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

✅Draws 36W instead of 105W, a 69W reduction.
✅Newer platform on none with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Apple M2 Pro GPU, while Ryzen 7 5800X needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 5800X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (21,939 vs 27,712).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (24 MB vs 32 MB).

Ryzen 7 5800X

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +24.1% higher average FPS across 50 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 M2 Pro mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌191.7% higher power demand at 105W vs 36W.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while M2 Pro moves to none and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while M2 Pro can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

M2 Pro

2023

Ryzen 7 5800X

2020

Why buy it

✅Draws 36W instead of 105W, a 69W reduction.
✅Newer platform on none with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Apple M2 Pro GPU, while Ryzen 7 5800X needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +24.1% higher average FPS across 50 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 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (21,939 vs 27,712).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (24 MB vs 32 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $449 MSRP, while M2 Pro mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌191.7% higher power demand at 105W vs 36W.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while M2 Pro moves to none and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while M2 Pro can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 5800X better than M2 Pro?

Yes. Ryzen 7 5800X is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 24.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 26.3% 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 24.1% more average FPS across 50 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 26.3% 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 $449 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 24.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (61.7 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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, M2 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?

M2 Pro is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2020) and a healthier platform with none and DDR5 instead of AM4. 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.

M2 Pro Benchmark Check

Ryzen 7 5800X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	M2 Pro	Ryzen 7 5800X
1080p
low	176 FPS	206 FPS
medium	142 FPS	178 FPS
high	115 FPS	146 FPS
ultra	91 FPS	110 FPS
1440p
low	141 FPS	170 FPS
medium	111 FPS	142 FPS
high	88 FPS	115 FPS
ultra	70 FPS	88 FPS
4K
low	66 FPS	83 FPS
medium	56 FPS	74 FPS
high	44 FPS	59 FPS
ultra	35 FPS	46 FPS

Open M2 Pro Open Ryzen 7 5800X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	M2 Pro	Ryzen 7 5800X
1080p
low	380 FPS	662 FPS
medium	327 FPS	558 FPS
high	269 FPS	466 FPS
ultra	216 FPS	417 FPS
1440p
low	324 FPS	563 FPS
medium	289 FPS	493 FPS
high	243 FPS	423 FPS
ultra	192 FPS	361 FPS
4K
low	208 FPS	350 FPS
medium	188 FPS	308 FPS
high	161 FPS	288 FPS
ultra	128 FPS	250 FPS

Open M2 Pro Open Ryzen 7 5800X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	M2 Pro	Ryzen 7 5800X
1080p
low	548 FPS	693 FPS
medium	548 FPS	651 FPS
high	548 FPS	570 FPS
ultra	545 FPS	464 FPS
1440p
low	548 FPS	693 FPS
medium	478 FPS	573 FPS
high	439 FPS	498 FPS
ultra	382 FPS	413 FPS
4K
low	420 FPS	484 FPS
medium	326 FPS	410 FPS
high	289 FPS	363 FPS
ultra	231 FPS	302 FPS

Open M2 Pro Open Ryzen 7 5800X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	M2 Pro	Ryzen 7 5800X
1080p
low	548 FPS	693 FPS
medium	548 FPS	693 FPS
high	548 FPS	693 FPS
ultra	548 FPS	693 FPS
1440p
low	548 FPS	693 FPS
medium	548 FPS	693 FPS
high	525 FPS	672 FPS
ultra	451 FPS	593 FPS
4K
low	476 FPS	604 FPS
medium	426 FPS	550 FPS
high	380 FPS	495 FPS
ultra	332 FPS	436 FPS

Open M2 Pro Open Ryzen 7 5800X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of M2 Pro and Ryzen 7 5800X

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 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.

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Processing Power

The M2 Pro packs 12 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 7 5800X offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the M2 Pro has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.5 GHz on the M2 Pro versus 4.7 GHz on the Ryzen 7 5800X — a 29.3% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 5800X (base: 2.42 GHz vs 3.8 GHz). The Ryzen 7 5800X is built on the Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) architecture. In PassMark, the M2 Pro scores 21,939 against the Ryzen 7 5800X's 27,712 — a 23.3% lead for the Ryzen 7 5800X. L3 cache: 24 MB on the M2 Pro vs 32 MB on the Ryzen 7 5800X.

Feature	M2 Pro	Ryzen 7 5800X
Cores / Threads	12 / 12+50%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	3.5 GHz	4.7 GHz+34%
Base Clock	2.42 GHz	3.8 GHz+57%
L3 Cache	24 MB	32 MB+33%
L2 Cache	36 MB+7100%	512K (per core)
Process	5 nm-29%	7 nm, 12 nm
Architecture	—	Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022)
PassMark	21,939	27,712+26%
Geekbench 6 Single	2,650	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	14,450	—

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Memory & Platform

The M2 Pro uses the none socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 7 5800X uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches LPDDR5-6400 on the M2 Pro versus DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen 7 5800X — the M2 Pro supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Ryzen 7 5800X 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 24 (Ryzen 7 5800X) — the Ryzen 7 5800X offers 24 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Apple Silicon (M2 Pro) and AMD 500 series,AMD 400 series,AMD 300 series (Ryzen 7 5800X).

Feature	M2 Pro	Ryzen 7 5800X
Socket	none	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	LPDDR5-6400+25%	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	32 GB	128 GB+300%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	0	24

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 7 5800X has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Virtualization support: ARM Virtualization (M2 Pro) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 7 5800X). The M2 Pro includes integrated graphics (Apple M2 Pro GPU), while the Ryzen 7 5800X requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: M2 Pro targets Professional Laptop, Ryzen 7 5800X targets Desktop.