M1 Pro
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Ryzen 5 6600U
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Performance Spectrum - CPU
About PassMark
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
2021Why buy it
- ✅+1.3% higher PassMark.
- ✅+50% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 16 MB).
Trade-offs
- ❌86.7% higher power demand at 28W vs 15W.
Ryzen 5 6600U
2022Why buy it
- ✅Draws 15W instead of 28W, a 13W reduction.
Trade-offs
- ❌Lower PassMark (16,992 vs 17,218).
- ❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 24 MB).
M1 Pro
2021Ryzen 5 6600U
2022Why buy it
- ✅+1.3% higher PassMark.
- ✅+50% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 16 MB).
Why buy it
- ✅Draws 15W instead of 28W, a 13W reduction.
Trade-offs
- ❌86.7% higher power demand at 28W vs 15W.
Trade-offs
- ❌Lower PassMark (16,992 vs 17,218).
- ❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 24 MB).
Quick Answers
So, is Ryzen 5 6600U better than M1 Pro?
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Games Benchmarks
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.
Path of Exile 2
| Preset | M1 Pro | Ryzen 5 6600U |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 175 FPS | 167 FPS |
| medium | 141 FPS | 145 FPS |
| high | 114 FPS | 117 FPS |
| ultra | 90 FPS | 98 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 141 FPS | 142 FPS |
| medium | 111 FPS | 121 FPS |
| high | 88 FPS | 98 FPS |
| ultra | 69 FPS | 82 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 66 FPS | 79 FPS |
| medium | 55 FPS | 72 FPS |
| high | 44 FPS | 57 FPS |
| ultra | 35 FPS | 45 FPS |
Counter-Strike 2
| Preset | M1 Pro | Ryzen 5 6600U |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 215 FPS | 353 FPS |
| medium | 190 FPS | 294 FPS |
| high | 160 FPS | 259 FPS |
| ultra | 129 FPS | 228 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 183 FPS | 304 FPS |
| medium | 167 FPS | 258 FPS |
| high | 143 FPS | 234 FPS |
| ultra | 114 FPS | 202 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 116 FPS | 226 FPS |
| medium | 107 FPS | 195 FPS |
| high | 95 FPS | 179 FPS |
| ultra | 77 FPS | 146 FPS |
League of Legends
| Preset | M1 Pro | Ryzen 5 6600U |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 430 FPS | 425 FPS |
| medium | 430 FPS | 425 FPS |
| high | 430 FPS | 414 FPS |
| ultra | 430 FPS | 344 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 430 FPS | 425 FPS |
| medium | 430 FPS | 400 FPS |
| high | 411 FPS | 360 FPS |
| ultra | 359 FPS | 301 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 414 FPS | 340 FPS |
| medium | 320 FPS | 284 FPS |
| high | 271 FPS | 246 FPS |
| ultra | 217 FPS | 193 FPS |
Valorant
| Preset | M1 Pro | Ryzen 5 6600U |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 430 FPS | 425 FPS |
| medium | 430 FPS | 425 FPS |
| high | 430 FPS | 425 FPS |
| ultra | 430 FPS | 425 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 430 FPS | 425 FPS |
| medium | 430 FPS | 425 FPS |
| high | 430 FPS | 425 FPS |
| ultra | 429 FPS | 425 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 430 FPS | 425 FPS |
| medium | 408 FPS | 425 FPS |
| high | 363 FPS | 414 FPS |
| ultra | 315 FPS | 359 FPS |
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of M1 Pro and Ryzen 5 6600U
M1 Pro
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 5 6600U
Ryzen 5 6600U
The Ryzen 5 6600U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in Janeiro 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Rembrandt-U (Zen 3+) (2022) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.9 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 6 nm process technology. Socket: FP7. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 16,992 points. Launch price was $299.
Processing Power
The M1 Pro packs 10 cores / 10 threads, while the Ryzen 5 6600U offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the M1 Pro has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.22 GHz on the M1 Pro versus 4.5 GHz on the Ryzen 5 6600U — a 33.2% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 6600U (base: 2.064 GHz vs 2.9 GHz). The Ryzen 5 6600U is built on the Rembrandt-U (Zen 3+) (2022) architecture. In PassMark, the M1 Pro scores 17,218 against the Ryzen 5 6600U's 16,992 — a 1.3% lead for the M1 Pro. L3 cache: 24 MB on the M1 Pro vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 6600U.
| Feature | M1 Pro | Ryzen 5 6600U |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 10 / 10+67% | 6 / 12 |
| Boost Clock | 3.22 GHz | 4.5 GHz+40% |
| Base Clock | 2.064 GHz | 2.9 GHz+41% |
| L3 Cache | 24 MB+50% | 16 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 28 MB+5500% | 512K (per core) |
| Process | 5 nm-17% | 6 nm |
| Architecture | — | Rembrandt-U (Zen 3+) (2022) |
| PassMark | 17,218+1% | 16,992 |
Memory & Platform
The M1 Pro uses the none socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 5 6600U uses FP7 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | M1 Pro | Ryzen 5 6600U |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | none | FP7 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 4.0 | PCIe 4.0 |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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