Apple M3 Pro (12-core) vs Intel Core i5-1235U
70.5Single-core49.8
52.2Multi-core31.4
93.3Efficiencyspec-based75.3
—iGPU50.3
43.4Platformspec-based47.7
9 spec wins — Apple M3 Pro (12-core)3 spec wins — Intel Core i5-1235U
InnoReviews verdict
Apple M3 Pro (12-core) wins this laptop processor face-off, 62.7 to 46.9, pulling ahead mainly in multi-core (+21) and single-core (+21). Intel Core i5-1235U 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)
- Stronger single-core score: 71 vs 50
- Stronger multi-core score: 52 vs 31
- 200% higher Performance cores: 6 vs 2
- 151% higher Geekbench 6 (multi): 15,300 vs 6,100
- 139% higher Cinebench R23 (multi): 14,800 vs 6,200
Reasons to pick the Intel Core i5-1235U
- 78% higher Max memory: 64 GB vs 36 GB
- 33% higher Efficiency cores: 8 vs 6
General
| Spec | Apple M3 Pro (12-core) | Intel Core i5-1235U |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2023 | 2022 |
| Process | 3 nm+70% | 10 nm |
| Base TDP | — | 15 W |
| Max TDP | — | 55 W |
Cores & Clocks
| Spec | Apple M3 Pro (12-core) | Intel Core i5-1235U |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 12+20% | 10 |
| Performance cores | 6+200% | 2 |
| Efficiency cores | 6 | 8+33% |
| Threads | 12 | 12 |
| Base clock | — | 1.3 GHz |
| Boost clock | 4.1 GHz | 4.4 GHz+9% |
| L3 cache | — | 12 MB |
Integrated GPU
| Spec | Apple M3 Pro (12-core) | Intel Core i5-1235U |
|---|---|---|
| iGPU | Apple 18-core GPU | Intel Iris Xe (80 EU) |
| iGPU clock | — | 1,200 MHz |
Memory
| Spec | Apple M3 Pro (12-core) | Intel Core i5-1235U |
|---|---|---|
| Memory support | LPDDR5-6400 | LPDDR5-5200 / DDR5-4800 / LPDDR4X-4267 |
| Max memory | 36 GB | 64 GB+78% |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple M3 Pro (12-core) | Intel Core i5-1235U |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 3,100+55%Top 12% | 2,000Bottom 17% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 15,300+151%Top 21% | 6,100Bottom 14% |
| Cinebench R23 (single) | 1,930+27%Top 27% | 1,520Bottom 29% |
| Cinebench R23 (multi) | 14,800+139%Top 36% | 6,200Bottom 17% |
| PassMark | 24,069+94%Top 40% | 12,415Bottom 22% |
| 3DMark Time Spy Graphics (iGPU) | — | 1,175Bottom 42% |
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