Apple M5 Max (18-core) vs Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX
92Single-core72.8
96.6Multi-core73.8
93.3Efficiencyspec-based44.4
61.9Platformspec-based69.6
4 spec wins — Apple M5 Max (18-core)6 spec wins — Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX
InnoReviews verdict
Apple M5 Max (18-core) wins this laptop processor face-off, 89 to 67.9, pulling ahead mainly in multi-core (+23) and single-core (+19). Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX 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 73
- Stronger multi-core score: 97 vs 74
- 63% higher Geekbench 6 (multi): 29,256 vs 17,915
- 46% higher Geekbench 6 (single): 4,322 vs 2,959
- 20% higher PassMark: 57,677 vs 47,933
Reasons to pick the Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX
- 100% higher Max memory: 256 GB vs 128 GB
- 33% higher Performance cores: 8 vs 6
- 25% higher L3 cache: 30 MB vs 24 MB
- 13% higher Boost clock: 5.2 GHz vs 4.6 GHz
- 11% higher cores: 20 vs 18
General
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2026 | 2025 |
| 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 255HX |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 18 | 20+11% |
| Performance cores | 6 | 8+33% |
| Efficiency cores | 12 | 12 |
| Threads | 18 | 20+11% |
| Base clock | — | 2.4 GHz |
| Boost clock | 4.6 GHz | 5.2 GHz+13% |
| L3 cache | 24 MB | 30 MB+25% |
Integrated GPU
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX |
|---|---|---|
| iGPU | Apple 40-core GPU | Intel Graphics (4 Xe-cores) |
| iGPU clock | — | 1,850 MHz |
Memory
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX |
|---|---|---|
| Memory support | LPDDR5X-9600 | DDR5-6400 |
| Max memory | 128 GB | 256 GB+100% |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 4,322+46%Top 2% | 2,959Top 17% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 29,256+63%Top 1% | 17,915Top 12% |
| Cinebench R23 (single) | — | 2,154Top 10% |
| Cinebench R23 (multi) | — | 31,781Top 6% |
| PassMark | 57,677+20%Top 2% | 47,933Top 8% |
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