Apple M3 Apple M5 Max (18-CPU 40-GPU)
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Apple M3 vs Apple M5 Max (18-CPU 40-GPU)

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The Apple M3 was designed as an efficient processor for everyday tasks and light creative work. It is manufactured using the modern 3-nanometer process, which enables high energy efficiency.

In benchmarks, the Apple M3 shows solid single-core performance for standard applications. However, the multi-core performance is significantly below that of the comparison model, as fewer computing cores are available. The integrated Apple M3 (10 Core) graphics unit is suitable for casual games, but reaches its limits with demanding titles.

With a memory bandwidth of 102 GB/s, the data throughput is optimized for office applications and media consumption. Energy consumption remains very low, which minimizes thermal load. The price-performance ratio is advantageous for home users, as the acquisition costs for corresponding systems are moderate.

In summary, this chip is ideal for users with a focus on efficiency. The Apple M5 Max (18-CPU 40-GPU) is aimed at professional users who need high computing power for video editing or 3D visualizations.

This chip also uses the 3-nanometer process. In benchmarks, the single-core performance significantly exceeds that of the Apple M3, while the multi-core performance experiences a massive increase thanks to the 18 cores. The integrated Apple M5 Max (40 Core) graphics unit offers high graphical performance, enabling smooth gaming at high resolutions.

Thanks to a memory bandwidth of 614 GB/s, the processor also offers very good performance for AI applications. Power consumption is higher due to the high core count, which requires a powerful thermal solution. As a processor for professional requirements, it is positioned in the upper price segment but offers an appropriate return for specialized workflows.

It is therefore recommended for computationally intensive tasks in professional environments.

Apple M3

  • Manufactured using the 3-nanometer process
  • Low energy consumption for everyday life
  • Integrated Apple M3 (10 Core) graphics unit
  • Memory bandwidth of 102 GB/s

Apple M5 Max (18-CPU 40-GPU)

  • Processor with 18 CPU cores for professional tasks
  • Good AI performance through 614 GB/s bandwidth
  • Integrated Apple M5 Max (40 Core) graphics unit
  • High multi-core performance in benchmarks

Performance Overview
Average performance across multiple benchmarks

Single-core performance
Rank 2 - 71 %
Apple M3
Rank 1 - 100 %
Apple M5 Max (18-CPU 40-GPU)
Multi-core performance
Rank 2 - 34 %
Apple M3
Rank 1 - 100 %
Apple M5 Max (18-CPU 40-GPU)
Cinebench 2024 Single-Core

Cinebench 2024 Single-Core
Single-core performance

Apple M3
Apple M3 69 %
8C / 8T · 4.06 GHz
137 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 M3
Apple M3 28 %
8C / 8T · 4.06 GHz
659 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 M3
Apple M3 74 %
8C / 8T · 4.06 GHz
3,125
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 M3
Apple M3 41 %
8C / 8T · 4.06 GHz
11,863
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 M3
Apple M3 17 %
Apple M3 (10 Core)
3,550
Apple M5 Max (18-CPU 40-GPU)
Apple M5 Max (40 Core)
20,532

More benchmarks

At a glance

Wischen
Apple M3Apple M5 Max (18-CPU 40-GPU)
FamilyApple M series (38)Apple M series (38)
CPU groupApple M3 (6)Apple M5 (6)
ArchitectureM3M5
Technology3 nm3 nm
SegmentNotebookNotebook
Socket
PredecessorApple M2Apple M4 Max (16-CPU 40-GPU)
SuccessorApple M4

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

Wischen
Apple M3Apple M5 Max (18-CPU 40-GPU)
CPU Cores / Threads8 / 818 / 18
Hyperthreading / SMT
Core architecturehybrid (big.LITTLE)hybrid (big.LITTLE)
Core Cluster 1: 4x Ibiza P-Core
0.70 - 4.06 GHz
6x Super-Core
0.91 - 4.61 GHz
Core Cluster 2: 4x Ibiza E-Core
0.74 - 2.75 GHz
12x Performance-Core
0.90 - 3.05 GHz
L2-Cache20.00 MB22.00 MB
L3-Cache
Overclocking

Integrated graphics (iGPU)

Wischen
Apple M3Apple M5 Max (18-CPU 40-GPU)
GPU nameApple M3 (10 Core)Apple M5 Max (40 Core)
GPU frequency0.39 - 1.40 GHz0.34 - 1.90 GHz
CUs / Shader160 / 1280640 / 5120
Raytracing
Max. displays23
Max. GPU Memory24 GB128 GB
Technology3 nm3 nm
Release dateQ4/2023Q1/2026

NPU AI performance

Wischen
Apple M3Apple M5 Max (18-CPU 40-GPU)
AI hardwareApple Neural EngineApple Neural Engine
AI specifications16 Neural cores @ 35 TOPS16 Neural cores @ 60 TOPS
NPU + CPU + iGPU

Memory & PCIe

Wischen
Apple M3Apple M5 Max (18-CPU 40-GPU)
MemoryLPDDR5-6400 (102.4 GB/s)
LPDDR5X-9600 (614.4 GB/s)
Max. Memory24 GB128 GB
Memory channels28
ECCNoNo
PCIe4.05.0 x 8
PCIe Bandwidth31.5 GB/s

Thermal Management

Wischen
Apple M3Apple M5 Max (18-CPU 40-GPU)
TDP22 W60 W
TDP (PL2)
TDP up
TDP down15 W
T. junction max.100 °C100 °C

Technical details

Wischen
Apple M3Apple M5 Max (18-CPU 40-GPU)
Chip designMonolithicMonolithic
AES-NI
Operating systemsmacOS, iPadOSmacOS, iPadOS
Instruction setArmv8-A (64 bit)Armv9.2-A (64 bit)
ISA extensionsRosetta 2 x86-EmulationRosetta 2 x86-Emulation, AVX2, SME
Release dateQ4/2023Q1/2026
Release price
Documents

Your rating

Here you can rate one or both of the processors. The average rating of Apple M3 is 4.6 stars (1639 ratings), while Apple M5 Max (18-CPU 40-GPU) has received 4.9 stars (131 ratings).

Click on the stars to rate one or both processors.

Apple M3
Apple M3
8C / 8T · 0.70 - 4.06 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 M3
Apple M3
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