M2 Pro 10-Core vs Ryzen 7 PRO 250

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.

M2 Pro 10-Core vs Ryzen 7 PRO 250 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

M2 Pro 10-Core vs Ryzen 7 PRO 250: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

M2 Pro 10-Core

2023

Why buy it

✅+0.7% higher PassMark.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 16 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 PRO 250 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌350% higher power demand at 36W vs 8W.

Ryzen 7 PRO 250

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +24.4% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 8W instead of 36W, a 28W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (21,789 vs 21,939).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 24 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $400 MSRP, while M2 Pro 10-Core mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 PRO 250 better than M2 Pro 10-Core?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Ryzen 7 PRO 250 is ahead with a 24.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, M2 Pro 10-Core pulls ahead with 0.7% better PassMark. M2 Pro 10-Core also has the bigger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 16 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, M2 Pro 10-Core is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.7% better PassMark, backed by 10 cores and 10 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 16 MB).

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

Ryzen 7 PRO 250 is the better buy right now. Ryzen 7 PRO 250 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $400 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 24.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The compromise is that M2 Pro 10-Core is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 0.7% better PassMark. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (54.5 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Ryzen 7 PRO 250 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2023). That gives you a healthier platform runway for motherboard, RAM, and later CPU upgrades.

M2 Pro 10-Core vs Ryzen 7 PRO 250 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

M2 Pro 10-Core

The M2 Pro 10-Core is manufactured by Apple. It was released in 17 January 2023 (2 years ago). It features 10 cores and 10 threads. Base frequency is 2.42 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 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 PRO 250

The Ryzen 7 PRO 250 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Hawk Point-U (Zen 4) (2023−2025) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 5.1 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB. L2 cache: 8 MB. Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: FP8. Thermal design power (TDP): 8 MB + 16 MB. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 21,789 points. Launch price was $299.

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Processing Power

The M2 Pro 10-Core packs 10 cores / 10 threads, while the Ryzen 7 PRO 250 offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the M2 Pro 10-Core has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.7 GHz on the M2 Pro 10-Core versus 5.1 GHz on the Ryzen 7 PRO 250 — a 31.8% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 PRO 250 (base: 2.42 GHz vs 3.3 GHz). The Ryzen 7 PRO 250 is built on the Hawk Point-U (Zen 4) (2023−2025) architecture. In PassMark, the M2 Pro 10-Core scores 21,939 against the Ryzen 7 PRO 250's 21,789 — a 0.7% lead for the M2 Pro 10-Core. L3 cache: 24 MB on the M2 Pro 10-Core vs 16 MB on the Ryzen 7 PRO 250.

Feature	M2 Pro 10-Core	Ryzen 7 PRO 250
Cores / Threads	10 / 10+25%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	3.7 GHz	5.1 GHz+38%
Base Clock	2.42 GHz	3.3 GHz+36%
L3 Cache	24 MB+50%	16 MB
L2 Cache	36 MB+350%	8 MB
Process	5 nm	4 nm-20%
Architecture	—	Hawk Point-U (Zen 4) (2023−2025)
PassMark	21,939	21,789

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Memory & Platform

The M2 Pro 10-Core uses the none socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 7 PRO 250 uses FP8 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.