Apple M5 Max (18-core) vs Intel Core Ultra 5 325
92Single-core63.3
96.6Multi-core42.7
93.3Efficiencyspec-based81.4
—iGPU70.1
61.9Platformspec-based49.2
9 spec wins — Apple M5 Max (18-core)1 spec wins — Intel Core Ultra 5 325
InnoReviews verdict
Apple M5 Max (18-core) wins this laptop processor face-off, 89 to 57.4, pulling ahead mainly in multi-core (+54) and single-core (+29). Intel Core Ultra 5 325 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 63
- Stronger multi-core score: 97 vs 43
- 200% higher Efficiency cores: 12 vs 4
- 199% higher PassMark: 57,677 vs 19,278
- 168% higher Geekbench 6 (multi): 29,256 vs 10,928
Reasons to pick the Intel Core Ultra 5 325
- 33% lower process: 2 nm vs 3 nm
General
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core Ultra 5 325 |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2026 | 2026 |
| Process | 3 nm | 2 nm+33% |
| Base TDP | — | 25 W |
| Max TDP | — | 55 W |
Cores & Clocks
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core Ultra 5 325 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 18+125% | 8 |
| Performance cores | 6+50% | 4 |
| Efficiency cores | 12+200% | 4 |
| Threads | 18+125% | 8 |
| Base clock | — | 2.1 GHz |
| Boost clock | 4.6 GHz+2% | 4.5 GHz |
| L3 cache | 24 MB+100% | 12 MB |
Integrated GPU
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core Ultra 5 325 |
|---|---|---|
| iGPU | Apple 40-core GPU | Intel Graphics (4 Xe3-cores) |
| iGPU clock | — | 2,450 MHz |
Memory
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core Ultra 5 325 |
|---|---|---|
| Memory support | LPDDR5X-9600 | LPDDR5X-7467 / DDR5-6400 |
| Max memory | 128 GB | 128 GB |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core Ultra 5 325 |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 4,322+67%Top 2% | 2,590Top 44% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 29,256+168%Top 1% | 10,928Bottom 47% |
| Cinebench R23 (single) | — | 1,874Top 32% |
| Cinebench R23 (multi) | — | 10,868Bottom 44% |
| PassMark | 57,677+199%Top 2% | 19,278Bottom 48% |
| 3DMark Time Spy Graphics (iGPU) | — | 2,866Top 19% |
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