Apple M5 Max (18-core) vs Intel Core Ultra 9 185H
92Single-core59.9
96.6Multi-core52.9
93.3Efficiencyspec-based47.1
—iGPU72.7
61.9Platformspec-based63.1
8 spec wins — Apple M5 Max (18-core)2 spec wins — Intel Core Ultra 9 185H
InnoReviews verdict
Apple M5 Max (18-core) wins this laptop processor face-off, 89 to 57.3, pulling ahead mainly in multi-core (+44) and single-core (+32). Intel Core Ultra 9 185H 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 60
- Stronger multi-core score: 97 vs 53
- 118% higher Geekbench 6 (multi): 29,256 vs 13,400
- 99% higher PassMark: 57,677 vs 28,947
- 78% higher Geekbench 6 (single): 4,322 vs 2,430
Reasons to pick the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H
- 22% higher threads: 22 vs 18
- 11% higher Boost clock: 5.1 GHz vs 4.6 GHz
General
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core Ultra 9 185H |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2026 | 2024 |
| Process | 3 nm+57% | 7 nm |
| Base TDP | — | 45 W |
| Max TDP | — | 115 W |
Cores & Clocks
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core Ultra 9 185H |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 18+13% | 16 |
| Performance cores | 6 | 6 |
| Efficiency cores | 12+20% | 10 |
| Threads | 18 | 22+22% |
| Base clock | — | 2.3 GHz |
| Boost clock | 4.6 GHz | 5.1 GHz+11% |
| L3 cache | 24 MB | 24 MB |
Integrated GPU
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core Ultra 9 185H |
|---|---|---|
| iGPU | Apple 40-core GPU | Intel Arc Graphics (8 Xe) |
| iGPU clock | — | 2,350 MHz |
Memory
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core Ultra 9 185H |
|---|---|---|
| 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 9 185H |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 4,322+78%Top 3% | 2,430Bottom 47% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 29,256+118%Top 2% | 13,400Top 35% |
| Cinebench R23 (single) | — | 1,790Top 40% |
| Cinebench R23 (multi) | — | 17,300Top 26% |
| PassMark | 57,677+99%Top 2% | 28,947Top 24% |
| 3DMark Time Spy Graphics (iGPU) | — | 3,225Top 14% |
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 9 185Hvs AMD Ryzen 7 8840UVSIntel Core Ultra 9 185Hvs Intel Core Ultra 7 256VVSIntel Core Ultra 9 185Hvs Intel Core Ultra 7 258VVSIntel Core Ultra 9 185Hvs Apple M2 Pro (12-core)VS