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 Max

2021

Why buy it

✅+50% larger total L3 cache (48 MB vs 32 MB).
✅Draws 28W instead of 105W, a 77W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 7600X across 44 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (22,146 vs 28,325).

Ryzen 5 7600X

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +18.5% higher average FPS across 44 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (32 MB vs 48 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $299 MSRP, while M1 Max mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌275% higher power demand at 105W vs 28W.

M1 Max

2021

Ryzen 5 7600X

2022

Why buy it

✅+50% larger total L3 cache (48 MB vs 32 MB).
✅Draws 28W instead of 105W, a 77W reduction.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +18.5% higher average FPS across 44 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 7600X across 44 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (22,146 vs 28,325).

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (32 MB vs 48 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $299 MSRP, while M1 Max mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌275% higher power demand at 105W vs 28W.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 7600X better than M1 Max?

Yes. Ryzen 5 7600X is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 18.5% average FPS lead across 44 shared CPU game tests in our data, 27.9% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 5 7600X is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 18.5% more average FPS across 44 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 5 7600X is the better fit. You are getting 27.9% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads.

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

Ryzen 5 7600X is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 5 7600X is at an unclear MSRP at $299 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 18.5% average FPS lead across 44 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (94.7 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 Max 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?

Ryzen 5 7600X is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2021) and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 10/10. 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 Max Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 7600X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	M1 Max	Ryzen 5 7600X
1080p
low	183 FPS	266 FPS
medium	146 FPS	246 FPS
high	117 FPS	210 FPS
ultra	93 FPS	179 FPS
1440p
low	152 FPS	226 FPS
medium	118 FPS	189 FPS
high	91 FPS	154 FPS
ultra	73 FPS	134 FPS
4K
low	71 FPS	157 FPS
medium	59 FPS	131 FPS
high	46 FPS	101 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	87 FPS

Open M1 Max Open Ryzen 5 7600X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	M1 Max	Ryzen 5 7600X
1080p
low	236 FPS	649 FPS
medium	211 FPS	524 FPS
high	172 FPS	436 FPS
ultra	137 FPS	386 FPS
1440p
low	200 FPS	544 FPS
medium	182 FPS	455 FPS
high	153 FPS	388 FPS
ultra	117 FPS	329 FPS
4K
low	122 FPS	341 FPS
medium	113 FPS	290 FPS
high	99 FPS	271 FPS
ultra	81 FPS	232 FPS

Open M1 Max Open Ryzen 5 7600X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	M1 Max	Ryzen 5 7600X
1080p
low	554 FPS	708 FPS
medium	554 FPS	652 FPS
high	554 FPS	571 FPS
ultra	510 FPS	484 FPS
1440p
low	554 FPS	708 FPS
medium	473 FPS	554 FPS
high	415 FPS	479 FPS
ultra	364 FPS	409 FPS
4K
low	417 FPS	463 FPS
medium	323 FPS	392 FPS
high	274 FPS	341 FPS
ultra	221 FPS	281 FPS

Open M1 Max Open Ryzen 5 7600X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	M1 Max	Ryzen 5 7600X
1080p
low	554 FPS	708 FPS
medium	554 FPS	708 FPS
high	554 FPS	708 FPS
ultra	554 FPS	708 FPS
1440p
low	554 FPS	708 FPS
medium	554 FPS	708 FPS
high	532 FPS	658 FPS
ultra	453 FPS	571 FPS
4K
low	509 FPS	560 FPS
medium	451 FPS	502 FPS
high	394 FPS	452 FPS
ultra	341 FPS	391 FPS

Open M1 Max Open Ryzen 5 7600X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of M1 Max and Ryzen 5 7600X

M1 Max

The M1 Max is manufactured by Apple. It was released in 18 October 2021 (4 years ago). It features 10 cores and 10 threads. Base frequency is 2.06 GHz, with boost up to 3.22 GHz. L3 cache: 48 MB. L2 cache: 28 MB. Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: none. Thermal design power (TDP): 28 MB + 48 MB. Memory support: LPDDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 22,146 points. Launch price was $299.

Ryzen 5 7600X

The Ryzen 5 7600X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 27 September 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 4.7 GHz, with boost up to 5.3 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 6 MB. Built on 5 nm, 6 nm process technology. Socket: AM5. Thermal design power (TDP): 105 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-5200. Passmark benchmark score: 28,325 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The M1 Max packs 10 cores / 10 threads, while the Ryzen 5 7600X offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the M1 Max has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.22 GHz on the M1 Max versus 5.3 GHz on the Ryzen 5 7600X — a 48.8% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 7600X (base: 2.06 GHz vs 4.7 GHz). The Ryzen 5 7600X is built on the Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023) architecture. In PassMark, the M1 Max scores 22,146 against the Ryzen 5 7600X's 28,325 — a 24.5% lead for the Ryzen 5 7600X. L3 cache: 48 MB on the M1 Max vs 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 7600X.

Feature	M1 Max	Ryzen 5 7600X
Cores / Threads	10 / 10+67%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	3.22 GHz	5.3 GHz+65%
Base Clock	2.06 GHz	4.7 GHz+128%
L3 Cache	48 MB+50%	32 MB (total)
L2 Cache	28 MB+367%	6 MB
Process	5 nm	5 nm, 6 nm
Architecture	—	Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023)
PassMark	22,146	28,325+28%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	15,300
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,900
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	13,800

🧠

Memory & Platform

The M1 Max uses the none socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 5 7600X uses AM5 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to LPDDR5-6400 memory speed. The Ryzen 5 7600X supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 64 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 8 (M1 Max) vs 2 (Ryzen 5 7600X). PCIe lanes: 0 (M1 Max) vs 28 (Ryzen 5 7600X) — the Ryzen 5 7600X offers 28 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	M1 Max	Ryzen 5 7600X
Socket	none	AM5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 5.0+25%
Max RAM Speed	LPDDR5-6400	DDR5-5200
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB	128 GB+100%
RAM Channels	8+300%	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	0	28

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 5 7600X has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Ryzen 5 7600X supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: ARM-V (M1 Max) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 5 7600X). Both include integrated graphics — M1 Max GPU (M1 Max) and AMD Radeon Graphics (2-core) (Ryzen 5 7600X) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: M1 Max targets Mobile Workstation, Ryzen 5 7600X targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Ryzen 5 7600X rivals Intel Core i5-13600K.

Feature	M1 Max	Ryzen 5 7600X
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	M1 Max GPU	AMD Radeon Graphics (2-core)
Unlocked	No	Yes
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	ARM-V	AMD-V
Target Use	Mobile Workstation	Gaming