Apple M5 Max (18-core) vs Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus
92Single-core79
96.6Multi-core86.8
93.3Efficiencyspec-based44.4
—iGPU60.5
61.9Platformspec-based73.9
2 spec wins — Apple M5 Max (18-core)8 spec wins — Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus
InnoReviews verdict
Apple M5 Max (18-core) wins this laptop processor face-off, 89 to 73.9, pulling ahead mainly in single-core (+13) and multi-core (+10). 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 M5 Max (18-core)
- Stronger single-core score: 92 vs 79
- Stronger multi-core score: 97 vs 87
- 36% higher Geekbench 6 (multi): 29,256 vs 21,581
- 35% higher Geekbench 6 (single): 4,322 vs 3,198
Reasons to pick the Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus
- 100% higher Max memory: 256 GB vs 128 GB
- 50% higher L3 cache: 36 MB vs 24 MB
- 33% higher cores: 24 vs 18
- 33% higher Performance cores: 8 vs 6
- 33% higher Efficiency cores: 16 vs 12
General
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2026 | 2026 |
| Process | 3 nm | 3 nm |
| Base TDP | — | 55 W |
| Max TDP | — | 160 W |
Cores & Clocks
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 18 | 24+33% |
| Performance cores | 6 | 8+33% |
| Efficiency cores | 12 | 16+33% |
| Threads | 18 | 24+33% |
| Base clock | — | 2.7 GHz |
| Boost clock | 4.6 GHz | 5.5 GHz+20% |
| L3 cache | 24 MB | 36 MB+50% |
Integrated GPU
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-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 M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Memory support | LPDDR5X-9600 | DDR5-6400 |
| Max memory | 128 GB | 256 GB+100% |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 4,322+35%Top 3% | 3,198Top 11% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 29,256+36%Top 2% | 21,581Top 9% |
| Cinebench R23 (single) | — | 2,340Top 3% |
| Cinebench R23 (multi) | — | 39,617Top 2% |
| PassMark | 57,677Top 2% | 58,672+2%Top 1% |
| 3DMark Time Spy Graphics (iGPU) | — | 1,855Top 36% |
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