Apple M5 Pro (18-core) vs Apple M6 (12-core)
91.5Single-core98.1
94.8Multi-core70.6
93.3Efficiencyspec-based100
57.5Platformspec-based42.2
6 spec wins — Apple M5 Pro (18-core)5 spec wins — Apple M6 (12-core)
InnoReviews verdict
Apple M5 Pro (18-core) wins this laptop processor face-off, 87.4 to 78.4, pulling ahead mainly in multi-core (+24). Apple M6 (12-core) 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 Pro (18-core)
- Stronger multi-core score: 95 vs 71
- 200% higher Performance cores: 18 vs 6
- 100% higher Max memory: 64 GB vs 32 GB
- 57% higher PassMark: 57,150 vs 36,310
- 50% higher cores: 18 vs 12
Reasons to pick the Apple M6 (12-core)
- Stronger single-core score: 98 vs 92
- 33% lower process: 2 nm vs 3 nm
General
| Spec | Apple M5 Pro (18-core) | Apple M6 (12-core) |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2026 | 2026 |
| Process | 3 nm | 2 nm+33% |
Cores & Clocks
| Spec | Apple M5 Pro (18-core) | Apple M6 (12-core) |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 18+50% | 12 |
| Performance cores | 18+200% | 6 |
| Efficiency cores | 0 | 6 |
| Threads | 18+50% | 12 |
| Base clock | 4.4 GHz | — |
| Boost clock | 4.6 GHz | 4.8 GHz+4% |
| L3 cache | 24 MB | — |
Integrated GPU
| Spec | Apple M5 Pro (18-core) | Apple M6 (12-core) |
|---|---|---|
| iGPU | Apple 20-core GPU | Apple 12-core GPU |
Memory
| Spec | Apple M5 Pro (18-core) | Apple M6 (12-core) |
|---|---|---|
| Memory support | LPDDR5X-9600 | LPDDR5X |
| Max memory | 64 GB+100% | 32 GB |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple M5 Pro (18-core) | Apple M6 (12-core) |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 4,295Top 3% | 4,610+7%Top 1% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 28,436+38%Top 2% | 20,676Top 7% |
| PassMark | 57,150+57%Top 2% | 36,310Top 15% |
| PassMark (single thread) | 5,933Top 2% | 6,406+8%Top 1% |
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