Apple M5 Max (18-core) vs Intel Core i5-12450HX
92Single-core47.6
96.6Multi-core40.4
93.3Efficiencyspec-based28.9
61.9Platformspec-based52.2
11 spec wins — Apple M5 Max (18-core)0 spec wins — Intel Core i5-12450HX
InnoReviews verdict
Apple M5 Max (18-core) wins this laptop processor face-off, 89 to 42.4, pulling ahead mainly in multi-core (+56) and single-core (+44). Intel Core i5-12450HX 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 48
- Stronger multi-core score: 97 vs 40
- 228% higher PassMark: 57,677 vs 17,605
- 217% higher Geekbench 6 (multi): 29,256 vs 9,230
- 200% higher Efficiency cores: 12 vs 4
Reasons to pick the Intel Core i5-12450HX
No decisive spec advantages — this side competes on price and preference.
General
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core i5-12450HX |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2026 | 2022 |
| Process | 3 nm+70% | 10 nm |
| Base TDP | — | 55 W |
| Max TDP | — | 157 W |
Cores & Clocks
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core i5-12450HX |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 18+125% | 8 |
| Performance cores | 6+50% | 4 |
| Efficiency cores | 12+200% | 4 |
| Threads | 18+50% | 12 |
| Base clock | — | 2.4 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 i5-12450HX |
|---|---|---|
| iGPU | Apple 40-core GPU | Intel UHD Graphics (16 EU) |
| iGPU clock | — | 1,300 MHz |
Memory
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core i5-12450HX |
|---|---|---|
| Memory support | LPDDR5X-9600 | DDR5-4800 / DDR4-3200 |
| Max memory | 128 GB | 128 GB |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core i5-12450HX |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 4,322+96%Top 2% | 2,210Bottom 26% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 29,256+217%Top 1% | 9,230Bottom 34% |
| PassMark | 57,677+228%Top 2% | 17,605Bottom 40% |
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