Apple M5 Max (18-core) vs Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100
92Single-core51.6
96.6Multi-core52.1
93.3Efficiencyspec-based79.3
—iGPU57.4
61.9Platformspec-based42.4
10 spec wins — Apple M5 Max (18-core)1 spec wins — Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100
InnoReviews verdict
Apple M5 Max (18-core) wins this laptop processor face-off, 89 to 55.1, pulling ahead mainly in multi-core (+44) and single-core (+40). Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100 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 52
- Stronger multi-core score: 97 vs 52
- 300% higher L3 cache: 24 MB vs 6 MB
- 154% higher PassMark: 57,677 vs 22,695
- 106% higher Geekbench 6 (multi): 29,256 vs 14,200
Reasons to pick the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100
- 100% higher Performance cores: 12 vs 6
General
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100 |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2026 | 2023 |
| Process | 3 nm+25% | 4 nm |
| Base TDP | — | 23 W |
| Max TDP | — | 80 W |
Cores & Clocks
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 18+50% | 12 |
| Performance cores | 6 | 12+100% |
| Efficiency cores | 12 | — |
| Threads | 18+50% | 12 |
| Base clock | — | 3.4 GHz |
| Boost clock | 4.6 GHz+35% | 3.4 GHz |
| L3 cache | 24 MB+300% | 6 MB |
Integrated GPU
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100 |
|---|---|---|
| iGPU | Apple 40-core GPU | Qualcomm Adreno X1-85 |
| iGPU clock | — | 1,250 MHz |
Memory
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100 |
|---|---|---|
| Memory support | LPDDR5X-9600 | LPDDR5X-8448 |
| Max memory | 128 GB+100% | 64 GB |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100 |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 4,322+80%Top 3% | 2,400Bottom 40% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 29,256+106%Top 2% | 14,200Top 31% |
| PassMark | 57,677+154%Top 2% | 22,695Top 42% |
| 3DMark Time Spy Graphics (iGPU) | — | 1,616Top 39% |
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