Apple M4 (10-core) vs Apple M5 Max (18-core)
83.5Single-core92
51Multi-core96.6
93.3Efficiencyspec-based93.3
40Platformspec-based61.9
0 spec wins — Apple M4 (10-core)10 spec wins — Apple M5 Max (18-core)
InnoReviews verdict
Apple M5 Max (18-core) wins this laptop processor face-off, 89 to 65.2, pulling ahead mainly in multi-core (+46) and single-core (+9). Apple M4 (10-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 M4 (10-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 84
- Stronger multi-core score: 97 vs 51
- 300% higher Max memory: 128 GB vs 32 GB
- 145% higher PassMark: 57,677 vs 23,582
- 100% higher Efficiency cores: 12 vs 6
General
| Spec | Apple M4 (10-core) | Apple M5 Max (18-core) |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2024 | 2026 |
| Process | 3 nm | 3 nm |
Cores & Clocks
| Spec | Apple M4 (10-core) | Apple M5 Max (18-core) |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 10 | 18+80% |
| Performance cores | 4 | 6+50% |
| Efficiency cores | 6 | 12+100% |
| Threads | 10 | 18+80% |
| Boost clock | 4.4 GHz | 4.6 GHz+4% |
| L3 cache | — | 24 MB |
Integrated GPU
| Spec | Apple M4 (10-core) | Apple M5 Max (18-core) |
|---|---|---|
| iGPU | Apple 10-core GPU | Apple 40-core GPU |
Memory
| Spec | Apple M4 (10-core) | Apple M5 Max (18-core) |
|---|---|---|
| Memory support | LPDDR5X-7500 | LPDDR5X-9600 |
| Max memory | 32 GB | 128 GB+300% |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple M4 (10-core) | Apple M5 Max (18-core) |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 3,810Top 10% | 4,322+13%Top 3% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 14,900Top 27% | 29,256+96%Top 2% |
| Cinebench R23 (single) | 2,180Top 10% | — |
| Cinebench R23 (multi) | 13,900Top 43% | — |
| PassMark | 23,582Top 39% | 57,677+145%Top 2% |
Related comparisons
Apple M4 (10-core)vs Intel Core Ultra 7 255HVSApple M4 (10-core)vs AMD Ryzen 9 7945HXVSApple M4 (10-core)vs AMD Ryzen AI 9 365VSApple M4 (10-core)vs Intel Core Ultra 9 285HVSApple M5 Max (18-core)vs Apple M5 Pro (18-core)VSApple M5 Max (18-core)vs Apple M4 Max (16-core)VSApple M5 Max (18-core)vs Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite ExtremeVSApple M5 Max (18-core)vs Apple M6 (12-core)VS