Apple M5 Max (18-core) vs Intel Core Ultra 5 125H
92Single-core55.1
96.6Multi-core44.8
93.3Efficiencyspec-based66.9
—iGPU70.2
61.9Platformspec-based57.9
11 spec wins — Apple M5 Max (18-core)0 spec wins — Intel Core Ultra 5 125H
InnoReviews verdict
Apple M5 Max (18-core) wins this laptop processor face-off, 89 to 55.2, pulling ahead mainly in multi-core (+52) and single-core (+37). Intel Core Ultra 5 125H 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 45
- 189% higher PassMark: 57,677 vs 19,976
- 164% higher Geekbench 6 (multi): 29,256 vs 11,100
- 93% higher Geekbench 6 (single): 4,322 vs 2,240
Reasons to pick the Intel Core Ultra 5 125H
No decisive spec advantages — this side competes on price and preference.
General
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core Ultra 5 125H |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2026 | 2023 |
| Process | 3 nm+57% | 7 nm |
| Base TDP | — | 28 W |
| Max TDP | — | 115 W |
Cores & Clocks
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core Ultra 5 125H |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 18+29% | 14 |
| Performance cores | 6+50% | 4 |
| Efficiency cores | 12+20% | 10 |
| Threads | 18 | 18 |
| Base clock | — | 1.2 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 Ultra 5 125H |
|---|---|---|
| iGPU | Apple 40-core GPU | Intel Arc Graphics (7 Xe) |
| iGPU clock | — | 2,200 MHz |
Memory
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core Ultra 5 125H |
|---|---|---|
| Memory support | LPDDR5X-9600 | LPDDR5X-7467 / DDR5-5600 |
| Max memory | 128 GB+33% | 96 GB |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core Ultra 5 125H |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 4,322+93%Top 3% | 2,240Bottom 32% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 29,256+164%Top 2% | 11,100Bottom 49% |
| Cinebench R23 (single) | — | 1,650Bottom 45% |
| Cinebench R23 (multi) | — | 13,500Top 46% |
| PassMark | 57,677+189%Top 2% | 19,976Top 50% |
| 3DMark Time Spy Graphics (iGPU) | — | 2,881Top 18% |
Related comparisons
Apple M5 Max (18-core)vs Apple M5 Pro (18-core)VSApple M5 Max (18-core)vs Apple M4 Max (16-core)VSApple M5 Max (18-core)vs Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite ExtremeVSApple M5 Max (18-core)vs Apple M6 (12-core)VSIntel Core Ultra 5 125Hvs Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100VSIntel Core Ultra 5 125Hvs AMD Ryzen 5 8645HSVSIntel Core Ultra 5 125Hvs Intel Core i7-13700HVSIntel Core Ultra 5 125Hvs AMD Ryzen 7 250VS