M2 vs Ryzen 5 5600U

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

✅Newer platform on none with DDR5 support instead of FP6 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 5600U across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (14,933 vs 15,088).
❌33.3% higher power demand at 20W vs 15W.

Ryzen 5 5600U

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +7.6% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 15W instead of 20W, a 5W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Older platform position on FP6 with DDR4, while M2 moves to none and DDR5.

M2

2022

Ryzen 5 5600U

2021

Why buy it

✅Newer platform on none with DDR5 support instead of FP6 and DDR4.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +7.6% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 15W instead of 20W, a 5W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 5600U across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (14,933 vs 15,088).
❌33.3% higher power demand at 20W vs 15W.

Trade-offs

❌Older platform position on FP6 with DDR4, while M2 moves to none and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 5600U better than M2?

Yes. Ryzen 5 5600U is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 7.6% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data and 1% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 5 5600U is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 7.6% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 5 5600U is the better fit. You are getting 1% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads.

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

Ryzen 5 5600U still looks like the safer overall buy. Ryzen 5 5600U is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 7.6% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data.

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 2021) and a healthier platform with none and DDR5 instead of FP6. 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 5600U Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	M2	Ryzen 5 5600U
1080p
low	175 FPS	173 FPS
medium	140 FPS	148 FPS
high	113 FPS	119 FPS
ultra	90 FPS	98 FPS
1440p
low	141 FPS	146 FPS
medium	111 FPS	123 FPS
high	88 FPS	97 FPS
ultra	69 FPS	79 FPS
4K
low	66 FPS	69 FPS
medium	55 FPS	62 FPS
high	44 FPS	49 FPS
ultra	35 FPS	39 FPS

Open M2 Open Ryzen 5 5600U

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	M2	Ryzen 5 5600U
1080p
low	288 FPS	337 FPS
medium	246 FPS	289 FPS
high	213 FPS	261 FPS
ultra	166 FPS	226 FPS
1440p
low	248 FPS	298 FPS
medium	220 FPS	262 FPS
high	193 FPS	240 FPS
ultra	150 FPS	206 FPS
4K
low	174 FPS	234 FPS
medium	159 FPS	208 FPS
high	136 FPS	194 FPS
ultra	106 FPS	165 FPS

Open M2 Open Ryzen 5 5600U

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	M2	Ryzen 5 5600U
1080p
low	373 FPS	377 FPS
medium	373 FPS	377 FPS
high	373 FPS	377 FPS
ultra	373 FPS	377 FPS
1440p
low	373 FPS	377 FPS
medium	373 FPS	377 FPS
high	373 FPS	369 FPS
ultra	363 FPS	312 FPS
4K
low	373 FPS	350 FPS
medium	314 FPS	300 FPS
high	277 FPS	258 FPS
ultra	221 FPS	203 FPS

Open M2 Open Ryzen 5 5600U

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	M2	Ryzen 5 5600U
1080p
low	373 FPS	377 FPS
medium	373 FPS	377 FPS
high	373 FPS	377 FPS
ultra	373 FPS	377 FPS
1440p
low	373 FPS	377 FPS
medium	373 FPS	377 FPS
high	373 FPS	377 FPS
ultra	373 FPS	377 FPS
4K
low	373 FPS	377 FPS
medium	373 FPS	376 FPS
high	373 FPS	333 FPS
ultra	328 FPS	285 FPS

Open M2 Open Ryzen 5 5600U

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of M2 and Ryzen 5 5600U

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 5600U

The Ryzen 5 5600U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 12 January 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Cezanne-U (Zen 3) (2021) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 15,088 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The M2 packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the Ryzen 5 5600U 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 5600U — a 18.8% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 5600U (base: 2.424 GHz vs 2.3 GHz). The Ryzen 5 5600U is built on the Cezanne-U (Zen 3) (2021) architecture. In PassMark, the M2 scores 14,933 against the Ryzen 5 5600U's 15,088 — a 1% lead for the Ryzen 5 5600U.

Feature	M2	Ryzen 5 5600U
Cores / Threads	8 / 8+33%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	3.48 GHz	4.2 GHz+21%
Base Clock	2.424 GHz+5%	2.3 GHz
L3 Cache	—	16 MB (total)
L2 Cache	20 MB+3900%	512K (per core)
Process	5 nm-29%	7 nm
Architecture	—	Cezanne-U (Zen 3) (2021)
PassMark	14,933	15,088+1%