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 Pro

2023

Why buy it

✅+4.7% higher Geekbench multi-core.
✅Draws 36W instead of 105W, a 69W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 7600X across 44 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (24 MB vs 32 MB).

Ryzen 5 7600X

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +17.5% higher average FPS across 44 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 24 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (13,800 vs 14,450).
❌Launch MSRP is still $299 MSRP, while M2 Pro mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌191.7% higher power demand at 105W vs 36W.

M2 Pro

2023

Ryzen 5 7600X

2022

Why buy it

✅+4.7% higher Geekbench multi-core.
✅Draws 36W instead of 105W, a 69W reduction.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +17.5% higher average FPS across 44 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 24 MB).
✅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.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (24 MB vs 32 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (13,800 vs 14,450).
❌Launch MSRP is still $299 MSRP, while M2 Pro mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌191.7% higher power demand at 105W vs 36W.

Quick Answers

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

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen 5 7600X is ahead with a 17.5% average FPS lead across 44 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, M2 Pro pulls ahead with 4.7% better Geekbench multi-core. Ryzen 5 7600X also has the bigger cache pool with 33.3% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 24 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, M2 Pro is the better fit. You are getting 4.7% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 12 cores and 12 threads.

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

M2 Pro is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 5 7600X makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. M2 Pro is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $299 MSRP, and it gives you 4.7% better Geekbench multi-core. The trade-off is that Ryzen 5 7600X is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 17.5% average FPS lead across 44 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 5 7600X is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (94.7 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible AM5 + DDR5 setup, Ryzen 5 7600X is still an elite gaming CPU and a very strong platform-matched choice because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap while remaining one of the strongest gaming chips you can buy.

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

M2 Pro is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2022) and more multi-core headroom with 12 cores / 12 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 Pro Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 7600X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	M2 Pro	Ryzen 5 7600X
1080p
low	176 FPS	266 FPS
medium	142 FPS	246 FPS
high	115 FPS	210 FPS
ultra	91 FPS	179 FPS
1440p
low	141 FPS	226 FPS
medium	111 FPS	189 FPS
high	88 FPS	154 FPS
ultra	70 FPS	134 FPS
4K
low	66 FPS	157 FPS
medium	56 FPS	131 FPS
high	44 FPS	101 FPS
ultra	35 FPS	87 FPS

Open M2 Pro Open Ryzen 5 7600X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	M2 Pro	Ryzen 5 7600X
1080p
low	380 FPS	649 FPS
medium	327 FPS	524 FPS
high	269 FPS	436 FPS
ultra	216 FPS	386 FPS
1440p
low	324 FPS	544 FPS
medium	289 FPS	455 FPS
high	243 FPS	388 FPS
ultra	192 FPS	329 FPS
4K
low	208 FPS	341 FPS
medium	188 FPS	290 FPS
high	161 FPS	271 FPS
ultra	128 FPS	232 FPS

Open M2 Pro Open Ryzen 5 7600X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	M2 Pro	Ryzen 5 7600X
1080p
low	548 FPS	708 FPS
medium	548 FPS	652 FPS
high	548 FPS	571 FPS
ultra	545 FPS	484 FPS
1440p
low	548 FPS	708 FPS
medium	478 FPS	554 FPS
high	439 FPS	479 FPS
ultra	382 FPS	409 FPS
4K
low	420 FPS	463 FPS
medium	326 FPS	392 FPS
high	289 FPS	341 FPS
ultra	231 FPS	281 FPS

Open M2 Pro Open Ryzen 5 7600X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	M2 Pro	Ryzen 5 7600X
1080p
low	548 FPS	708 FPS
medium	548 FPS	708 FPS
high	548 FPS	708 FPS
ultra	548 FPS	708 FPS
1440p
low	548 FPS	708 FPS
medium	548 FPS	708 FPS
high	525 FPS	658 FPS
ultra	451 FPS	571 FPS
4K
low	476 FPS	560 FPS
medium	426 FPS	502 FPS
high	380 FPS	452 FPS
ultra	332 FPS	391 FPS

Open M2 Pro Open Ryzen 5 7600X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

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

M2 Pro

The M2 Pro is manufactured by Apple. It was released in 17 January 2023 (2 years ago). It features 12 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.42 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 24 MB. L2 cache: 36 MB. Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: none. Thermal design power (TDP): 36 MB + 24 MB. Memory support: LPDDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 21,939 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 Pro packs 12 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 5 7600X offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the M2 Pro has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.5 GHz on the M2 Pro versus 5.3 GHz on the Ryzen 5 7600X — a 40.9% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 7600X (base: 2.42 GHz vs 4.7 GHz). The Ryzen 5 7600X is built on the Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023) architecture. In PassMark, the M2 Pro scores 21,939 against the Ryzen 5 7600X's 28,325 — a 25.4% lead for the Ryzen 5 7600X. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,650 vs 2,900, a 9% lead for the Ryzen 5 7600X that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 14,450 vs 13,800 (4.6% advantage for the M2 Pro). L3 cache: 24 MB on the M2 Pro vs 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 7600X.

Feature	M2 Pro	Ryzen 5 7600X
Cores / Threads	12 / 12+100%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	3.5 GHz	5.3 GHz+51%
Base Clock	2.42 GHz	4.7 GHz+94%
L3 Cache	24 MB	32 MB (total)+33%
L2 Cache	36 MB+500%	6 MB
Process	5 nm	5 nm, 6 nm
Architecture	—	Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023)
PassMark	21,939	28,325+29%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	15,300
Geekbench 6 Single	2,650	2,900+9%
Geekbench 6 Multi	14,450+5%	13,800

🧠

Memory & Platform

The M2 Pro 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 32 GB — 120% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 0 (M2 Pro) vs 28 (Ryzen 5 7600X) — the Ryzen 5 7600X offers 28 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Apple Silicon (M2 Pro) and X670E,X670,B650E,B650,A620 (Ryzen 5 7600X).

Feature	M2 Pro	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	32 GB	128 GB+300%
RAM Channels	2	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 Virtualization (M2 Pro) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 5 7600X). Both include integrated graphics — Apple M2 Pro GPU (M2 Pro) 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 Pro targets Professional Laptop, Ryzen 5 7600X targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Ryzen 5 7600X rivals Intel Core i5-13600K.

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