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.

M1 Pro

2021

Why buy it

✅Draws 28W instead of 65W, a 37W 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 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (17,218 vs 21,845).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (24 MB vs 32 MB).

Ryzen 5 5600X

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +15.3% higher average FPS across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 24 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $299 MSRP, while M1 Pro mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌132.1% higher power demand at 65W vs 28W.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while M1 Pro moves to none and DDR5.

M1 Pro

2021

Ryzen 5 5600X

2020

Why buy it

✅Draws 28W instead of 65W, a 37W reduction.
✅Newer platform on none with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +15.3% higher average FPS across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 24 MB).
✅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 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (17,218 vs 21,845).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (24 MB vs 32 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $299 MSRP, while M1 Pro mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌132.1% higher power demand at 65W vs 28W.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while M1 Pro moves to none and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 5600X better than M1 Pro?

Yes. Ryzen 5 5600X is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 15.3% average FPS lead across 49 shared CPU game tests in our data and 26.9% 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 15.3% more average FPS across 49 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 26.9% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 33.3% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 24 MB).

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 $299 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 15.3% average FPS lead across 49 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (73.1 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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, M1 Pro 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?

M1 Pro is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2021 vs 2020) and a healthier platform with none and DDR5 instead of AM4. That makes it the safer long-term pick.

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.

M1 Pro Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 5600X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	M1 Pro	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	175 FPS	203 FPS
medium	141 FPS	174 FPS
high	114 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 M1 Pro Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	M1 Pro	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	215 FPS	464 FPS
medium	190 FPS	387 FPS
high	160 FPS	324 FPS
ultra	129 FPS	291 FPS
1440p
low	183 FPS	397 FPS
medium	167 FPS	334 FPS
high	143 FPS	290 FPS
ultra	114 FPS	253 FPS
4K
low	116 FPS	263 FPS
medium	107 FPS	226 FPS
high	95 FPS	205 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	171 FPS

Open M1 Pro Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	M1 Pro	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	430 FPS	546 FPS
medium	430 FPS	473 FPS
high	430 FPS	432 FPS
ultra	430 FPS	358 FPS
1440p
low	430 FPS	508 FPS
medium	430 FPS	413 FPS
high	411 FPS	375 FPS
ultra	359 FPS	312 FPS
4K
low	414 FPS	348 FPS
medium	320 FPS	292 FPS
high	271 FPS	255 FPS
ultra	217 FPS	199 FPS

Open M1 Pro Open Ryzen 5 5600X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	M1 Pro	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	430 FPS	546 FPS
medium	430 FPS	546 FPS
high	430 FPS	546 FPS
ultra	430 FPS	546 FPS
1440p
low	430 FPS	546 FPS
medium	430 FPS	546 FPS
high	430 FPS	546 FPS
ultra	429 FPS	524 FPS
4K
low	430 FPS	529 FPS
medium	408 FPS	484 FPS
high	363 FPS	435 FPS
ultra	315 FPS	379 FPS

Open M1 Pro Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of M1 Pro and Ryzen 5 5600X

M1 Pro

The M1 Pro is manufactured by Apple. It was released in 18 October 2021 (4 years ago). It features 10 cores and 10 threads. Base frequency is 2.064 GHz, with boost up to 3.22 GHz. L3 cache: 24 MB. L2 cache: 28 MB. Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: none. Thermal design power (TDP): 28 MB + 24 MB. Memory support: LPDDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 17,218 points. Launch price was $299.

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.

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Processing Power

The M1 Pro packs 10 cores / 10 threads, while the Ryzen 5 5600X offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the M1 Pro has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.22 GHz on the M1 Pro versus 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600X — a 35.3% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 5600X (base: 2.064 GHz vs 3.7 GHz). The Ryzen 5 5600X is built on the Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) architecture. In PassMark, the M1 Pro scores 17,218 against the Ryzen 5 5600X's 21,845 — a 23.7% lead for the Ryzen 5 5600X. L3 cache: 24 MB on the M1 Pro vs 32 MB on the Ryzen 5 5600X.

Feature	M1 Pro	Ryzen 5 5600X
Cores / Threads	10 / 10+67%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	3.22 GHz	4.6 GHz+43%
Base Clock	2.064 GHz	3.7 GHz+79%
L3 Cache	24 MB	32 MB+33%
L2 Cache	28 MB+5500%	512K (per core)
Process	5 nm-29%	7 nm, 12 nm
Architecture	—	Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022)
PassMark	17,218	21,845+27%