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 Max

2023

Why buy it

✅+50% larger total L3 cache (48 MB vs 32 MB).
✅Draws 36W instead of 105W, a 69W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 7600X across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (26,824 vs 28,325).

Ryzen 5 7600X

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +10.0% higher average FPS across 4 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 M2 Max mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌191.7% higher power demand at 105W vs 36W.

M2 Max

2023

Ryzen 5 7600X

2022

Why buy it

✅+50% larger total L3 cache (48 MB vs 32 MB).
✅Draws 36W instead of 105W, a 69W reduction.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +10.0% higher average FPS across 4 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 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (26,824 vs 28,325).

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (32 MB vs 48 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $299 MSRP, while M2 Max mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌191.7% higher power demand at 105W vs 36W.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 7600X better than M2 Max?

Yes. Ryzen 5 7600X is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 10.0% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data and 5.6% better PassMark, 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 10.0% more average FPS across 4 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 5.6% 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 $299 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 10.0% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (94.7 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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, M2 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?

M2 Max is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2022) and 50% larger total L3 cache (48 MB vs 32 MB). 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.

M2 Max Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 7600X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	M2 Max	Ryzen 5 7600X
1080p
low	189 FPS	266 FPS
medium	152 FPS	246 FPS
high	124 FPS	210 FPS
ultra	98 FPS	179 FPS
1440p
low	155 FPS	226 FPS
medium	121 FPS	189 FPS
high	94 FPS	154 FPS
ultra	76 FPS	134 FPS
4K
low	71 FPS	157 FPS
medium	59 FPS	131 FPS
high	46 FPS	101 FPS
ultra	38 FPS	87 FPS

Open M2 Max Open Ryzen 5 7600X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	M2 Max	Ryzen 5 7600X
1080p
low	505 FPS	649 FPS
medium	437 FPS	524 FPS
high	342 FPS	436 FPS
ultra	279 FPS	386 FPS
1440p
low	429 FPS	544 FPS
medium	379 FPS	455 FPS
high	306 FPS	388 FPS
ultra	240 FPS	329 FPS
4K
low	266 FPS	341 FPS
medium	239 FPS	290 FPS
high	210 FPS	271 FPS
ultra	173 FPS	232 FPS

Open M2 Max Open Ryzen 5 7600X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	M2 Max	Ryzen 5 7600X
1080p
low	671 FPS	708 FPS
medium	670 FPS	652 FPS
high	625 FPS	571 FPS
ultra	552 FPS	484 FPS
1440p
low	605 FPS	708 FPS
medium	483 FPS	554 FPS
high	444 FPS	479 FPS
ultra	388 FPS	409 FPS
4K
low	423 FPS	463 FPS
medium	329 FPS	392 FPS
high	292 FPS	341 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	281 FPS

Open M2 Max Open Ryzen 5 7600X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	M2 Max	Ryzen 5 7600X
1080p
low	671 FPS	708 FPS
medium	671 FPS	708 FPS
high	671 FPS	708 FPS
ultra	668 FPS	708 FPS
1440p
low	671 FPS	708 FPS
medium	663 FPS	708 FPS
high	569 FPS	658 FPS
ultra	489 FPS	571 FPS
4K
low	545 FPS	560 FPS
medium	486 FPS	502 FPS
high	427 FPS	452 FPS
ultra	368 FPS	391 FPS

Open M2 Max Open Ryzen 5 7600X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of M2 Max and Ryzen 5 7600X

M2 Max

The M2 Max is manufactured by Apple. It was released in 17 January 2023 (2 years ago). It features 12 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.424 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 48 MB. L2 cache: 36 MB. Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: none. Thermal design power (TDP): 36 MB + 48 MB. Memory support: LPDDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 26,824 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 M2 Max packs 12 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 5 7600X offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the M2 Max has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.7 GHz on the M2 Max versus 5.3 GHz on the Ryzen 5 7600X — a 35.6% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 7600X (base: 2.424 GHz vs 4.7 GHz). The Ryzen 5 7600X is built on the Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023) architecture. In PassMark, the M2 Max scores 26,824 against the Ryzen 5 7600X's 28,325 — a 5.4% lead for the Ryzen 5 7600X. L3 cache: 48 MB on the M2 Max vs 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 7600X.

Feature	M2 Max	Ryzen 5 7600X
Cores / Threads	12 / 12+100%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	3.7 GHz	5.3 GHz+43%
Base Clock	2.424 GHz	4.7 GHz+94%
L3 Cache	48 MB+50%	32 MB (total)
L2 Cache	36 MB+500%	6 MB
Process	5 nm	5 nm, 6 nm
Architecture	—	Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023)
PassMark	26,824	28,325+6%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	15,300
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,900
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	13,800

🧠

Memory & Platform

The M2 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 96 GB — 28.6% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 4 (M2 Max) vs 2 (Ryzen 5 7600X). PCIe lanes: 0 (M2 Max) vs 28 (Ryzen 5 7600X) — the Ryzen 5 7600X offers 28 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	M2 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	96 GB	128 GB+33%
RAM Channels	4+100%	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: Virtualization (M2 Max) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 5 7600X). Both include integrated graphics — Apple M2 Max GPU (M2 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: M2 Max targets Mobile, Ryzen 5 7600X targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Ryzen 5 7600X rivals Intel Core i5-13600K.

Feature	M2 Max	Ryzen 5 7600X
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	Apple M2 Max GPU	AMD Radeon Graphics (2-core)
Unlocked	No	Yes
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	Virtualization	AMD-V
Target Use	Mobile	Gaming