Apple M3 Max (16-core) vs Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite X2E-80-100
71.2Single-core81.3
71Multi-core58
93.3Efficiencyspec-based93.3
—iGPU68
60Platformspec-based37.8
5 spec wins — Apple M3 Max (16-core)4 spec wins — Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite X2E-80-100
InnoReviews verdict
Apple M3 Max (16-core) wins this laptop processor face-off, 72.9 to 67.1, pulling ahead mainly in multi-core (+13). Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite X2E-80-100 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 58
- 100% higher Performance cores: 12 vs 6
- 48% higher PassMark: 41,192 vs 27,909
- 33% higher cores: 16 vs 12
- 33% higher threads: 16 vs 12
Reasons to pick the Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite X2E-80-100
- Stronger single-core score: 81 vs 71
- 50% higher Efficiency cores: 6 vs 4
- 22% higher Geekbench 6 (single): 3,811 vs 3,130
- 16% higher Boost clock: 4.7 GHz vs 4.1 GHz
General
| Spec | Apple M3 Max (16-core) | Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite X2E-80-100 |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2023 | 2025 |
| Process | 3 nm | 3 nm |
Cores & Clocks
| Spec | Apple M3 Max (16-core) | Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite X2E-80-100 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 16+33% | 12 |
| Performance cores | 12+100% | 6 |
| Efficiency cores | 4 | 6+50% |
| Threads | 16+33% | 12 |
| Base clock | — | 4 GHz |
| Boost clock | 4.1 GHz | 4.7 GHz+16% |
Integrated GPU
| Spec | Apple M3 Max (16-core) | Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite X2E-80-100 |
|---|---|---|
| iGPU | Apple 40-core GPU | Qualcomm Adreno X2-85 |
| iGPU clock | — | 1,700 MHz |
Memory
| Spec | Apple M3 Max (16-core) | Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite X2E-80-100 |
|---|---|---|
| Memory support | LPDDR5-6400 | LPDDR5X-9523 |
| Max memory | 128 GB | — |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple M3 Max (16-core) | Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite X2E-80-100 |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 3,130Top 13% | 3,811+22%Top 9% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 21,200+32%Top 10% | 16,041Top 22% |
| Cinebench R23 (single) | 1,950Top 25% | — |
| Cinebench R23 (multi) | 24,200Top 13% | — |
| PassMark | 41,192+48%Top 13% | 27,909Top 27% |
| 3DMark Time Spy Graphics (iGPU) | — | 2,605Top 28% |
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)VSQualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite X2E-80-100vs AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370VSQualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite X2E-80-100vs Intel Core Ultra 9 386HVSQualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite X2E-80-100vs Intel Core Ultra 9 285HVSQualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite X2E-80-100vs AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 470VS