Apple M3 Max (16-core) vs Intel Core Ultra 9 386H
65.6Single-core—
66.5Multi-core—
93.3Efficiency58.3
60Platform50.7
1 spec wins — Apple M3 Max (16-core)4 spec wins — Intel Core Ultra 9 386H
InnoReviews verdict
Apple M3 Max (16-core) wins this laptop processor face-off, 69.6 to 54.5, pulling ahead mainly in efficiency (+35) and platform (+9). Intel Core Ultra 9 386H 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 efficiency score: 93 vs 58
- Stronger platform score: 60 vs 51
- 200% higher Performance cores: 12 vs 4
Reasons to pick the Intel Core Ultra 9 386H
- 200% higher Efficiency cores: 12 vs 4
- 33% lower process: 2 nm vs 3 nm
- 21% higher Boost clock: 4.9 GHz vs 4.1 GHz
General
| Spec | Apple M3 Max (16-core) | Intel Core Ultra 9 386H |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2023 | 2026 |
| Process | 3 nm | 2 nm+33% |
| Base TDP | — | 45 W |
Cores & Clocks
| Spec | Apple M3 Max (16-core) | Intel Core Ultra 9 386H |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 16 | 16 |
| Performance cores | 12+200% | 4 |
| Efficiency cores | 4 | 12+200% |
| Threads | 16 | 16 |
| Base clock | — | 2.1 GHz |
| Boost clock | 4.1 GHz | 4.9 GHz+21% |
| L3 cache | — | 18 MB |
Integrated GPU
| Spec | Apple M3 Max (16-core) | Intel Core Ultra 9 386H |
|---|---|---|
| iGPU | Apple 40-core GPU | Intel Arc Xe3 Graphics |
Memory
| Spec | Apple M3 Max (16-core) | Intel Core Ultra 9 386H |
|---|---|---|
| Memory support | LPDDR5-6400 | LPDDR5X, DDR5 |
| Max memory | 128 GB | — |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple M3 Max (16-core) | Intel Core Ultra 9 386H |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 3,130Top 12% | — |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 21,200Top 12% | — |
| Cinebench R23 (single) | 1,950Top 30% | — |
| Cinebench R23 (multi) | 24,200Top 22% | — |
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