Apple M4 Max (16-core) vs Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus
86.9Single-core79
80.8Multi-core86.8
93.3Efficiencyspec-based44.4
—iGPU60.5
60Platformspec-based73.9
3 spec wins — Apple M4 Max (16-core)9 spec wins — Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus
InnoReviews verdict
Apple M4 Max (16-core) wins this laptop processor face-off, 81.1 to 73.9, pulling ahead mainly in single-core (+8). Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus 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 Max (16-core)
- Stronger single-core score: 87 vs 79
- 50% higher Performance cores: 12 vs 8
- 26% higher Geekbench 6 (single): 4,020 vs 3,198
- 22% higher Geekbench 6 (multi): 26,300 vs 21,581
Reasons to pick the Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus
- Stronger multi-core score: 87 vs 81
- 300% higher Efficiency cores: 16 vs 4
- 100% higher Max memory: 256 GB vs 128 GB
- 50% higher cores: 24 vs 16
- 50% higher threads: 24 vs 16
General
| Spec | Apple M4 Max (16-core) | Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2024 | 2026 |
| Process | 3 nm | 3 nm |
| Base TDP | — | 55 W |
| Max TDP | — | 160 W |
Cores & Clocks
| Spec | Apple M4 Max (16-core) | Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 16 | 24+50% |
| Performance cores | 12+50% | 8 |
| Efficiency cores | 4 | 16+300% |
| Threads | 16 | 24+50% |
| Base clock | — | 2.7 GHz |
| Boost clock | 4.5 GHz | 5.5 GHz+22% |
| L3 cache | — | 36 MB |
Integrated GPU
| Spec | Apple M4 Max (16-core) | Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus |
|---|---|---|
| iGPU | Apple 40-core GPU | Intel Graphics (4 Xe-cores) |
| iGPU clock | — | 2,000 MHz |
Memory
| Spec | Apple M4 Max (16-core) | Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Memory support | LPDDR5X-8533 | DDR5-6400 |
| Max memory | 128 GB | 256 GB+100% |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple M4 Max (16-core) | Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 4,020+26%Top 7% | 3,198Top 11% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 26,300+22%Top 4% | 21,581Top 9% |
| Cinebench R23 (single) | 2,230Top 5% | 2,340+5%Top 3% |
| Cinebench R23 (multi) | 28,100Top 10% | 39,617+41%Top 2% |
| PassMark | 43,917Top 11% | 58,672+34%Top 1% |
| 3DMark Time Spy Graphics (iGPU) | — | 1,855Top 36% |
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