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 Pro (12 cores)

2024

Why buy it

✅+2.7% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅Draws 4W instead of 105W, a 101W reduction.
✅Newer platform on none with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with M4 Pro 16-core GPU, while Ryzen 9 3900XT needs a discrete GPU.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Laptop Integrated), unlike Ryzen 9 3900XT.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 3900XT across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Ryzen 9 3900XT

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +26.6% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (18,400 vs 18,904).
❌Launch MSRP is still $499 MSRP, while M4 Pro (12 cores) mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌2525% higher power demand at 105W vs 4W.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while M4 Pro (12 cores) moves to none and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while M4 Pro (12 cores) can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

M4 Pro (12 cores)

2024

Ryzen 9 3900XT

2020

Why buy it

✅+2.7% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅Draws 4W instead of 105W, a 101W reduction.
✅Newer platform on none with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with M4 Pro 16-core GPU, while Ryzen 9 3900XT needs a discrete GPU.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Laptop Integrated), unlike Ryzen 9 3900XT.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +26.6% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 3900XT across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (18,400 vs 18,904).
❌Launch MSRP is still $499 MSRP, while M4 Pro (12 cores) mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌2525% higher power demand at 105W vs 4W.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while M4 Pro (12 cores) moves to none and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while M4 Pro (12 cores) can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is M4 Pro (12 cores) better than Ryzen 9 3900XT?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen 9 3900XT is ahead with a 26.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, M4 Pro (12 cores) pulls ahead with 2.7% 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 better fit. You are getting 2.7% 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 9 3900XT makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. M4 Pro (12 cores) is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $499 MSRP, and it gives you 2.7% better Cinebench R23 multi-core. The trade-off is that Ryzen 9 3900XT is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 26.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 9 3900XT is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (65.2 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible AM4 + DDR4 setup, Ryzen 9 3900XT can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap, but on MSRP alone you would want to find it meaningfully cheaper in real-world listings before that path becomes easy to justify.

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

M4 Pro (12 cores) is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2020), a healthier platform with none and DDR5 instead of AM4, and more multi-core headroom with 12 cores / 12 threads instead of 12/24. 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 Pro (12 cores) Benchmark Check

Ryzen 9 3900XT Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	M4 Pro (12 cores)	Ryzen 9 3900XT
1080p
low	178 FPS	177 FPS
medium	144 FPS	148 FPS
high	118 FPS	130 FPS
ultra	97 FPS	108 FPS
1440p
low	144 FPS	158 FPS
medium	115 FPS	126 FPS
high	94 FPS	104 FPS
ultra	78 FPS	86 FPS
4K
low	79 FPS	88 FPS
medium	68 FPS	75 FPS
high	55 FPS	60 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	48 FPS

Open M4 Pro (12 cores)Open Ryzen 9 3900XT

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	M4 Pro (12 cores)	Ryzen 9 3900XT
1080p
low	467 FPS	681 FPS
medium	385 FPS	578 FPS
high	328 FPS	433 FPS
ultra	287 FPS	372 FPS
1440p
low	402 FPS	562 FPS
medium	344 FPS	487 FPS
high	299 FPS	386 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	309 FPS
4K
low	279 FPS	332 FPS
medium	246 FPS	290 FPS
high	227 FPS	253 FPS
ultra	195 FPS	217 FPS

Open M4 Pro (12 cores)Open Ryzen 9 3900XT

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	M4 Pro (12 cores)	Ryzen 9 3900XT
1080p
low	812 FPS	813 FPS
medium	642 FPS	644 FPS
high	582 FPS	557 FPS
ultra	509 FPS	463 FPS
1440p
low	631 FPS	725 FPS
medium	506 FPS	564 FPS
high	459 FPS	487 FPS
ultra	396 FPS	410 FPS
4K
low	456 FPS	515 FPS
medium	360 FPS	422 FPS
high	321 FPS	374 FPS
ultra	254 FPS	310 FPS

