Ryzen 5 5600U vs M2
Ryzen 5 5600U
M2
Performance Spectrum - CPU
About PassMark
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.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Ryzen 5 5600U
Performance Per Dollar M2
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Ryzen 5 5600U | M2 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Cezanne-U (Zen 3) (2021) / 7 nm) | ✨ Modern (Legacy / 5 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Ryzen 5 5600U | M2 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
Performance Check
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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 5 5600U and M2
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.
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.
Processing Power
The Ryzen 5 5600U packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the M2 offers 8 cores / 8 threads — the M2 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.2 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600U versus 3.48 GHz on the M2 — a 18.8% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 5600U (base: 2.3 GHz vs 2.424 GHz). The Ryzen 5 5600U is built on the Cezanne-U (Zen 3) (2021) architecture. In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 5600U scores 15,088 against the M2's 14,933 — a 1% lead for the Ryzen 5 5600U.
| Feature | Ryzen 5 5600U | M2 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 6 / 12 | 8 / 8+33% |
| Boost Clock | 4.2 GHz+21% | 3.48 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.3 GHz | 2.424 GHz+5% |
| L3 Cache | 16 MB (total) | — |
| L2 Cache | 512K (per core) | 20 MB+3900% |
| Process | 7 nm | 5 nm-29% |
| Architecture | Cezanne-U (Zen 3) (2021) | — |
| PassMark | 15,088+1% | 14,933 |
Memory & Platform
The Ryzen 5 5600U uses the FP6 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the M2 uses none (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Ryzen 5 5600U | M2 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FP6 | none |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 4.0 | PCIe 4.0 |
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