Apple M3 Max (16-core) vs Intel Core i9-12900HK
71.2Single-core60.5
71Multi-core51
93.3Efficiencyspec-based40.5
—iGPU55.7
60Platformspec-based59
10 spec wins — Apple M3 Max (16-core)3 spec wins — Intel Core i9-12900HK
InnoReviews verdict
Apple M3 Max (16-core) wins this laptop processor face-off, 72.9 to 53.5, pulling ahead mainly in multi-core (+20) and single-core (+11). Intel Core i9-12900HK 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)
- Stronger single-core score: 71 vs 61
- Stronger multi-core score: 71 vs 51
- 100% higher Performance cores: 12 vs 6
- 100% higher Max memory: 128 GB vs 64 GB
- 70% lower process: 3 nm vs 10 nm
Reasons to pick the Intel Core i9-12900HK
- 100% higher Efficiency cores: 8 vs 4
- 25% higher threads: 20 vs 16
- 23% higher Boost clock: 5 GHz vs 4.1 GHz
General
| Spec | Apple M3 Max (16-core) | Intel Core i9-12900HK |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2023 | 2022 |
| Process | 3 nm+70% | 10 nm |
| Base TDP | — | 45 W |
| Max TDP | — | 115 W |
Cores & Clocks
| Spec | Apple M3 Max (16-core) | Intel Core i9-12900HK |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 16+14% | 14 |
| Performance cores | 12+100% | 6 |
| Efficiency cores | 4 | 8+100% |
| Threads | 16 | 20+25% |
| Base clock | — | 2.5 GHz |
| Boost clock | 4.1 GHz | 5 GHz+23% |
| L3 cache | — | 24 MB |
Integrated GPU
| Spec | Apple M3 Max (16-core) | Intel Core i9-12900HK |
|---|---|---|
| iGPU | Apple 40-core GPU | Intel Iris Xe (96 EU) |
| iGPU clock | — | 1,450 MHz |
Memory
| Spec | Apple M3 Max (16-core) | Intel Core i9-12900HK |
|---|---|---|
| Memory support | LPDDR5-6400 | DDR5-4800 / LPDDR5-5200 / DDR4-3200 |
| Max memory | 128 GB+100% | 64 GB |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple M3 Max (16-core) | Intel Core i9-12900HK |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 3,130+28%Top 11% | 2,450Bottom 44% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 21,200+67%Top 8% | 12,700Top 38% |
| Cinebench R23 (single) | 1,950+8%Top 25% | 1,810Top 38% |
| Cinebench R23 (multi) | 24,200+38%Top 12% | 17,600Top 25% |
| PassMark | 41,192+65%Top 12% | 24,954Top 35% |
| 3DMark Time Spy Graphics (iGPU) | — | 1,496Top 43% |
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