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

2021

Why buy it

✅Draws 28W instead of 105W, a 77W reduction.
✅Newer platform on none with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 5800X across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (17,218 vs 27,712).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (24 MB vs 32 MB).

Ryzen 7 5800X

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +56.1% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 24 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $449 MSRP, while M1 Pro mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌275% higher power demand at 105W vs 28W.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while M1 Pro moves to none and DDR5.

M1 Pro

2021

Ryzen 7 5800X

2020

Why buy it

✅Draws 28W instead of 105W, a 77W reduction.
✅Newer platform on none with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +56.1% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 24 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 5800X across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (17,218 vs 27,712).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (24 MB vs 32 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $449 MSRP, while M1 Pro mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌275% higher power demand at 105W vs 28W.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while M1 Pro moves to none and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 5800X better than M1 Pro?

Yes. Ryzen 7 5800X is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 56.1% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data and 60.9% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 7 5800X is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 56.1% 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 7 5800X is the better fit. You are getting 60.9% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 33.3% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 24 MB).

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

Ryzen 7 5800X is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 7 5800X is at an unclear MSRP at $449 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 56.1% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (61.7 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 Pro 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?

M1 Pro is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2021 vs 2020) and a healthier platform with none and DDR5 instead of AM4. 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.

M1 Pro Benchmark Check

Ryzen 7 5800X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	M1 Pro	Ryzen 7 5800X
1080p
low	175 FPS	206 FPS
medium	141 FPS	178 FPS
high	114 FPS	146 FPS
ultra	90 FPS	110 FPS
1440p
low	141 FPS	170 FPS
medium	111 FPS	142 FPS
high	88 FPS	115 FPS
ultra	69 FPS	88 FPS
4K
low	66 FPS	83 FPS
medium	55 FPS	74 FPS
high	44 FPS	59 FPS
ultra	35 FPS	46 FPS

Open M1 Pro Open Ryzen 7 5800X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	M1 Pro	Ryzen 7 5800X
1080p
low	215 FPS	662 FPS
medium	190 FPS	558 FPS
high	160 FPS	466 FPS
ultra	129 FPS	417 FPS
1440p
low	183 FPS	563 FPS
medium	167 FPS	493 FPS
high	143 FPS	423 FPS
ultra	114 FPS	361 FPS
4K
low	116 FPS	350 FPS
medium	107 FPS	308 FPS
high	95 FPS	288 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	250 FPS

Open M1 Pro Open Ryzen 7 5800X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	M1 Pro	Ryzen 7 5800X
1080p
low	430 FPS	693 FPS
medium	430 FPS	651 FPS
high	430 FPS	570 FPS
ultra	430 FPS	464 FPS
1440p
low	430 FPS	693 FPS
medium	430 FPS	573 FPS
high	411 FPS	498 FPS
ultra	359 FPS	413 FPS
4K
low	414 FPS	484 FPS
medium	320 FPS	410 FPS
high	271 FPS	363 FPS
ultra	217 FPS	302 FPS

Open M1 Pro Open Ryzen 7 5800X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	M1 Pro	Ryzen 7 5800X
1080p
low	430 FPS	693 FPS
medium	430 FPS	693 FPS
high	430 FPS	693 FPS
ultra	430 FPS	693 FPS
1440p
low	430 FPS	693 FPS
medium	430 FPS	693 FPS
high	430 FPS	672 FPS
ultra	429 FPS	593 FPS
4K
low	430 FPS	604 FPS
medium	408 FPS	550 FPS
high	363 FPS	495 FPS
ultra	315 FPS	436 FPS

Open M1 Pro Open Ryzen 7 5800X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of M1 Pro and Ryzen 7 5800X

M1 Pro

The M1 Pro is manufactured by Apple. It was released in 18 October 2021 (4 years ago). It features 10 cores and 10 threads. Base frequency is 2.064 GHz, with boost up to 3.22 GHz. L3 cache: 24 MB. L2 cache: 28 MB. Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: none. Thermal design power (TDP): 28 MB + 24 MB. Memory support: LPDDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 17,218 points. Launch price was $299.

Ryzen 7 5800X

The Ryzen 7 5800X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 5 November 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.8 GHz, with boost up to 4.7 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 105 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 27,712 points. Launch price was $449.

⚡

Processing Power

The M1 Pro packs 10 cores / 10 threads, while the Ryzen 7 5800X offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the M1 Pro has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.22 GHz on the M1 Pro versus 4.7 GHz on the Ryzen 7 5800X — a 37.4% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 5800X (base: 2.064 GHz vs 3.8 GHz). The Ryzen 7 5800X is built on the Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) architecture. In PassMark, the M1 Pro scores 17,218 against the Ryzen 7 5800X's 27,712 — a 46.7% lead for the Ryzen 7 5800X. L3 cache: 24 MB on the M1 Pro vs 32 MB on the Ryzen 7 5800X.

Feature	M1 Pro	Ryzen 7 5800X
Cores / Threads	10 / 10+25%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	3.22 GHz	4.7 GHz+46%
Base Clock	2.064 GHz	3.8 GHz+84%
L3 Cache	24 MB	32 MB+33%
L2 Cache	28 MB+5500%	512K (per core)
Process	5 nm-29%	7 nm, 12 nm
Architecture	—	Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022)
PassMark	17,218	27,712+61%