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

2022

Why buy it

✅Draws 20W instead of 120W, a 100W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 7800X3D across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (14,933 vs 34,293).
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 7 7800X3D can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Ryzen 7 7800X3D

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +36.6% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with AMD Radeon Graphics (2-core), while M2 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $449 MSRP, while M2 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌500% higher power demand at 120W vs 20W.

M2

2022

Ryzen 7 7800X3D

2023

Why buy it

✅Draws 20W instead of 120W, a 100W reduction.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +36.6% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with AMD Radeon Graphics (2-core), while M2 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 7800X3D across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (14,933 vs 34,293).
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 7 7800X3D can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $449 MSRP, while M2 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌500% higher power demand at 120W vs 20W.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 7800X3D better than M2?

Yes. Ryzen 7 7800X3D is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 36.6% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data, 129.6% 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 7 7800X3D is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 36.6% more average FPS across 3 shared CPU game tests. It also has a big cache advantage at 96 MB vs null.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 7 7800X3D is the better fit. You are getting 129.6% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads.

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

Ryzen 7 7800X3D is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 7 7800X3D is at an unclear MSRP at $449 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 36.6% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (76.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 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 7 7800X3D is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2022), 3D V-Cache and a much larger 96 MB L3 cache instead of null, and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 threads instead of 8/8. 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 Benchmark Check

Ryzen 7 7800X3D Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	M2	Ryzen 7 7800X3D
1080p
low	175 FPS	266 FPS
medium	140 FPS	247 FPS
high	113 FPS	211 FPS
ultra	90 FPS	186 FPS
1440p
low	141 FPS	258 FPS
medium	111 FPS	215 FPS
high	88 FPS	171 FPS
ultra	69 FPS	154 FPS
4K
low	66 FPS	179 FPS
medium	55 FPS	149 FPS
high	44 FPS	112 FPS
ultra	35 FPS	100 FPS

Open M2 Open Ryzen 7 7800X3D

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	M2	Ryzen 7 7800X3D
1080p
low	288 FPS	857 FPS
medium	246 FPS	735 FPS
high	213 FPS	579 FPS
ultra	166 FPS	491 FPS
1440p
low	248 FPS	715 FPS
medium	220 FPS	607 FPS
high	193 FPS	497 FPS
ultra	150 FPS	396 FPS
4K
low	174 FPS	393 FPS
medium	159 FPS	337 FPS
high	136 FPS	314 FPS
ultra	106 FPS	271 FPS

Open M2 Open Ryzen 7 7800X3D

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	M2	Ryzen 7 7800X3D
1080p
low	373 FPS	857 FPS
medium	373 FPS	857 FPS
high	373 FPS	857 FPS
ultra	373 FPS	857 FPS
1440p
low	373 FPS	857 FPS
medium	373 FPS	851 FPS
high	373 FPS	786 FPS
ultra	363 FPS	656 FPS
4K
low	373 FPS	558 FPS
medium	314 FPS	479 FPS
high	277 FPS	427 FPS
ultra	221 FPS	362 FPS

Open M2 Open Ryzen 7 7800X3D

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	M2	Ryzen 7 7800X3D
1080p
low	373 FPS	857 FPS
medium	373 FPS	857 FPS
high	373 FPS	857 FPS
ultra	373 FPS	782 FPS
1440p
low	373 FPS	857 FPS
medium	373 FPS	760 FPS
high	373 FPS	669 FPS
ultra	373 FPS	576 FPS
4K
low	373 FPS	618 FPS
medium	373 FPS	556 FPS
high	373 FPS	495 FPS
ultra	328 FPS	428 FPS

Open M2 Open Ryzen 7 7800X3D

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of M2 and Ryzen 7 7800X3D

M2

The M2 is manufactured by Apple. It was released in 10 June 2022 (3 years ago). It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.424 GHz, with boost up to 3.48 GHz. L2 cache: 20 MB. Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: none. Thermal design power (TDP): 20 Watt. Memory support: LPDDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 14,933 points. Launch price was $149.

Ryzen 7 7800X3D

The Ryzen 7 7800X3D is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 4 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 4.4 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 96 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: AM5. Thermal design power (TDP): 120 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-5200. Passmark benchmark score: 34,293 points. Launch price was $449.

⚡

Processing Power

The M2 packs 8 cores / 8 threads, matching the Ryzen 7 7800X3D's 8 cores. Boost clocks reach 3.48 GHz on the M2 versus 5 GHz on the Ryzen 7 7800X3D — a 35.8% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 7800X3D (base: 2.424 GHz vs 4.4 GHz). The Ryzen 7 7800X3D is built on the Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023) architecture. In PassMark, the M2 scores 14,933 against the Ryzen 7 7800X3D's 34,293 — a 78.7% lead for the Ryzen 7 7800X3D.

Feature	M2	Ryzen 7 7800X3D
Cores / Threads	8 / 8	8 / 16
Boost Clock	3.48 GHz	5 GHz+44%
Base Clock	2.424 GHz	4.4 GHz+82%
L3 Cache	—	96 MB (total)
L2 Cache	20 MB+1900%	1 MB (per core)
Process	5 nm	5 nm
Architecture	—	Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023)
PassMark	14,933	34,293+130%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	18,500
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,700
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	15,000

🧠

Memory & Platform

The M2 uses the none socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 7 7800X3D uses AM5 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	M2	Ryzen 7 7800X3D
Socket	none	AM5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 5.0+25%
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR5-5200
Max RAM Capacity	—	128 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	Yes
PCIe Lanes	—	28

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (M2) / AMD-V (Ryzen 7 7800X3D). The Ryzen 7 7800X3D includes integrated graphics (AMD Radeon Graphics (2-core)), while the M2 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 7 7800X3D targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Ryzen 7 7800X3D rivals Intel Core i7-14700K.