Apple M2 (8-core) vs Apple M5 Max (18-core)
58.1Single-core92
38.7Multi-core96.6
80Efficiencyspec-based93.3
35Platformspec-based61.9
0 spec wins — Apple M2 (8-core)11 spec wins — Apple M5 Max (18-core)
InnoReviews verdict
Apple M5 Max (18-core) wins this laptop processor face-off, 89 to 50.4, pulling ahead mainly in multi-core (+58) and single-core (+34). Apple M2 (8-core) still makes sense if its price or standout specs fit your needs better.
Which would you pick?
Key differences
Reasons to pick the Apple M2 (8-core)
No decisive spec advantages — this side competes on price and preference.
Reasons to pick the Apple M5 Max (18-core)
- Stronger single-core score: 92 vs 58
- Stronger multi-core score: 97 vs 39
- 433% higher Max memory: 128 GB vs 24 GB
- 269% higher PassMark: 57,677 vs 15,648
- 200% higher Efficiency cores: 12 vs 4
General
| Spec | Apple M2 (8-core) | Apple M5 Max (18-core) |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2022 | 2026 |
| Process | 5 nm | 3 nm+40% |
Cores & Clocks
| Spec | Apple M2 (8-core) | Apple M5 Max (18-core) |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 8 | 18+125% |
| Performance cores | 4 | 6+50% |
| Efficiency cores | 4 | 12+200% |
| Threads | 8 | 18+125% |
| Boost clock | 3.5 GHz | 4.6 GHz+32% |
| L3 cache | — | 24 MB |
Integrated GPU
| Spec | Apple M2 (8-core) | Apple M5 Max (18-core) |
|---|---|---|
| iGPU | Apple 10-core GPU | Apple 40-core GPU |
Memory
| Spec | Apple M2 (8-core) | Apple M5 Max (18-core) |
|---|---|---|
| Memory support | LPDDR5-6400 | LPDDR5X-9600 |
| Max memory | 24 GB | 128 GB+433% |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple M2 (8-core) | Apple M5 Max (18-core) |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 2,600Top 44% | 4,322+66%Top 3% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 9,750Bottom 38% | 29,256+200%Top 2% |
| Cinebench R23 (single) | 1,580Bottom 39% | — |
| Cinebench R23 (multi) | 8,700Bottom 30% | — |
| PassMark | 15,648Bottom 32% | 57,677+269%Top 2% |
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