M2 vs Xeon Gold 5115

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

✅Better for gaming: +5.1% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 20W instead of 85W, a 65W reduction.
✅Newer platform on none with DDR5 support instead of LGA3647 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (14,933 vs 15,017).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon Gold 5115, which brings 10 cores / 20 threads.

Xeon Gold 5115

2017

Why buy it

✅+0.6% higher PassMark.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 10 cores / 20 threads.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than M2 across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌325% higher power demand at 85W vs 20W.
❌Older platform position on LGA3647 with DDR4, while M2 moves to none and DDR5.

M2

2022

Xeon Gold 5115

2017

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +5.1% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 20W instead of 85W, a 65W reduction.
✅Newer platform on none with DDR5 support instead of LGA3647 and DDR4.

Why buy it

✅+0.6% higher PassMark.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 10 cores / 20 threads.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (14,933 vs 15,017).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon Gold 5115, which brings 10 cores / 20 threads.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than M2 across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌325% higher power demand at 85W vs 20W.
❌Older platform position on LGA3647 with DDR4, while M2 moves to none and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is M2 better than Xeon Gold 5115?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon Gold 5115 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while M2 is the better mainstream desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and day-to-day practicality.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon Gold 5115 is the better fit. You are getting 0.6% better PassMark, backed by 10 cores and 20 threads.

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

M2 still looks like the safer overall buy. M2 is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 5.1% average FPS lead across 2 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 2017) and a healthier platform with none and DDR5 instead of LGA3647. 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

Xeon Gold 5115 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	M2	Xeon Gold 5115
1080p
low	175 FPS	169 FPS
medium	140 FPS	134 FPS
high	113 FPS	108 FPS
ultra	90 FPS	87 FPS
1440p
low	141 FPS	138 FPS
medium	111 FPS	107 FPS
high	88 FPS	85 FPS
ultra	69 FPS	68 FPS
4K
low	66 FPS	65 FPS
medium	55 FPS	54 FPS
high	44 FPS	43 FPS
ultra	35 FPS	34 FPS

Open M2 Open Xeon Gold 5115

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	M2	Xeon Gold 5115
1080p
low	288 FPS	217 FPS
medium	246 FPS	190 FPS
high	213 FPS	174 FPS
ultra	166 FPS	138 FPS
1440p
low	248 FPS	194 FPS
medium	220 FPS	172 FPS
high	193 FPS	157 FPS
ultra	150 FPS	126 FPS
4K
low	174 FPS	159 FPS
medium	159 FPS	144 FPS
high	136 FPS	124 FPS
ultra	106 FPS	95 FPS

Open M2 Open Xeon Gold 5115

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	M2	Xeon Gold 5115
1080p
low	373 FPS	375 FPS
medium	373 FPS	375 FPS
high	373 FPS	375 FPS
ultra	373 FPS	375 FPS
1440p
low	373 FPS	375 FPS
medium	373 FPS	375 FPS
high	373 FPS	375 FPS
ultra	363 FPS	375 FPS
4K
low	373 FPS	375 FPS
medium	314 FPS	365 FPS
high	277 FPS	322 FPS
ultra	221 FPS	262 FPS

Open M2 Open Xeon Gold 5115

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	M2	Xeon Gold 5115
1080p
low	373 FPS	375 FPS
medium	373 FPS	375 FPS
high	373 FPS	375 FPS
ultra	373 FPS	375 FPS
1440p
low	373 FPS	375 FPS
medium	373 FPS	375 FPS
high	373 FPS	375 FPS
ultra	373 FPS	375 FPS
4K
low	373 FPS	375 FPS
medium	373 FPS	375 FPS
high	373 FPS	375 FPS
ultra	328 FPS	337 FPS

Open M2 Open Xeon Gold 5115

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of M2 and Xeon Gold 5115

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.

Xeon Gold 5115

The Xeon Gold 5115 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 11 July 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture. It features 10 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 13.75 MB. L2 cache: 10 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 85 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 15,017 points. Launch price was $1,221.

⚡

Processing Power

The M2 packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the Xeon Gold 5115 offers 10 cores / 20 threads — the Xeon Gold 5115 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.48 GHz on the M2 versus 3.2 GHz on the Xeon Gold 5115 — a 8.4% clock advantage for the M2 (base: 2.424 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Xeon Gold 5115 is built on the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture. In PassMark, the M2 scores 14,933 against the Xeon Gold 5115's 15,017 — a 0.6% lead for the Xeon Gold 5115.

Feature	M2	Xeon Gold 5115
Cores / Threads	8 / 8	10 / 20+25%
Boost Clock	3.48 GHz+9%	3.2 GHz
Base Clock	2.424 GHz+1%	2.4 GHz
L3 Cache	—	13.75 MB
L2 Cache	20 MB+100%	10 MB
Process	5 nm-64%	14 nm
Architecture	—	Skylake (server) (2017−2018)
PassMark	14,933	15,017