550 points. Launch price was $299.
Processing Power
The M2 packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the Ryzen 5 5600 offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the M2 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.48 GHz on the M2 versus 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600 — a 23.4% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 5600 (base: 2.424 GHz vs 3.5 GHz). The Ryzen 5 5600 is built on the Vermeer (2020−2025) architecture. In PassMark, the M2 scores 14,933 against the Ryzen 5 5600's 21,550 — a 36.3% lead for the Ryzen 5 5600.
| Feature | M2 | Ryzen 5 5600 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 8 / 8+33% | 6 / 12 |
| Boost Clock | 3.48 GHz | 4.4 GHz+26% |
| Base Clock | 2.424 GHz | 3.5 GHz+44% |
| L3 Cache | — | 32 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 20 MB+3900% | 512K (per core) |
| Process | 5 nm-29% | 7 nm |
| Architecture | — | Vermeer (2020−2025) |
| PassMark | 14,933 | 21,550+44% |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | — | 11,077 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 2,052 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 8,600 |
Memory & Platform
The M2 uses the none socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 5 5600 uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | M2 | Ryzen 5 5600 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | — | Yes |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 24 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (M2) / AMD-V (Ryzen 5 5600). Primary use case: Ryzen 5 5600 targets Desktop.
| Feature | M2 | Ryzen 5 5600 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| Unlocked | — | Yes |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | AMD-V |
| Target Use | — | Desktop |
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