Apple M5 Max (18-core) vs Intel Core i5-12500H
92Single-core55.3
96.6Multi-core44.1
93.3Efficiencyspec-based40.5
—iGPU50.3
61.9Platformspec-based53.8
12 spec wins — Apple M5 Max (18-core)0 spec wins — Intel Core i5-12500H
InnoReviews verdict
Apple M5 Max (18-core) wins this laptop processor face-off, 89 to 48.4, pulling ahead mainly in multi-core (+52) and single-core (+37). Intel Core i5-12500H 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 55
- Stronger multi-core score: 97 vs 44
- 185% higher PassMark: 57,677 vs 20,236
- 179% higher Geekbench 6 (multi): 29,256 vs 10,500
- 100% higher Max memory: 128 GB vs 64 GB
Reasons to pick the Intel Core i5-12500H
No decisive spec advantages — this side competes on price and preference.
General
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core i5-12500H |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2026 | 2022 |
| Process | 3 nm+70% | 10 nm |
| Base TDP | — | 45 W |
| Max TDP | — | 95 W |
Cores & Clocks
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core i5-12500H |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 18+50% | 12 |
| Performance cores | 6+50% | 4 |
| Efficiency cores | 12+50% | 8 |
| Threads | 18+13% | 16 |
| Base clock | — | 2.5 GHz |
| Boost clock | 4.6 GHz+2% | 4.5 GHz |
| L3 cache | 24 MB+33% | 18 MB |
Integrated GPU
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core i5-12500H |
|---|---|---|
| iGPU | Apple 40-core GPU | Intel Iris Xe (80 EU) |
| iGPU clock | — | 1,300 MHz |
Memory
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core i5-12500H |
|---|---|---|
| Memory support | LPDDR5X-9600 | DDR5-4800 / LPDDR5-5200 / DDR4-3200 |
| Max memory | 128 GB+100% | 64 GB |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core i5-12500H |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 4,322+92%Top 3% | 2,250Bottom 33% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 29,256+179%Top 2% | 10,500Bottom 43% |
| Cinebench R23 (single) | — | 1,655Bottom 47% |
| Cinebench R23 (multi) | — | 13,500Top 46% |
| PassMark | 57,677+185%Top 2% | 20,236Top 50% |
| 3DMark Time Spy Graphics (iGPU) | — | 1,175Bottom 45% |
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