Open M4 Pro (12 cores)Open Ryzen 9 3900XT

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	M4 Pro (12 cores)	Ryzen 9 3900XT
1080p
low	821 FPS	813 FPS
medium	821 FPS	813 FPS
high	809 FPS	813 FPS
ultra	718 FPS	756 FPS
1440p
low	817 FPS	813 FPS
medium	718 FPS	769 FPS
high	629 FPS	675 FPS
ultra	553 FPS	578 FPS
4K
low	562 FPS	635 FPS
medium	503 FPS	566 FPS
high	453 FPS	501 FPS
ultra	399 FPS	432 FPS

Open M4 Pro (12 cores)Open Ryzen 9 3900XT

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of M4 Pro (12 cores) and Ryzen 9 3900XT

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 9 3900XT

The Ryzen 9 3900XT is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 July 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Matisse 2 (2020) architecture. It features 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 3.8 GHz, with boost up to 4.7 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 105 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 32,512 points. Launch price was $499.

⚡

Processing Power

The M4 Pro (12 cores) packs 12 cores / 12 threads, matching the Ryzen 9 3900XT's 12 cores. Boost clocks reach 4.51 GHz on the M4 Pro (12 cores) versus 4.7 GHz on the Ryzen 9 3900XT — a 4.1% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 3900XT (base: 2.592 GHz vs 3.8 GHz). The Ryzen 9 3900XT is built on the Matisse 2 (2020) architecture. In PassMark, the M4 Pro (12 cores) scores 32,853 against the Ryzen 9 3900XT's 32,512 — a 1% lead for the M4 Pro (12 cores). Cinebench R23 multi-core: 18,904 vs 18,400 (2.7% advantage for the M4 Pro (12 cores)). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 3,812 vs 1,750, a 74.1% lead for the M4 Pro (12 cores) that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 20,076 vs 10,500 (62.6% advantage for the M4 Pro (12 cores)).

Feature	M4 Pro (12 cores)	Ryzen 9 3900XT
Cores / Threads	12 / 12	12 / 24
Boost Clock	4.51 GHz	4.7 GHz+4%
Base Clock	2.592 GHz	3.8 GHz+47%
L3 Cache	—	64 MB
L2 Cache	4 MB+700%	512K (per core)
Process	3 nm-57%	7 nm, 12 nm
Architecture	—	Matisse 2 (2020)
PassMark	32,853+1%	32,512
Cinebench R23 Multi	18,904+3%	18,400
Geekbench 6 Single	3,812+118%	1,750
Geekbench 6 Multi	20,076+91%	10,500

🧠

Memory & Platform

The M4 Pro (12 cores) uses the none socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 9 3900XT uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches LPDDR5x-8000 on the M4 Pro (12 cores) versus DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen 9 3900XT — the M4 Pro (12 cores) supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Ryzen 9 3900XT supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 64 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 1 (M4 Pro (12 cores)) vs 2 (Ryzen 9 3900XT). PCIe lanes: 0 (M4 Pro (12 cores)) vs 24 (Ryzen 9 3900XT) — the Ryzen 9 3900XT offers 24 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Apple SoC (M4 Pro (12 cores)) and X570,B550,X470,B450 (Ryzen 9 3900XT).

Feature	M4 Pro (12 cores)	Ryzen 9 3900XT
Socket	none	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	LPDDR5x-8000+25%	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB	128 GB+100%
RAM Channels	1	2+100%
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	0	24

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 9 3900XT has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Virtualization support: Apple Virtualization (M4 Pro (12 cores)) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 9 3900XT). The M4 Pro (12 cores) includes integrated graphics (M4 Pro 16-core GPU), while the Ryzen 9 3900XT requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: M4 Pro (12 cores) targets High-end Content Creation, Ryzen 9 3900XT targets Workstation / Enthusiast Gaming. Direct competitor: M4 Pro (12 cores) rivals Ryzen 9 8945HS; Ryzen 9 3900XT rivals Core i9-10900K.

Feature	M4 Pro (12 cores)	Ryzen 9 3900XT
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	M4 Pro 16-core GPU	—
Unlocked	No	Yes
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	Apple Virtualization	AMD-V
Target Use	High-end Content Creation	Workstation / Enthusiast Gaming