Apple M5 Max (18-core) vs Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme
92Single-core86.6
96.6Multi-core79.1
93.3Efficiencyspec-based93.3
—iGPU75.6
61.9Platformspec-based51.1
4 spec wins — Apple M5 Max (18-core)1 spec wins — Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme
InnoReviews verdict
Apple M5 Max (18-core) wins this laptop processor face-off, 89 to 78.6, pulling ahead mainly in multi-core (+18) and single-core (+5). Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme 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 87
- Stronger multi-core score: 97 vs 79
- 29% higher PassMark: 57,677 vs 44,659
- 26% higher Geekbench 6 (multi): 29,256 vs 23,166
Reasons to pick the Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme
No decisive spec advantages — this side competes on price and preference.
General
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2026 | 2025 |
| Process | 3 nm | 3 nm |
Cores & Clocks
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 18 | 18 |
| Performance cores | 6 | — |
| Efficiency cores | 12 | — |
| Threads | 18 | 18 |
| Base clock | — | 4.4 GHz |
| Boost clock | 4.6 GHz | 5 GHz+9% |
| L3 cache | 24 MB | — |
Integrated GPU
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme |
|---|---|---|
| iGPU | Apple 40-core GPU | Qualcomm Adreno X2-90 |
| iGPU clock | — | 1,850 MHz |
Memory
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme |
|---|---|---|
| Memory support | LPDDR5X-9600 | LPDDR5X |
| Max memory | 128 GB | — |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 4,322+6%Top 3% | 4,062Top 6% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 29,256+26%Top 2% | 23,166Top 5% |
| PassMark | 57,677+29%Top 2% | 44,659Top 10% |
| 3DMark Time Spy Graphics (iGPU) | — | 3,667Top 9% |
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 Apple M6 (12-core)VSApple M5 Max (18-core)vs AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395VSQualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite Extremevs Apple M6 (12-core)VSQualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite Extremevs Apple M4 Max (16-core)VSQualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite Extremevs AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395VSQualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite Extremevs Apple M4 Pro (14-core)VS