Apple M5 Max (18-core) vs Intel Core i9-12900HK
92Single-core60.5
96.6Multi-core51
93.3Efficiencyspec-based40.5
—iGPU55.7
61.9Platformspec-based59
8 spec wins — Apple M5 Max (18-core)2 spec wins — Intel Core i9-12900HK
InnoReviews verdict
Apple M5 Max (18-core) wins this laptop processor face-off, 89 to 53.5, pulling ahead mainly in multi-core (+46) and single-core (+32). Intel Core i9-12900HK 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 61
- Stronger multi-core score: 97 vs 51
- 131% higher PassMark: 57,677 vs 24,954
- 130% higher Geekbench 6 (multi): 29,256 vs 12,700
- 100% higher Max memory: 128 GB vs 64 GB
Reasons to pick the Intel Core i9-12900HK
- 11% higher threads: 20 vs 18
General
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core i9-12900HK |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2026 | 2022 |
| Process | 3 nm+70% | 10 nm |
| Base TDP | — | 45 W |
| Max TDP | — | 115 W |
Cores & Clocks
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core i9-12900HK |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 18+29% | 14 |
| Performance cores | 6 | 6 |
| Efficiency cores | 12+50% | 8 |
| Threads | 18 | 20+11% |
| Base clock | — | 2.5 GHz |
| Boost clock | 4.6 GHz | 5 GHz+9% |
| L3 cache | 24 MB | 24 MB |
Integrated GPU
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core i9-12900HK |
|---|---|---|
| iGPU | Apple 40-core GPU | Intel Iris Xe (96 EU) |
| iGPU clock | — | 1,450 MHz |
Memory
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core i9-12900HK |
|---|---|---|
| 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 i9-12900HK |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 4,322+76%Top 3% | 2,450Bottom 48% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 29,256+130%Top 2% | 12,700Top 40% |
| Cinebench R23 (single) | — | 1,810Top 36% |
| Cinebench R23 (multi) | — | 17,600Top 24% |
| PassMark | 57,677+131%Top 2% | 24,954Top 34% |
| 3DMark Time Spy Graphics (iGPU) | — | 1,496Top 42% |
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