M2 vs Ryzen 5 5600U

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

#211

M2

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Ryzen 5 5600U

#7

Ryzen 5 5600U

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#10

Ryzen 7 260

MSRP: $199|Avg: $70

94%

#13

Ryzen 3 210

MSRP: $99|Avg: $99

88%

#14

Ryzen 5 PRO 230

MSRP: $150|Avg: $150

87%

#15

Ryzen 5 220

MSRP: $150|Avg: $150

83%

#18

Ryzen 5 8500G

MSRP: $179|Avg: $150

80%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Ryzen 5 5600U delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the M2 in both compute-intensive tasks (1% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	M2	Ryzen 5 5600U
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 (Cezanne-U (Zen 3) (2021) / 7 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	M2	Ryzen 5 5600U
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 Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 5600U Benchmark Check

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Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of M2 and Ryzen 5 5600U

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 5 5600U

The Ryzen 5 5600U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 12 January 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Cezanne-U (Zen 3) (2021) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 15,088 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The M2 packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the Ryzen 5 5600U offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the M2 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.48 GHz on the M2 versus 4.2 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600U — a 18.8% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 5600U (base: 2.424 GHz vs 2.3 GHz). The Ryzen 5 5600U is built on the Cezanne-U (Zen 3) (2021) architecture. In PassMark, the M2 scores 14,933 against the Ryzen 5 5600U's 15,088 — a 1% lead for the Ryzen 5 5600U.

Feature	M2	Ryzen 5 5600U
Cores / Threads	8 / 8+33%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	3.48 GHz	4.2 GHz+21%
Base Clock	2.424 GHz+5%	2.3 GHz
L3 Cache	—	16 MB (total)
L2 Cache	20 MB+3900%	512K (per core)
Process	5 nm-29%	7 nm
Architecture	—	Cezanne-U (Zen 3) (2021)
PassMark	14,933	15,088+1%