Apple M5 Max (18-core) vs Intel Core i3-N305
92Single-core31.4
96.6Multi-core28
93.3Efficiencyspec-based75.3
—iGPU34.1
61.9Platformspec-based30.5
12 spec wins — Apple M5 Max (18-core)0 spec wins — Intel Core i3-N305
InnoReviews verdict
Apple M5 Max (18-core) wins this laptop processor face-off, 89 to 36.9, pulling ahead mainly in multi-core (+69) and single-core (+61). Intel Core i3-N305 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 31
- Stronger multi-core score: 97 vs 28
- 700% higher Max memory: 128 GB vs 16 GB
- 525% higher Geekbench 6 (multi): 29,256 vs 4,681
- 517% higher PassMark: 57,677 vs 9,350
Reasons to pick the Intel Core i3-N305
No decisive spec advantages — this side competes on price and preference.
General
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core i3-N305 |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2026 | 2023 |
| Process | 3 nm+70% | 10 nm |
| Base TDP | — | 15 W |
| Max TDP | — | 35 W |
Cores & Clocks
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core i3-N305 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 18+125% | 8 |
| Performance cores | 6 | 0 |
| Efficiency cores | 12+50% | 8 |
| Threads | 18+125% | 8 |
| Base clock | — | 1.8 GHz |
| Boost clock | 4.6 GHz+21% | 3.8 GHz |
| L3 cache | 24 MB+300% | 6 MB |
Integrated GPU
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core i3-N305 |
|---|---|---|
| iGPU | Apple 40-core GPU | Intel UHD Graphics (32 EU) |
| iGPU clock | — | 1,250 MHz |
Memory
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core i3-N305 |
|---|---|---|
| Memory support | LPDDR5X-9600 | DDR4-3200, DDR5-4800, LPDDR5-4800 |
| Max memory | 128 GB+700% | 16 GB |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core i3-N305 |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 4,322+239%Top 3% | 1,274Bottom 6% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 29,256+525%Top 2% | 4,681Bottom 9% |
| Cinebench R23 (single) | — | 983Bottom 9% |
| Cinebench R23 (multi) | — | 5,049Bottom 13% |
| PassMark | 57,677+517%Top 2% | 9,350Bottom 17% |
| 3DMark Time Spy Graphics (iGPU) | — | 567Bottom 23% |
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