M1 Pro 8-Core vs Ryzen 5 6600U

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 8-Core

2021

Why buy it

✅+1.3% higher PassMark.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Apple M1 Pro GPU (14-core), while Ryzen 5 6600U needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌86.7% higher power demand at 28W vs 15W.

Ryzen 5 6600U

2022

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 28W, a 13W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (16,992 vs 17,218).
❌No integrated graphics, while M1 Pro 8-Core can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

M1 Pro 8-Core

2021

Ryzen 5 6600U

2022

Why buy it

✅+1.3% higher PassMark.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Apple M1 Pro GPU (14-core), while Ryzen 5 6600U needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 28W, a 13W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌86.7% higher power demand at 28W vs 15W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (16,992 vs 17,218).
❌No integrated graphics, while M1 Pro 8-Core can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 6600U better than M1 Pro 8-Core?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen 5 6600U is ahead with a 1.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, M1 Pro 8-Core pulls ahead with 1.3% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, M1 Pro 8-Core is the better fit. You are getting 1.3% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 8 threads.

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

Ryzen 5 6600U still looks like the safer overall buy. Ryzen 5 6600U is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 1.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Ryzen 5 6600U is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2021). 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.

M1 Pro 8-Core Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 6600U Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	M1 Pro 8-Core	Ryzen 5 6600U
1080p
low	175 FPS	167 FPS
medium	140 FPS	145 FPS
high	113 FPS	117 FPS
ultra	90 FPS	98 FPS
1440p
low	141 FPS	142 FPS
medium	111 FPS	121 FPS
high	88 FPS	98 FPS
ultra	69 FPS	82 FPS
4K
low	66 FPS	79 FPS
medium	55 FPS	72 FPS
high	44 FPS	57 FPS
ultra	35 FPS	45 FPS

Open M1 Pro 8-Core Open Ryzen 5 6600U

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	M1 Pro 8-Core	Ryzen 5 6600U
1080p
low	163 FPS	353 FPS
medium	143 FPS	294 FPS
high	126 FPS	259 FPS
ultra	99 FPS	228 FPS
1440p
low	140 FPS	304 FPS
medium	127 FPS	258 FPS
high	114 FPS	234 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	202 FPS
4K
low	99 FPS	226 FPS
medium	93 FPS	195 FPS
high	82 FPS	179 FPS
ultra	64 FPS	146 FPS

Open M1 Pro 8-Core Open Ryzen 5 6600U

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	M1 Pro 8-Core	Ryzen 5 6600U
1080p
low	430 FPS	425 FPS
medium	430 FPS	425 FPS
high	430 FPS	414 FPS
ultra	430 FPS	344 FPS
1440p
low	430 FPS	425 FPS
medium	430 FPS	400 FPS
high	391 FPS	360 FPS
ultra	341 FPS	301 FPS
4K
low	398 FPS	340 FPS
medium	309 FPS	284 FPS
high	260 FPS	246 FPS
ultra	208 FPS	193 FPS

Open M1 Pro 8-Core Open Ryzen 5 6600U

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	M1 Pro 8-Core	Ryzen 5 6600U
1080p
low	430 FPS	425 FPS
medium	430 FPS	425 FPS
high	430 FPS	425 FPS
ultra	430 FPS	425 FPS
1440p
low	430 FPS	425 FPS
medium	430 FPS	425 FPS
high	430 FPS	425 FPS
ultra	429 FPS	425 FPS
4K
low	430 FPS	425 FPS
medium	407 FPS	425 FPS
high	363 FPS	414 FPS
ultra	315 FPS	359 FPS

Open M1 Pro 8-Core Open Ryzen 5 6600U

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of M1 Pro 8-Core and Ryzen 5 6600U

M1 Pro 8-Core

The M1 Pro 8-Core is manufactured by Apple. It was released in 18 October 2021 (4 years ago). It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.06 GHz, with boost up to 3.22 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB. L2 cache: 28 MB. Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: none. Thermal design power (TDP): 28 MB + 16 MB. Memory support: LPDDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 17,218 points. Launch price was $299.

Ryzen 5 6600U

The Ryzen 5 6600U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in Janeiro 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Rembrandt-U (Zen 3+) (2022) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.9 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 6 nm process technology. Socket: FP7. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 16,992 points. Launch price was $299.

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Processing Power

The M1 Pro 8-Core packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the Ryzen 5 6600U offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the M1 Pro 8-Core has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.22 GHz on the M1 Pro 8-Core versus 4.5 GHz on the Ryzen 5 6600U — a 33.2% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 6600U (base: 2.06 GHz vs 2.9 GHz). The Ryzen 5 6600U is built on the Rembrandt-U (Zen 3+) (2022) architecture. In PassMark, the M1 Pro 8-Core scores 17,218 against the Ryzen 5 6600U's 16,992 — a 1.3% lead for the M1 Pro 8-Core. L3 cache: 16 MB on the M1 Pro 8-Core vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 6600U.

Feature	M1 Pro 8-Core	Ryzen 5 6600U
Cores / Threads	8 / 8+33%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	3.22 GHz	4.5 GHz+40%
Base Clock	2.06 GHz	2.9 GHz+41%
L3 Cache	16 MB	16 MB (total)
L2 Cache	28 MB+5500%	512K (per core)
Process	5 nm-17%	6 nm
Architecture	—	Rembrandt-U (Zen 3+) (2022)
PassMark	17,218+1%	16,992

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Memory & Platform

The M1 Pro 8-Core uses the none socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 5 6600U uses FP7 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	M1 Pro 8-Core	Ryzen 5 6600U
Socket	none	FP7
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	LPDDR5-6400	—
Max RAM Capacity	32 GB	—
RAM Channels	4	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	0	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: Virtualization (M1 Pro 8-Core) / not specified (Ryzen 5 6600U). The M1 Pro 8-Core includes integrated graphics (Apple M1 Pro GPU (14-core)), while the Ryzen 5 6600U requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: M1 Pro 8-Core targets Mobile.