Apple M5 Max (18-core) vs Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus
92Single-core69.5
96.6Multi-core78.7
93.3Efficiencyspec-based44.4
—iGPU61
61.9Platformspec-based69.6
2 spec wins — Apple M5 Max (18-core)6 spec wins — Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus
InnoReviews verdict
Apple M5 Max (18-core) wins this laptop processor face-off, 89 to 68.1, pulling ahead mainly in single-core (+23) and multi-core (+18). Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus 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 70
- Stronger multi-core score: 97 vs 79
- 31% higher PassMark (single thread): 5,964 vs 4,566
- 25% higher PassMark: 57,677 vs 46,295
Reasons to pick the Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus
- 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
- 15% higher Boost clock: 5.3 GHz vs 4.6 GHz
- 11% higher cores: 20 vs 18
General
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus |
|---|---|---|
| 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 270HX Plus |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 5.3 GHz+15% |
| L3 cache | 24 MB | 30 MB+25% |
Integrated GPU
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus |
|---|---|---|
| iGPU | Apple 40-core GPU | Intel Graphics (4 Xe-cores) |
| iGPU clock | — | 1,900 MHz |
Memory
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Memory support | LPDDR5X-9600 | DDR5-6400 |
| Max memory | 128 GB | 256 GB+100% |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 4,322Top 1% | — |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 29,256Top 1% | — |
| PassMark | 57,677+25%Top 2% | 46,295Top 8% |
| PassMark (single thread) | 5,964+31%Top 1% | 4,566Top 6% |
| 3DMark Time Spy Graphics (iGPU) | — | 1,902Top 42% |
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