Apple M5 Max (18-core) vs Intel Core i5-1235U
92Single-core49.8
96.6Multi-core31.4
93.3Efficiencyspec-based75.3
—iGPU50.3
61.9Platformspec-based47.7
12 spec wins — Apple M5 Max (18-core)0 spec wins — Intel Core i5-1235U
InnoReviews verdict
Apple M5 Max (18-core) wins this laptop processor face-off, 89 to 46.9, pulling ahead mainly in multi-core (+65) and single-core (+42). 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 M5 Max (18-core)
- Stronger single-core score: 92 vs 50
- Stronger multi-core score: 97 vs 31
- 380% higher Geekbench 6 (multi): 29,256 vs 6,100
- 365% higher PassMark: 57,677 vs 12,415
- 200% higher Performance cores: 6 vs 2
Reasons to pick the Intel Core i5-1235U
No decisive spec advantages — this side competes on price and preference.
General
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core i5-1235U |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2026 | 2022 |
| Process | 3 nm+70% | 10 nm |
| Base TDP | — | 15 W |
| Max TDP | — | 55 W |
Cores & Clocks
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core i5-1235U |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 18+80% | 10 |
| Performance cores | 6+200% | 2 |
| Efficiency cores | 12+50% | 8 |
| Threads | 18+50% | 12 |
| Base clock | — | 1.3 GHz |
| Boost clock | 4.6 GHz+5% | 4.4 GHz |
| L3 cache | 24 MB+100% | 12 MB |
Integrated GPU
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core i5-1235U |
|---|---|---|
| iGPU | Apple 40-core GPU | Intel Iris Xe (80 EU) |
| iGPU clock | — | 1,200 MHz |
Memory
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core i5-1235U |
|---|---|---|
| Memory support | LPDDR5X-9600 | LPDDR5-5200 / DDR5-4800 / LPDDR4X-4267 |
| Max memory | 128 GB+100% | 64 GB |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core i5-1235U |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 4,322+116%Top 3% | 2,000Bottom 21% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 29,256+380%Top 2% | 6,100Bottom 14% |
| Cinebench R23 (single) | — | 1,520Bottom 33% |
| Cinebench R23 (multi) | — | 6,200Bottom 18% |
| PassMark | 57,677+365%Top 2% | 12,415Bottom 23% |
| 3DMark Time Spy Graphics (iGPU) | — | 1,175Bottom 45% |
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