Apple M5 Max (18-core) vs Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite X2E-90-100
92Single-core73.3
96.6Multi-core66.6
93.3Efficiencyspec-based93.3
61.9Platformspec-based54.4
5 spec wins — Apple M5 Max (18-core)2 spec wins — Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite X2E-90-100
InnoReviews verdict
Apple M5 Max (18-core) wins this laptop processor face-off, 89 to 70.9, pulling ahead mainly in multi-core (+30) and single-core (+19). Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite X2E-90-100 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 73
- Stronger multi-core score: 97 vs 67
- 167% higher L3 cache: 24 MB vs 9 MB
- 100% higher Efficiency cores: 12 vs 6
- 54% higher PassMark: 57,677 vs 37,384
Reasons to pick the Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite X2E-90-100
- 100% higher Performance cores: 12 vs 6
General
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite X2E-90-100 |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2026 | 2025 |
| Process | 3 nm | 3 nm |
Cores & Clocks
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite X2E-90-100 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 18 | 18 |
| Performance cores | 6 | 12+100% |
| Efficiency cores | 12+100% | 6 |
| Threads | 18 | 18 |
| Boost clock | 4.6 GHz | 5 GHz+9% |
| L3 cache | 24 MB+167% | 9 MB |
Integrated GPU
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite X2E-90-100 |
|---|---|---|
| iGPU | Apple 40-core GPU | Qualcomm Adreno X2-90 |
| iGPU clock | — | 1,700 MHz |
Memory
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite X2E-90-100 |
|---|---|---|
| Memory support | LPDDR5X-9600 | LPDDR5x-9523 |
| Max memory | 128 GB | 128 GB |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite X2E-90-100 |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 4,322Top 2% | — |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 29,256Top 1% | — |
| PassMark | 57,677+54%Top 2% | 37,384Top 14% |
| PassMark (single thread) | 5,964+24%Top 2% | 4,797Top 4% |
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)VSQualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite X2E-90-100vs Intel Core Ultra 9 285HXVSQualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite X2E-90-100vs AMD Ryzen AI Max+ PRO 395VSQualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite X2E-90-100vs Intel Core Ultra 9 275HXVSQualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite X2E-90-100vs Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite X2E-88-100VS