Apple M1 Max (32-GPU) Apple M5 Max (18-CPU 40-GPU)
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Apple M1 Max (32-GPU) vs Apple M5 Max (18-CPU 40-GPU)

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The Apple M1 Max (32-GPU) is aimed at professional users and was developed for demanding creative tasks.

Produced using a 5-nanometer process, this chip features ten cores and an L2 cache of 28 MB. With a memory bandwidth of 410 GB/s and integrated Apple M1 Max (32 Core) graphics, it delivers good AI performance. In benchmarks such as Geekbench 6, it shows solid single- and multi-core performance. The thermal design power is designed for efficiency, favoring use in compact housings.

For gaming, the graphics are well-suited, though they reach limits at extreme settings. The price-performance ratio is advantageous for users seeking proven technology. This processor remains a reliable choice for graphic design and video editing. The Apple M5 Max (18-CPU 40-GPU) is designed for the highest demands in content creation.

It is based on the M5 architecture and manufactured in a 3-nanometer process. With 18 cores and Apple M5 Max (40 Core) graphics, it offers a significant increase in computing power. The memory bandwidth of 614 GB/s ensures superior AI performance in complex calculations. In current benchmarks, it significantly outperforms the values of the Apple M1 Max (32-GPU), especially in multi-core performance.

Gaming scenarios benefit from the extended graphics unit, which enables smoother workflows. Despite the high performance, energy consumption remains efficient thanks to the structure reduction. The costs reflect the technological superiority. This processor is recommended for professional 3D rendering and data-intensive projects.

Apple M1 Max (32-GPU)

  • 5-nanometer manufacturing with 10 cores
  • Memory bandwidth of 410 GB/s for good AI performance
  • Integrated Apple M1 Max (32 Core) graphics unit
  • Efficient thermal design for quiet operation

Apple M5 Max (18-CPU 40-GPU)

  • Advanced 3-nanometer architecture with 18 cores
  • High memory bandwidth of 614 GB/s for AI applications
  • Apple M5 Max (40 Core) graphics for gaming and rendering
  • Significantly higher multi-core performance in modern benchmarks

Performance Overview
Average performance across multiple benchmarks

Single-core performance
Rank 2 - 56 %
Apple M1 Max (32-GPU)
Rank 1 - 100 %
Apple M5 Max (18-CPU 40-GPU)
Multi-core performance
Rank 2 - 38 %
Apple M1 Max (32-GPU)
Rank 1 - 100 %
Apple M5 Max (18-CPU 40-GPU)
Cinebench 2024 Single-Core

Cinebench 2024 Single-Core
Single-core performance

Apple M1 Max (32-GPU)
10C / 10T · 3.20 GHz
112 pts
Apple M5 Max (18-CPU 40-GPU)
18C / 18T · 4.61 GHz
199 pts
Cinebench 2024 Multi-Core

Cinebench 2024 Multi-Core
Multi-core performance

Apple M1 Max (32-GPU)
10C / 10T · 3.20 GHz
796 pts
Apple M5 Max (18-CPU 40-GPU)
18C / 18T · 4.61 GHz
2,377 pts
Geekbench 6 Single-Core

Geekbench 6 Single-Core
Single-core performance

Apple M1 Max (32-GPU)
10C / 10T · 3.20 GHz
2,397
Apple M5 Max (18-CPU 40-GPU)
18C / 18T · 4.61 GHz
4,250
Geekbench 6 Multi-Core

Geekbench 6 Multi-Core
Multi-core performance

Apple M1 Max (32-GPU)
10C / 10T · 3.20 GHz
12,439
Apple M5 Max (18-CPU 40-GPU)
18C / 18T · 0.91 GHz
29,200
iGPU - FP32 Performance (Single-precision GFLOPS)

iGPU - FP32 Performance (Single-precision GFLOPS)

Apple M1 Max (32-GPU)
Apple M1 Max (32 Core)
10,600
Apple M5 Max (18-CPU 40-GPU)
Apple M5 Max (40 Core)
20,532

More benchmarks

At a glance

Wischen
Apple M1 Max (32-GPU)Apple M5 Max (18-CPU 40-GPU)
FamilyApple M series (38)Apple M series (38)
CPU groupApple M1 (9)Apple M5 (6)
ArchitectureM1M5
Technology5 nm3 nm
SegmentNotebookNotebook
Socket
PredecessorApple M4 Max (16-CPU 40-GPU)
SuccessorApple M2 Max (38-GPU)

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

Wischen
Apple M1 Max (32-GPU)Apple M5 Max (18-CPU 40-GPU)
CPU Cores / Threads10 / 1018 / 18
Hyperthreading / SMT
Core architecturehybrid (big.LITTLE)hybrid (big.LITTLE)
Core Cluster 1: 8x Firestorm
0.60 - 3.20 GHz
6x Super-Core
0.91 - 4.61 GHz
Core Cluster 2: 2x Icestorm
0.60 - 2.06 GHz
12x Performance-Core
0.90 - 3.05 GHz
L2-Cache28.00 MB22.00 MB
L3-Cache
Overclocking

Integrated graphics (iGPU)

Wischen
Apple M1 Max (32-GPU)Apple M5 Max (18-CPU 40-GPU)
GPU nameApple M1 Max (32 Core)Apple M5 Max (40 Core)
GPU frequency0.39 - 1.30 GHz0.34 - 1.90 GHz
CUs / Shader512 / 4096640 / 5120
Raytracing
Max. displays53
Max. GPU Memory32 GB128 GB
Technology5 nm3 nm
Release dateQ3/2021Q1/2026

NPU AI performance

Wischen
Apple M1 Max (32-GPU)Apple M5 Max (18-CPU 40-GPU)
AI hardwareApple Neural EngineApple Neural Engine
AI specifications16 Neural cores @ 11 TOPS16 Neural cores @ 60 TOPS
NPU + CPU + iGPU

Memory & PCIe

Wischen
Apple M1 Max (32-GPU)Apple M5 Max (18-CPU 40-GPU)
MemoryLPDDR5-6400 (409.6 GB/s)
LPDDR5X-9600 (614.4 GB/s)
Max. Memory64 GB128 GB
Memory channels48
ECCNoNo
PCIe4.05.0 x 8
PCIe Bandwidth31.5 GB/s

Thermal Management

Wischen
Apple M1 Max (32-GPU)Apple M5 Max (18-CPU 40-GPU)
TDP45 W60 W
TDP (PL2)
TDP up
TDP down
T. junction max.100 °C

Technical details

Wischen
Apple M1 Max (32-GPU)Apple M5 Max (18-CPU 40-GPU)
Chip designMonolithicMonolithic
AES-NI
Operating systemsmacOSmacOS, iPadOS
Instruction setArmv8.5-A (64 bit)Armv9.2-A (64 bit)
ISA extensionsRosetta 2 x86-EmulationRosetta 2 x86-Emulation, AVX2, SME
Release dateQ3/2021Q1/2026
Release price
Documents

Your rating

Here you can rate one or both of the processors. The average rating of Apple M1 Max (32-GPU) is 4.8 stars (207 ratings), while Apple M5 Max (18-CPU 40-GPU) has received 4.9 stars (129 ratings).

Click on the stars to rate one or both processors.

Apple M1 Max (32-GPU)
Apple M1 Max (32-GPU)
10C / 10T · 0.60 - 3.20 GHz
Apple M5 Max (18-CPU 40-GPU)
Apple M5 Max (18-CPU 40-GPU)
18C / 18T · 0.91 - 4.61 GHz

Most popular CPUs in both categories

Apple M1 Max (32-GPU)
Apple M1 Max (32-GPU)
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