Apple M3 Max (16-core) vs Intel Core Ultra 9 386H
71.2Single-core70.3
71Multi-core60
93.3Efficiencyspec-based81.4
—iGPU70
60Platformspec-based58.2
5 spec wins — Apple M3 Max (16-core)5 spec wins — Intel Core Ultra 9 386H
InnoReviews verdict
Apple M3 Max (16-core) wins this laptop processor face-off, 72.9 to 66.5, pulling ahead mainly in multi-core (+11) and single-core (+1). 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 multi-core score: 71 vs 60
- 200% higher Performance cores: 12 vs 4
- 30% higher Geekbench 6 (multi): 21,200 vs 16,298
- 25% higher Cinebench R23 (multi): 24,200 vs 19,307
- 14% higher PassMark: 41,192 vs 36,060
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 | — | 25 W |
| Max TDP | — | 80 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 Graphics (4 Xe3-cores) |
| iGPU clock | — | 2,500 MHz |
Memory
| Spec | Apple M3 Max (16-core) | Intel Core Ultra 9 386H |
|---|---|---|
| Memory support | LPDDR5-6400 | LPDDR5X, DDR5 |
| Max memory | 128 GB | 128 GB |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple M3 Max (16-core) | Intel Core Ultra 9 386H |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 3,130+9%Top 11% | 2,876Top 21% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 21,200+30%Top 8% | 16,298Top 18% |
| Cinebench R23 (single) | 1,950Top 25% | 2,069+6%Top 14% |
| Cinebench R23 (multi) | 24,200+25%Top 12% | 19,307Top 18% |
| PassMark | 41,192+14%Top 12% | 36,060Top 16% |
| 3DMark Time Spy Graphics (iGPU) | — | 2,846Top 21% |
Related comparisons
Apple M3 Max (16-core)vs Intel Core Ultra 9 285HXVSApple M3 Max (16-core)vs Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX PlusVSApple M3 Max (16-core)vs Intel Core Ultra 9 275HXVSApple M3 Max (16-core)vs Apple M4 Pro (14-core)VSIntel 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