M4 (8 cores) vs Ryzen 7 6800U

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.

M4 (8 cores)

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +10.3% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 4W instead of 15W, a 11W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 7 6800U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Ryzen 7 6800U

2022

Why buy it

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon 680M, while M4 (8 cores) needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than M4 (8 cores) across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (20,619 vs 20,761).
❌Launch MSRP is still $360 MSRP, while M4 (8 cores) mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌275% higher power demand at 15W vs 4W.

M4 (8 cores)

2024

Ryzen 7 6800U

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +10.3% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 4W instead of 15W, a 11W reduction.

Why buy it

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon 680M, while M4 (8 cores) needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 7 6800U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than M4 (8 cores) across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (20,619 vs 20,761).
❌Launch MSRP is still $360 MSRP, while M4 (8 cores) mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌275% higher power demand at 15W vs 4W.

Quick Answers

So, is M4 (8 cores) better than Ryzen 7 6800U?

Yes. M4 (8 cores) is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 10.3% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.7% 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, M4 (8 cores) is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 10.3% more average FPS across 3 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, M4 (8 cores) is the better fit. You are getting 0.7% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 8 threads.

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

M4 (8 cores) is the smarter buy by a wide margin for any fresh desktop build. M4 (8 cores) is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $360 MSRP, and it gives you a 10.3% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 7 6800U only looks good on raw value math because it is a cheap legacy laptop CPU, not because it is a serious desktop gaming option. It simply cannot keep up with modern games, especially when the gap is already 10.3% in the shared gaming data.

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

M4 (8 cores) is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2022) and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 8 threads instead of 8/16. 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.

M4 (8 cores) Benchmark Check

Ryzen 7 6800U Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	M4 (8 cores)	Ryzen 7 6800U
1080p
low	177 FPS	166 FPS
medium	141 FPS	147 FPS
high	115 FPS	120 FPS
ultra	91 FPS	100 FPS
1440p
low	145 FPS	142 FPS
medium	113 FPS	121 FPS
high	91 FPS	98 FPS
ultra	72 FPS	82 FPS
4K
low	67 FPS	79 FPS
medium	56 FPS	72 FPS
high	44 FPS	58 FPS
ultra	35 FPS	45 FPS

Open M4 (8 cores)Open Ryzen 7 6800U

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	M4 (8 cores)	Ryzen 7 6800U
1080p
low	350 FPS	428 FPS
medium	297 FPS	362 FPS
high	253 FPS	316 FPS
ultra	205 FPS	281 FPS
1440p
low	301 FPS	368 FPS
medium	265 FPS	321 FPS
high	229 FPS	286 FPS
ultra	185 FPS	245 FPS
4K
low	213 FPS	253 FPS
medium	193 FPS	227 FPS
high	172 FPS	214 FPS
ultra	139 FPS	185 FPS

Open M4 (8 cores)Open Ryzen 7 6800U

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	M4 (8 cores)	Ryzen 7 6800U
1080p
low	519 FPS	515 FPS
medium	519 FPS	515 FPS
high	519 FPS	485 FPS
ultra	496 FPS	388 FPS
1440p
low	519 FPS	515 FPS
medium	495 FPS	510 FPS
high	446 FPS	437 FPS
ultra	386 FPS	355 FPS
4K
low	438 FPS	432 FPS
medium	347 FPS	368 FPS
high	301 FPS	323 FPS
ultra	240 FPS	262 FPS

Open M4 (8 cores)Open Ryzen 7 6800U

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	M4 (8 cores)	Ryzen 7 6800U
1080p
low	519 FPS	515 FPS
medium	519 FPS	515 FPS
high	519 FPS	515 FPS
ultra	519 FPS	515 FPS
1440p
low	519 FPS	515 FPS
medium	519 FPS	515 FPS
high	519 FPS	515 FPS
ultra	459 FPS	504 FPS
4K
low	480 FPS	515 FPS
medium	429 FPS	483 FPS
high	384 FPS	431 FPS
ultra	333 FPS	372 FPS

Open M4 (8 cores)Open Ryzen 7 6800U

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of M4 (8 cores) and Ryzen 7 6800U

M4 (8 cores)

The M4 (8 cores) is manufactured by Apple. It was released in 28 October 2024 (1 year ago). It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.89 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. Built on 3 nm process technology. Socket: none. Thermal design power (TDP): 4 MB. Memory support: LPDDR5x. Passmark benchmark score: 20,761 points. Launch price was $299.

Ryzen 7 6800U

The Ryzen 7 6800U 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 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.7 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: 20,619 points. Launch price was $299.

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Processing Power

The M4 (8 cores) packs 8 cores / 8 threads, matching the Ryzen 7 6800U's 8 cores. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the M4 (8 cores) versus 4.7 GHz on the Ryzen 7 6800U — a 16.1% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 6800U (base: 2.89 GHz vs 2.7 GHz). The Ryzen 7 6800U is built on the Rembrandt-U (Zen 3+) (2022) architecture. In PassMark, the M4 (8 cores) scores 20,761 against the Ryzen 7 6800U's 20,619 — a 0.7% lead for the M4 (8 cores).

Feature	M4 (8 cores)	Ryzen 7 6800U
Cores / Threads	8 / 8	8 / 16
Boost Clock	4 GHz	4.7 GHz+18%
Base Clock	2.89 GHz+7%	2.7 GHz
L3 Cache	—	16 MB (total)
L2 Cache	—	512K (per core)
Process	3 nm-50%	6 nm
Architecture	—	Rembrandt-U (Zen 3+) (2022)
PassMark	20,761	20,619
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	11,741
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,713
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	7,397

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Memory & Platform

The M4 (8 cores) uses the none socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 7 6800U uses FP7 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	M4 (8 cores)	Ryzen 7 6800U
Socket	none	FP7
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	—	LPDDR5-6400
Max RAM Capacity	—	64 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	Yes
PCIe Lanes	—	20

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (M4 (8 cores)) / AMD-V (SVM) (Ryzen 7 6800U). The Ryzen 7 6800U includes integrated graphics (Radeon 680M), while the M4 (8 cores) requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 7 6800U targets Productivity. Direct competitor: Ryzen 7 6800U rivals Core i7-1255U.