Apple M2 Max (12-core) vs Intel Core Ultra 9 386H
60.4Single-core70.3
51.9Multi-core60
80Efficiencyspec-based81.4
—iGPU70
52.8Platformspec-based58.2
1 spec wins — Apple M2 Max (12-core)12 spec wins — Intel Core Ultra 9 386H
InnoReviews verdict
Intel Core Ultra 9 386H wins this laptop processor face-off, 66.5 to 59.1, pulling ahead mainly in single-core (+10) and multi-core (+8). 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)
- 100% higher Performance cores: 8 vs 4
Reasons to pick the Intel Core Ultra 9 386H
- Stronger single-core score: 70 vs 60
- Stronger multi-core score: 60 vs 52
- 200% higher Efficiency cores: 12 vs 4
- 60% lower process: 2 nm vs 5 nm
- 34% higher PassMark: 36,060 vs 26,834
General
| Spec | Apple M2 Max (12-core) | Intel Core Ultra 9 386H |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2023 | 2026 |
| Process | 5 nm | 2 nm+60% |
| Base TDP | — | 25 W |
| Max TDP | — | 80 W |
Cores & Clocks
| Spec | Apple M2 Max (12-core) | Intel Core Ultra 9 386H |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 12 | 16+33% |
| Performance cores | 8+100% | 4 |
| Efficiency cores | 4 | 12+200% |
| Threads | 12 | 16+33% |
| Base clock | — | 2.1 GHz |
| Boost clock | 3.7 GHz | 4.9 GHz+33% |
| L3 cache | — | 18 MB |
Integrated GPU
| Spec | Apple M2 Max (12-core) | Intel Core Ultra 9 386H |
|---|---|---|
| iGPU | Apple 38-core GPU | Intel Graphics (4 Xe3-cores) |
| iGPU clock | — | 2,500 MHz |
Memory
| Spec | Apple M2 Max (12-core) | Intel Core Ultra 9 386H |
|---|---|---|
| Memory support | LPDDR5-6400 | LPDDR5X, DDR5 |
| Max memory | 96 GB | 128 GB+33% |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple M2 Max (12-core) | Intel Core Ultra 9 386H |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 2,760Top 30% | 2,876+4%Top 21% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 14,500Top 25% | 16,298+12%Top 18% |
| Cinebench R23 (single) | 1,600Bottom 35% | 2,069+29%Top 14% |
| Cinebench R23 (multi) | 14,600Top 39% | 19,307+32%Top 18% |
| PassMark | 26,834Top 29% | 36,060+34%Top 16% |
| 3DMark Time Spy Graphics (iGPU) | — | 2,846Top 21% |
Related comparisons
Apple M2 Max (12-core)vs AMD Ryzen 7 7840HSVSApple M2 Max (12-core)vs AMD Ryzen 7 7840UVSApple M2 Max (12-core)vs Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-84-100VSApple M2 Max (12-core)vs AMD Ryzen 7 8845HSVSIntel Core Ultra 9 386Hvs AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370VSIntel Core Ultra 9 386Hvs Intel Core Ultra 9 285HVSIntel Core Ultra 9 386Hvs Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite X2E-80-100VSIntel Core Ultra 9 386Hvs Intel Core Ultra X7 358HVS