Apple M3 Pro (12-core) vs Apple M5 Max (18-core)
70.5Single-core92
52.2Multi-core96.6
93.3Efficiencyspec-based93.3
43.4Platformspec-based61.9
0 spec wins — Apple M3 Pro (12-core)9 spec wins — Apple M5 Max (18-core)
InnoReviews verdict
Apple M5 Max (18-core) wins this laptop processor face-off, 89 to 62.7, pulling ahead mainly in multi-core (+44) and single-core (+22). Apple M3 Pro (12-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 Pro (12-core)
No decisive spec advantages — this side competes on price and preference.
Reasons to pick the Apple M5 Max (18-core)
- Stronger single-core score: 92 vs 71
- Stronger multi-core score: 97 vs 52
- 256% higher Max memory: 128 GB vs 36 GB
- 140% higher PassMark: 57,677 vs 24,069
- 100% higher Efficiency cores: 12 vs 6
General
| Spec | Apple M3 Pro (12-core) | Apple M5 Max (18-core) |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2023 | 2026 |
| Process | 3 nm | 3 nm |
Cores & Clocks
| Spec | Apple M3 Pro (12-core) | Apple M5 Max (18-core) |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 12 | 18+50% |
| Performance cores | 6 | 6 |
| Efficiency cores | 6 | 12+100% |
| Threads | 12 | 18+50% |
| Boost clock | 4.1 GHz | 4.6 GHz+14% |
| L3 cache | — | 24 MB |
Integrated GPU
| Spec | Apple M3 Pro (12-core) | Apple M5 Max (18-core) |
|---|---|---|
| iGPU | Apple 18-core GPU | Apple 40-core GPU |
Memory
| Spec | Apple M3 Pro (12-core) | Apple M5 Max (18-core) |
|---|---|---|
| Memory support | LPDDR5-6400 | LPDDR5X-9600 |
| Max memory | 36 GB | 128 GB+256% |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple M3 Pro (12-core) | Apple M5 Max (18-core) |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 3,100Top 14% | 4,322+39%Top 3% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 15,300Top 24% | 29,256+91%Top 2% |
| Cinebench R23 (single) | 1,930Top 27% | — |
| Cinebench R23 (multi) | 14,800Top 35% | — |
| PassMark | 24,069Top 38% | 57,677+140%Top 2% |
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