Apple M2 (8-core) vs Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus
58.1Single-core79
38.7Multi-core86.8
80Efficiencyspec-based44.4
—iGPU60.5
35Platformspec-based73.9
0 spec wins — Apple M2 (8-core)13 spec wins — Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus
InnoReviews verdict
Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus wins this laptop processor face-off, 73.9 to 50.4, pulling ahead mainly in multi-core (+48) and single-core (+21). 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 Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus
- Stronger single-core score: 79 vs 58
- Stronger multi-core score: 87 vs 39
- 967% higher Max memory: 256 GB vs 24 GB
- 355% higher Cinebench R23 (multi): 39,617 vs 8,700
- 300% higher Efficiency cores: 16 vs 4
General
| Spec | Apple M2 (8-core) | Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2022 | 2026 |
| Process | 5 nm | 3 nm+40% |
| Base TDP | — | 55 W |
| Max TDP | — | 160 W |
Cores & Clocks
| Spec | Apple M2 (8-core) | Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 8 | 24+200% |
| Performance cores | 4 | 8+100% |
| Efficiency cores | 4 | 16+300% |
| Threads | 8 | 24+200% |
| Base clock | — | 2.7 GHz |
| Boost clock | 3.5 GHz | 5.5 GHz+58% |
| L3 cache | — | 36 MB |
Integrated GPU
| Spec | Apple M2 (8-core) | Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus |
|---|---|---|
| iGPU | Apple 10-core GPU | Intel Graphics (4 Xe-cores) |
| iGPU clock | — | 2,000 MHz |
Memory
| Spec | Apple M2 (8-core) | Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Memory support | LPDDR5-6400 | DDR5-6400 |
| Max memory | 24 GB | 256 GB+967% |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple M2 (8-core) | Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 2,600Top 44% | 3,198+23%Top 9% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 9,750Bottom 38% | 21,581+121%Top 7% |
| Cinebench R23 (single) | 1,580Bottom 34% | 2,340+48%Top 2% |
| Cinebench R23 (multi) | 8,700Bottom 29% | 39,617+355%Top 1% |
| PassMark | 15,648Bottom 33% | 58,672+275%Top 1% |
| 3DMark Time Spy Graphics (iGPU) | — | 1,855Top 37% |
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