Apple M2 Max (12-core) vs Apple M5 (10-core)
47.6Single-core100
41.5Multi-core47.2
80Efficiencyspec-based93.3
52.8Platformspec-based40
4 spec wins — Apple M2 Max (12-core)8 spec wins — Apple M5 (10-core)
InnoReviews verdict
Apple M5 (10-core) wins this laptop processor face-off, 68.4 to 51.5, pulling ahead mainly in single-core (+52) and multi-core (+6). Apple M2 Max (12-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 Max (12-core)
- 200% higher Max memory: 96 GB vs 32 GB
- 100% higher Performance cores: 8 vs 4
- 20% higher cores: 12 vs 10
- 20% higher threads: 12 vs 10
Reasons to pick the Apple M5 (10-core)
- Stronger single-core score: 100 vs 48
- Stronger multi-core score: 47 vs 42
- 54% higher Cinebench R23 (single): 2,459 vs 1,600
- 53% higher Geekbench 6 (single): 4,228 vs 2,760
- 50% higher Efficiency cores: 6 vs 4
General
| Spec | Apple M2 Max (12-core) | Apple M5 (10-core) |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2023 | 2025 |
| Process | 5 nm | 3 nm+40% |
Cores & Clocks
| Spec | Apple M2 Max (12-core) | Apple M5 (10-core) |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 12+20% | 10 |
| Performance cores | 8+100% | 4 |
| Efficiency cores | 4 | 6+50% |
| Threads | 12+20% | 10 |
| Base clock | — | 3.1 GHz |
| Boost clock | 3.7 GHz | 4.6 GHz+25% |
Integrated GPU
| Spec | Apple M2 Max (12-core) | Apple M5 (10-core) |
|---|---|---|
| iGPU | Apple 38-core GPU | Apple 10-core GPU |
Memory
| Spec | Apple M2 Max (12-core) | Apple M5 (10-core) |
|---|---|---|
| Memory support | LPDDR5-6400 | LPDDR5X-9600 |
| Max memory | 96 GB+200% | 32 GB |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple M2 Max (12-core) | Apple M5 (10-core) |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 2,760Top 44% | 4,228+53%Top 5% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 14,500Top 40% | 17,314+19%Top 24% |
| Cinebench R23 (single) | 1,600Top 80% | 2,459+54%Top 2% |
| Cinebench R23 (multi) | 14,600Top 57% | 15,893+9%Top 50% |
| PassMark | — | 26,752Top 59% |
Related comparisons
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