M2 vs Xeon Silver 4116

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: +9.2% higher average FPS across 3 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

❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon Silver 4116, which brings 12 cores / 24 threads.

Xeon Silver 4116

2017

Why buy it

✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 12 cores / 24 threads.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than M2 across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (14,918 vs 14,933).
❌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 Silver 4116

2017

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +9.2% higher average FPS across 3 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

✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 12 cores / 24 threads.

Trade-offs

❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon Silver 4116, which brings 12 cores / 24 threads.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than M2 across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (14,918 vs 14,933).
❌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 Silver 4116?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon Silver 4116 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 gaming?

If gaming is the priority, M2 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 9.2% more average FPS across 3 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, M2 is the better fit. You are getting 0.1% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 8 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 9.2% average FPS lead across 3 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), a healthier platform with none and DDR5 instead of LGA3647, and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 8 threads instead of 12/24. 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 Silver 4116 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	M2	Xeon Silver 4116
1080p
low	175 FPS	167 FPS
medium	140 FPS	133 FPS
high	113 FPS	108 FPS
ultra	90 FPS	86 FPS
1440p
low	141 FPS	139 FPS
medium	111 FPS	109 FPS
high	88 FPS	87 FPS
ultra	69 FPS	68 FPS
4K
low	66 FPS	65 FPS
medium	55 FPS	55 FPS
high	44 FPS	43 FPS
ultra	35 FPS	34 FPS

Open M2 Open Xeon Silver 4116

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	M2	Xeon Silver 4116
1080p
low	288 FPS	141 FPS
medium	246 FPS	124 FPS
high	213 FPS	113 FPS
ultra	166 FPS	89 FPS
1440p
low	248 FPS	124 FPS
medium	220 FPS	112 FPS
high	193 FPS	101 FPS
ultra	150 FPS	80 FPS
4K
low	174 FPS	90 FPS
medium	159 FPS	84 FPS
high	136 FPS	74 FPS
ultra	106 FPS	58 FPS

Open M2 Open Xeon Silver 4116

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	M2	Xeon Silver 4116
1080p
low	373 FPS	373 FPS
medium	373 FPS	373 FPS
high	373 FPS	373 FPS
ultra	373 FPS	373 FPS
1440p
low	373 FPS	373 FPS
medium	373 FPS	373 FPS
high	373 FPS	373 FPS
ultra	363 FPS	373 FPS
4K
low	373 FPS	373 FPS
medium	314 FPS	367 FPS
high	277 FPS	325 FPS
ultra	221 FPS	266 FPS

Open M2 Open Xeon Silver 4116

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	M2	Xeon Silver 4116
1080p
low	373 FPS	373 FPS
medium	373 FPS	373 FPS
high	373 FPS	373 FPS
ultra	373 FPS	373 FPS
1440p
low	373 FPS	373 FPS
medium	373 FPS	373 FPS
high	373 FPS	373 FPS
ultra	373 FPS	373 FPS
4K
low	373 FPS	373 FPS
medium	373 FPS	373 FPS
high	373 FPS	373 FPS
ultra	328 FPS	334 FPS

Open M2 Open Xeon Silver 4116

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of M2 and Xeon Silver 4116

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 Silver 4116

The Xeon Silver 4116 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 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 16.5 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 85 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 14,918 points. Launch price was $1,002.

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Processing Power

The M2 packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the Xeon Silver 4116 offers 12 cores / 24 threads — the Xeon Silver 4116 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.48 GHz on the M2 versus 3 GHz on the Xeon Silver 4116 — a 14.8% clock advantage for the M2 (base: 2.424 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Xeon Silver 4116 is built on the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture. In PassMark, the M2 scores 14,933 against the Xeon Silver 4116's 14,918 — a 0.1% lead for the M2.

Feature	M2	Xeon Silver 4116
Cores / Threads	8 / 8	12 / 24+50%
Boost Clock	3.48 GHz+16%	3 GHz
Base Clock	2.424 GHz+15%	2.1 GHz
L3 Cache	—	16.5 MB (total)
L2 Cache	20 MB+1900%	1 MB (per core)
Process	5 nm-64%	14 nm
Architecture	—	Skylake (server) (2017−2018)
PassMark	14,933	14,918

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Memory & Platform

The M2 uses the none socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon Silver 4116 uses LGA3647 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.