M2 Pro vs Core Ultra 5 135H

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.

Value Upgrade Path

This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar M2 Pro

#204

M2 Pro

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core Ultra 5 135H

#73

Core i9-13950HX

MSRP: $590|Avg: $199

107%

#82

Core i7-11700B

MSRP: $323|Avg: $311

103%

#83

Core i7-13700HX

MSRP: $485|Avg: N/A

103%

#86

Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 370

MSRP: $500|Avg: $500

102%

#87

Core Ultra 5 135H

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#96

Ryzen AI Max PRO 380

MSRP: $400|Avg: $400

95%

#97

Core Ultra 5 226V

MSRP: $300|Avg: $300

95%

#101

Core i5-1350P

MSRP: $320|Avg: $250

91%

#102

Core i3-1220P

MSRP: $250|Avg: $150

90%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core Ultra 5 135H delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the M2 Pro in both compute-intensive tasks (0.8% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	M2 Pro	Core Ultra 5 135H
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	✨ Modern (Legacy / 5 nm)	✨ Modern (Meteor Lake-H (2023) / 7 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	M2 Pro	Core Ultra 5 135H
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing

Performance Check

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

Core Ultra 5 135H Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of M2 Pro and Core Ultra 5 135H

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.

Core Ultra 5 135H

The Core Ultra 5 135H is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 December 2023 (1 year ago). It is based on the Meteor Lake-H (2023) architecture. It features 14 cores and 18 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 18 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA2049. Thermal design power (TDP): + 18 MB. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 22,116 points. Launch price was $342.

⚡

Processing Power

The M2 Pro packs 12 cores / 12 threads, while the Core Ultra 5 135H offers 14 cores / 18 threads — the Core Ultra 5 135H has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.5 GHz on the M2 Pro versus 4.6 GHz on the Core Ultra 5 135H — a 27.2% clock advantage for the Core Ultra 5 135H (base: 2.42 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Core Ultra 5 135H is built on the Meteor Lake-H (2023) architecture. In PassMark, the M2 Pro scores 21,939 against the Core Ultra 5 135H's 22,116 — a 0.8% lead for the Core Ultra 5 135H. L3 cache: 24 MB on the M2 Pro vs 18 MB (total) on the Core Ultra 5 135H.

Feature	M2 Pro	Core Ultra 5 135H
Cores / Threads	12 / 12	14 / 18+17%
Boost Clock	3.5 GHz	4.6 GHz+31%
Base Clock	2.42 GHz	3.6 GHz+49%
L3 Cache	24 MB+33%	18 MB (total)
L2 Cache	36 MB+1700%	2 MB (per core)
Process	5 nm-29%	7 nm
Architecture	—	Meteor Lake-H (2023)
PassMark	21,939	22,116
Geekbench 6 Single	2,650	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	14,450	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The M2 Pro uses the none socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Core Ultra 5 135H uses FCBGA2049 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	M2 Pro	Core Ultra 5 135H
Socket	none	FCBGA2049
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 5.0+25%
Max RAM Speed	LPDDR5-6400	—
Max RAM Capacity	32 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	❌	—
PCIe Lanes	0	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: ARM Virtualization (M2 Pro) / not specified (Core Ultra 5 135H). The M2 Pro includes integrated graphics (Apple M2 Pro GPU), while the Core Ultra 5 135H requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: M2 Pro targets Professional Laptop.