Apple M5 Max (18-core) vs Intel Core Ultra 7 251HX
92Single-core66.6
96.6Multi-core65.1
93.3Efficiencyspec-based44.4
61.9Platformspec-based68.1
3 spec wins — Apple M5 Max (18-core)3 spec wins — Intel Core Ultra 7 251HX
InnoReviews verdict
Apple M5 Max (18-core) wins this laptop processor face-off, 89 to 62.6, pulling ahead mainly in multi-core (+32) and single-core (+25). Intel Core Ultra 7 251HX 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 67
- Stronger multi-core score: 97 vs 65
- 106% higher Geekbench 6 (multi): 29,256 vs 14,233
- 56% higher Geekbench 6 (single): 4,322 vs 2,762
- 23% higher PassMark: 57,677 vs 47,051
Reasons to pick the Intel Core Ultra 7 251HX
- 100% higher Max memory: 256 GB vs 128 GB
- 25% higher L3 cache: 30 MB vs 24 MB
- 11% higher Boost clock: 5.1 GHz vs 4.6 GHz
General
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core Ultra 7 251HX |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2026 | 2026 |
| Process | 3 nm | 3 nm |
| Base TDP | — | 55 W |
| Max TDP | — | 160 W |
Cores & Clocks
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core Ultra 7 251HX |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 18 | 18 |
| Performance cores | 6 | 6 |
| Efficiency cores | 12 | 12 |
| Threads | 18 | 18 |
| Base clock | — | 2.9 GHz |
| Boost clock | 4.6 GHz | 5.1 GHz+11% |
| L3 cache | 24 MB | 30 MB+25% |
Integrated GPU
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core Ultra 7 251HX |
|---|---|---|
| iGPU | Apple 40-core GPU | Intel Graphics (3 Xe) |
| iGPU clock | — | 1,800 MHz |
Memory
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core Ultra 7 251HX |
|---|---|---|
| Memory support | LPDDR5X-9600 | DDR5-6400 |
| Max memory | 128 GB | 256 GB+100% |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core Ultra 7 251HX |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 4,322+56%Top 3% | 2,762Top 33% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 29,256+106%Top 2% | 14,233Top 30% |
| Cinebench R23 (single) | — | 1,941Top 26% |
| Cinebench R23 (multi) | — | 26,001Top 12% |
| PassMark | 57,677+23%Top 2% | 47,051Top 8% |
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