M4 Pro (12 cores) vs Ryzen 7 7800X3D

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.

M4 Pro (12 cores) vs Ryzen 7 7800X3D 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.

M4 Pro (12 cores) vs Ryzen 7 7800X3D: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

M4 Pro (12 cores)

2024

Why buy it

✅+2.2% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅Draws 4W instead of 120W, a 116W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Laptop Integrated), unlike Ryzen 7 7800X3D.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 7800X3D across 37 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Ryzen 7 7800X3D

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +37.0% higher average FPS across 37 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (18,500 vs 18,904).
❌Launch MSRP is still $449 MSRP, while M4 Pro (12 cores) mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌2900% higher power demand at 120W vs 4W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike M4 Pro (12 cores).

Quick Answers

So, is M4 Pro (12 cores) better than Ryzen 7 7800X3D?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Ryzen 7 7800X3D is ahead with a 37.0% average FPS lead across 37 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, M4 Pro (12 cores) pulls ahead with 2.2% better Cinebench R23 multi-core.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, M4 Pro (12 cores) is the stronger fit. You are getting 2.2% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 12 cores and 12 threads.

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

M4 Pro (12 cores) is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 7 7800X3D is easier to justify if budget matters more than peak performance. M4 Pro (12 cores) comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $449 MSRP, and it still gives you 2.2% better Cinebench R23 multi-core. The compromise is that Ryzen 7 7800X3D is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 37.0% average FPS lead across 37 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 7 7800X3D is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (76.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it can still make sense for tighter-budget builds on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible AM5 + DDR5 setup, Ryzen 7 7800X3D is still an elite gaming CPU and a very strong platform-matched choice because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap while remaining one of the strongest gaming chips you can buy.

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

M4 Pro (12 cores) makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2023) and more multi-core headroom with 12 cores / 12 threads instead of 8/16. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

M4 Pro (12 cores) vs Ryzen 7 7800X3D Technical Specifications

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

M4 Pro (12 cores)

The M4 Pro (12 cores) is manufactured by Apple. It was released in 30 October 2024 (1 year ago). It features 12 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.592 GHz, with boost up to 4.51 GHz. L2 cache: 4 MB. Built on 3 nm process technology. Socket: none. Thermal design power (TDP): 4 MB. Memory support: LPDDR5X. Passmark benchmark score: 32,853 points. Launch price was $499.

Ryzen 7 7800X3D

The Ryzen 7 7800X3D is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 4 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 4.4 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 96 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: AM5. Thermal design power (TDP): 120 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-5200. Passmark benchmark score: 34,293 points. Launch price was $449.

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Processing Power

The M4 Pro (12 cores) packs 12 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 7 7800X3D offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the M4 Pro (12 cores) has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.51 GHz on the M4 Pro (12 cores) versus 5 GHz on the Ryzen 7 7800X3D — a 10.3% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 7800X3D (base: 2.592 GHz vs 4.4 GHz). The Ryzen 7 7800X3D is built on the Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023) architecture. In PassMark, the M4 Pro (12 cores) scores 32,853 against the Ryzen 7 7800X3D's 34,293 — a 4.3% lead for the Ryzen 7 7800X3D. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 18,904 vs 18,500 (2.2% advantage for the M4 Pro (12 cores)). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 3,812 vs 2,700, a 34.2% lead for the M4 Pro (12 cores) that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 20,076 vs 15,000 (28.9% advantage for the M4 Pro (12 cores)).

Feature	M4 Pro (12 cores)	Ryzen 7 7800X3D
Cores / Threads	12 / 12+50%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	4.51 GHz	5 GHz+11%
Base Clock	2.592 GHz	4.4 GHz+70%
L3 Cache	—	96 MB (total)
L2 Cache	4 MB+300%	1 MB (per core)
Process	3 nm-40%	5 nm
Architecture	—	Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023)
PassMark	32,853	34,293+4%
Cinebench R23 Multi	18,904+2%	18,500
Geekbench 6 Single	3,812+41%	2,700
Geekbench 6 Multi	20,076+34%	15,000

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Memory & Platform

The M4 Pro (12 cores) uses the none socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 7 7800X3D uses AM5 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches LPDDR5x-8000 on the M4 Pro (12 cores) versus DDR5-5200 on the Ryzen 7 7800X3D — the M4 Pro (12 cores) supports 53.8% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Ryzen 7 7800X3D supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 64 GB — 100% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 1 (M4 Pro (12 cores)) vs 2 (Ryzen 7 7800X3D). PCIe lanes: 0 (M4 Pro (12 cores)) vs 28 (Ryzen 7 7800X3D) — the Ryzen 7 7800X3D offers 28 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Apple SoC (M4 Pro (12 cores)) and X670E,X670,B650E,B650,A620 (Ryzen 7 7800X3D).

Feature	M4 Pro (12 cores)	Ryzen 7 7800X3D
Socket	none	AM5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 5.0+25%
Max RAM Speed	LPDDR5x-8000+54%	DDR5-5200
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB	128 GB+100%
RAM Channels	1	2+100%
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	0	28

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Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 7 7800X3D has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Ryzen 7 7800X3D supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: Apple Virtualization (M4 Pro (12 cores)) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 7 7800X3D). Both include integrated graphics — M4 Pro 16-core GPU (M4 Pro (12 cores)) and AMD Radeon Graphics (2-core) (Ryzen 7 7800X3D) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: M4 Pro (12 cores) targets High-end Content Creation, Ryzen 7 7800X3D targets Gaming. Direct competitor: M4 Pro (12 cores) rivals Ryzen 9 8945HS; Ryzen 7 7800X3D rivals Intel Core i7-14700K.

Feature	M4 Pro (12 cores)	Ryzen 7 7800X3D
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	M4 Pro 16-core GPU	AMD Radeon Graphics (2-core)
Unlocked	No	Yes
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	Apple Virtualization	AMD-V
Target Use	High-end Content Creation	Gaming