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 5600X across 47 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (14,933 vs 21,845).

Ryzen 5 5600X

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +16.7% higher average FPS across 47 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $299 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 5600X

2020

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: +16.7% higher average FPS across 47 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 5600X across 47 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (14,933 vs 21,845).

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $299 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 5600X better than M2?

Yes. Ryzen 5 5600X is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 16.7% average FPS lead across 47 shared CPU game tests in our data and 46.3% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 5 5600X is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 16.7% more average FPS across 47 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 5 5600X is the better fit. You are getting 46.3% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads.

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

Ryzen 5 5600X is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 5 5600X is at an unclear MSRP at $299 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 16.7% average FPS lead across 47 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (73.1 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 2020) 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 5600X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	M2	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	175 FPS	203 FPS
medium	140 FPS	174 FPS
high	113 FPS	140 FPS
ultra	90 FPS	107 FPS
1440p
low	141 FPS	169 FPS
medium	111 FPS	141 FPS
high	88 FPS	113 FPS
ultra	69 FPS	86 FPS
4K
low	66 FPS	85 FPS
medium	55 FPS	76 FPS
high	44 FPS	60 FPS
ultra	35 FPS	47 FPS

Open M2 Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	M2	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	288 FPS	464 FPS
medium	246 FPS	387 FPS
high	213 FPS	324 FPS
ultra	166 FPS	291 FPS
1440p
low	248 FPS	397 FPS
medium	220 FPS	334 FPS
high	193 FPS	290 FPS
ultra	150 FPS	253 FPS
4K
low	174 FPS	263 FPS
medium	159 FPS	226 FPS
high	136 FPS	205 FPS
ultra	106 FPS	171 FPS

Open M2 Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	M2	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	373 FPS	546 FPS
medium	373 FPS	473 FPS
high	373 FPS	432 FPS
ultra	373 FPS	358 FPS
1440p
low	373 FPS	508 FPS
medium	373 FPS	413 FPS
high	373 FPS	375 FPS
ultra	363 FPS	312 FPS
4K
low	373 FPS	348 FPS
medium	314 FPS	292 FPS
high	277 FPS	255 FPS
ultra	221 FPS	199 FPS

Open M2 Open Ryzen 5 5600X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	M2	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	373 FPS	546 FPS
medium	373 FPS	546 FPS
high	373 FPS	546 FPS
ultra	373 FPS	546 FPS
1440p
low	373 FPS	546 FPS
medium	373 FPS	546 FPS
high	373 FPS	546 FPS
ultra	373 FPS	524 FPS
4K
low	373 FPS	529 FPS
medium	373 FPS	484 FPS
high	373 FPS	435 FPS
ultra	328 FPS	379 FPS

Open M2 Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

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

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 5600X

The Ryzen 5 5600X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 5 November 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 21,845 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The M2 packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the Ryzen 5 5600X offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the M2 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.48 GHz on the M2 versus 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600X — a 27.7% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 5600X (base: 2.424 GHz vs 3.7 GHz). The Ryzen 5 5600X is built on the Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) architecture. In PassMark, the M2 scores 14,933 against the Ryzen 5 5600X's 21,845 — a 37.6% lead for the Ryzen 5 5600X.

Feature	M2	Ryzen 5 5600X
Cores / Threads	8 / 8+33%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	3.48 GHz	4.6 GHz+32%
Base Clock	2.424 GHz	3.7 GHz+53%
L3 Cache	—	32 MB
L2 Cache	20 MB+3900%	512K (per core)
Process	5 nm-29%	7 nm, 12 nm
Architecture	—	Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022)
PassMark	14,933	21,845+46%