M2 vs Ryzen 5 5625U

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

✅+1.5% higher PassMark.
✅Newer platform on none with DDR5 support instead of FP6 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌33.3% higher power demand at 20W vs 15W.

Ryzen 5 5625U

2022

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 20W, a 5W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (14,717 vs 14,933).
❌Older platform position on FP6 with DDR4, while M2 moves to none and DDR5.

M2

2022

Ryzen 5 5625U

2022

Why buy it

✅+1.5% higher PassMark.
✅Newer platform on none with DDR5 support instead of FP6 and DDR4.

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 20W, a 5W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌33.3% higher power demand at 20W vs 15W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (14,717 vs 14,933).
❌Older platform position on FP6 with DDR4, while M2 moves to none and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is M2 better than Ryzen 5 5625U?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen 5 5625U is ahead with a 2.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, M2 pulls ahead with 1.5% better PassMark.

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 1.5% 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 1.5% better PassMark.

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 healthier platform with none and DDR5 instead of FP6 and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 8 threads instead of 6/12. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

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 5625U Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	M2	Ryzen 5 5625U
1080p
low	175 FPS	172 FPS
medium	140 FPS	146 FPS
high	113 FPS	118 FPS
ultra	90 FPS	97 FPS
1440p
low	141 FPS	147 FPS
medium	111 FPS	123 FPS
high	88 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	69 FPS	81 FPS
4K
low	66 FPS	78 FPS
medium	55 FPS	71 FPS
high	44 FPS	56 FPS
ultra	35 FPS	44 FPS

Open M2 Open Ryzen 5 5625U

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	M2	Ryzen 5 5625U
1080p
low	288 FPS	318 FPS
medium	246 FPS	276 FPS
high	213 FPS	249 FPS
ultra	166 FPS	216 FPS
1440p
low	248 FPS	282 FPS
medium	220 FPS	250 FPS
high	193 FPS	229 FPS
ultra	150 FPS	197 FPS
4K
low	174 FPS	222 FPS
medium	159 FPS	200 FPS
high	136 FPS	186 FPS
ultra	106 FPS	158 FPS

Open M2 Open Ryzen 5 5625U

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	M2	Ryzen 5 5625U
1080p
low	373 FPS	368 FPS
medium	373 FPS	368 FPS
high	373 FPS	368 FPS
ultra	373 FPS	368 FPS
1440p
low	373 FPS	368 FPS
medium	373 FPS	368 FPS
high	373 FPS	360 FPS
ultra	363 FPS	299 FPS
4K
low	373 FPS	338 FPS
medium	314 FPS	284 FPS
high	277 FPS	247 FPS
ultra	221 FPS	191 FPS

Open M2 Open Ryzen 5 5625U

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	M2	Ryzen 5 5625U
1080p
low	373 FPS	368 FPS
medium	373 FPS	368 FPS
high	373 FPS	368 FPS
ultra	373 FPS	368 FPS
1440p
low	373 FPS	368 FPS
medium	373 FPS	368 FPS
high	373 FPS	368 FPS
ultra	373 FPS	368 FPS
4K
low	373 FPS	368 FPS
medium	373 FPS	368 FPS
high	373 FPS	365 FPS
ultra	328 FPS	315 FPS

Open M2 Open Ryzen 5 5625U

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of M2 and Ryzen 5 5625U

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 5625U

The Ryzen 5 5625U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 January 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Barcelo-U (Zen 3) (2022−2023) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.3 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: 14,717 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

The M2 packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the Ryzen 5 5625U offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the M2 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.48 GHz on the M2 versus 4.3 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5625U — a 21.1% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 5625U (base: 2.424 GHz vs 2.3 GHz). The Ryzen 5 5625U is built on the Barcelo-U (Zen 3) (2022−2023) architecture. In PassMark, the M2 scores 14,933 against the Ryzen 5 5625U's 14,717 — a 1.5% lead for the M2.

Feature	M2	Ryzen 5 5625U
Cores / Threads	8 / 8+33%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	3.48 GHz	4.3 GHz+24%
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	—	Barcelo-U (Zen 3) (2022−2023)
PassMark	14,933+1%	14,717