Apple M2 Max (12-core) vs Intel Core Ultra X9 388H
60.4Single-core74.6
51.9Multi-core61.3
80Efficiencyspec-based81.4
—iGPU88.3
52.8Platformspec-based56.4
1 spec wins — Apple M2 Max (12-core)11 spec wins — Intel Core Ultra X9 388H
InnoReviews verdict
Intel Core Ultra X9 388H wins this laptop processor face-off, 69.6 to 59.1, pulling ahead mainly in single-core (+14) and multi-core (+9). 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 X9 388H
- Stronger single-core score: 75 vs 60
- Stronger multi-core score: 61 vs 52
- 200% higher Efficiency cores: 12 vs 4
- 60% lower process: 2 nm vs 5 nm
- 39% higher Boost clock: 5.1 GHz vs 3.7 GHz
General
| Spec | Apple M2 Max (12-core) | Intel Core Ultra X9 388H |
|---|---|---|
| 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 X9 388H |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 5.1 GHz+39% |
| L3 cache | — | 18 MB |
Integrated GPU
| Spec | Apple M2 Max (12-core) | Intel Core Ultra X9 388H |
|---|---|---|
| iGPU | Apple 38-core GPU | Intel Arc B390 |
| iGPU clock | — | 2,500 MHz |
Memory
| Spec | Apple M2 Max (12-core) | Intel Core Ultra X9 388H |
|---|---|---|
| Memory support | LPDDR5-6400 | LPDDR5X |
| Max memory | 96 GB | 96 GB |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple M2 Max (12-core) | Intel Core Ultra X9 388H |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 2,760Top 30% | 3,038+10%Top 15% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 14,500Top 25% | 17,395+20%Top 13% |
| Cinebench R23 (single) | 1,600Bottom 35% | 2,201+38%Top 6% |
| Cinebench R23 (multi) | 14,600Top 39% | 18,911+30%Top 19% |
| PassMark | 26,834Top 29% | 36,409+36%Top 15% |
| 3DMark Time Spy Graphics (iGPU) | — | 6,501Top 3% |
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