Apple M3 Max (16-core) vs Apple M5 Pro (18-core)
71.2Single-core91.5
71Multi-core94.8
93.3Efficiencyspec-based93.3
60Platformspec-based57.5
2 spec wins — Apple M3 Max (16-core)9 spec wins — Apple M5 Pro (18-core)
InnoReviews verdict
Apple M5 Pro (18-core) wins this laptop processor face-off, 87.4 to 72.9, pulling ahead mainly in multi-core (+24) and single-core (+20). Apple M3 Max (16-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 M3 Max (16-core)
- 100% higher Max memory: 128 GB vs 64 GB
Reasons to pick the Apple M5 Pro (18-core)
- Stronger single-core score: 92 vs 71
- Stronger multi-core score: 95 vs 71
- 50% higher Performance cores: 18 vs 12
- 39% higher PassMark: 57,150 vs 41,192
- 37% higher Geekbench 6 (single): 4,295 vs 3,130
General
| Spec | Apple M3 Max (16-core) | Apple M5 Pro (18-core) |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2023 | 2026 |
| Process | 3 nm | 3 nm |
Cores & Clocks
| Spec | Apple M3 Max (16-core) | Apple M5 Pro (18-core) |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 16 | 18+13% |
| Performance cores | 12 | 18+50% |
| Efficiency cores | 4 | 0 |
| Threads | 16 | 18+13% |
| Base clock | — | 4.4 GHz |
| Boost clock | 4.1 GHz | 4.6 GHz+14% |
| L3 cache | — | 24 MB |
Integrated GPU
| Spec | Apple M3 Max (16-core) | Apple M5 Pro (18-core) |
|---|---|---|
| iGPU | Apple 40-core GPU | Apple 20-core GPU |
Memory
| Spec | Apple M3 Max (16-core) | Apple M5 Pro (18-core) |
|---|---|---|
| Memory support | LPDDR5-6400 | LPDDR5X-9600 |
| Max memory | 128 GB+100% | 64 GB |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple M3 Max (16-core) | Apple M5 Pro (18-core) |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 3,130Top 11% | 4,295+37%Top 2% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 21,200Top 6% | 28,436+34%Top 2% |
| Cinebench R23 (single) | 1,950Top 27% | — |
| Cinebench R23 (multi) | 24,200Top 12% | — |
| PassMark | 41,192Top 12% | 57,150+39%Top 3% |
| PassMark (single thread) | 4,780Top 4% | 5,933+24%Top 2% |
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