Apple M5 Max
- Boost/Base Clock:
- 4.6 GHz / 3.0 GHz
- Core/Thread Count:
- 16 Core / 16 Thread (12 Performance + 4 Efficiency)
- Cache:
- 40MB L2 + 4MB L1
- TDP:
- 50 Watts
- CPU Process Node:
- 3 Nanometers (Enhanced)
- CPU Series:
- Apple Silicon, Fifth Generation
- Form Factor:
- Laptop
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Manufacturer: Apple Last updated: 2026-10-10
Apple M5 Max Review
The Apple M5 Max is a 16-core System-on-Chip (12 performance cores plus 4 efficiency cores) built on an enhanced next-generation 3nm process within a 50 Watt TDP, found in the top-spec MacBook Pro 14-inch and 16-inch and the Mac Studio.
The M5 Max carries the M4 Max's 12-performance/4-efficiency core layout forward, pairing it with the workstation-class GPU covered separately in this catalog's graphics-cards listings: up to 40 GPU cores, up to 128GB of unified memory, and up to 614GB/s of bandwidth. As with prior Max-tier chips, the CPU gain over the Pro tier is modest, the real jump is in GPU cores and memory bandwidth for professional creative, rendering, and AI work.
A CPU on Par With the M4 Max
The M5 Max's 12+4 core layout matches the M4 Max's, keeping generational CPU gains to clock speed and architecture while the larger die area goes toward GPU cores and memory bandwidth.
Workstation-Class Memory Bandwidth
At up to 614GB/s and a 128GB unified memory ceiling, the M5 Max's memory system puts it closer to an entry professional discrete workstation GPU than typical laptop-class integrated graphics, matching the figures in this catalog's M5 Max GPU listing.
Benchmarks
Geekbench 6 multi-core scores around 27,000 keep the M5 Max at the top of Apple's single-die laptop CPU lineup, trailing only fused-die Ultra-tier chips in raw multi-core throughput.
Benchmarks
The benchmarks below are published results for specific applications. They are measured separately and do not feed the two scores above.
Puget Bench for Photoshop v1.0 - points (More is Better)
- Apple M5 Max (this product)15043.83 points
- Apple M5 Pro14885.21 points
- Apple M512095.89 points
- AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D12088.31 points
- Intel Core i9-14900KF10029.96 points
- 11th Gen Intel Core i7 11700K7098.88 points
- 10th Gen Intel Core i9-10900KF6892.97 points
- 10th Gen Intel Core i9 109006600 points
Puget Systems runs a fixed set of real Photoshop jobs: opening and saving large files, resizing, content-aware fill, blurs and filters. A higher score means less waiting on the tasks a retoucher repeats all day.
Photoshop is decided mostly by how fast a few cores are, not how many there are, so a chip with fewer but faster cores often beats one with more cores. Treat a gap under about 5 percent as something you would never notice while working.
Puget Bench for After Effects v1.0-1.1 - points (More is Better)
- Intel Core i9-14900KF13588.09 points
- AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D12906.24 points
- Apple M5 Max (this product)11280.89 points
- Apple M5 Pro9928.85 points
- Apple M57261.63 points
- 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900K6945.81 points
- 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10900K6799.67 points
- 10th Gen Intel Core i5 10400F5598.67 points
RAM preview and rendering of 2D and 3D compositions in After Effects, including camera tracking.
After Effects still runs largely on one core at a time, so per-core speed decides this and extra cores add very little. This is the benchmark where a high-clock chip pulls ahead of a many-core one.
Puget Bench for Premiere Pro v2.0 - points (More is Better)
- Apple M5 Max (this product)149750.46 points
- Intel Core i9-14900KF129174.45 points
- AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D126611.82 points
- Apple M5 Pro106874.78 points
- 11th Gen Intel Core i7 11700K82202 points
- 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10850K78258 points
- 9th Gen Intel Core i7-9700K77118.8 points
- Apple M672843.55 points
Plays back and exports 4K and 8K timelines across several camera codecs, with effects and multi-stream sequences, in Adobe Premiere Pro.
Export time rewards more cores, but much of the timeline work runs on the hardware decoder and the graphics card instead of the processor. A small gap here rarely changes how the edit feels.
Puget Bench for DaVinci Resolve v2.0-2.1 - points (More is Better)
- Intel Core i9-14900KF135454.8 points
- Apple M5 Max (this product)116240.93 points
- AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D113372.15 points
- 10th Gen Intel Core i9-10900KF93174 points
- Apple M5 Pro81178.5 points
- 10th Gen Intel Core i7-10700K81083 points
- Apple M660099 points
- 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900K59437 points
Grading, effects, AI tools and export in DaVinci Resolve Studio, across the codecs a colourist actually works in.
Resolve leans harder on the graphics card than on the processor, so the CPU difference here is usually smaller than the difference your GPU choice would make. Use it to rule out a bottleneck, not to pick a winner.
Puget Bench for Lightroom Classic v1.0-1.1 - points (More is Better)
- Apple M5 Max (this product)11549.6 points
- AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D10942.9 points
- Apple M5 Pro10909.17 points
- Apple M56668.19 points
- 11th Gen Intel Core i7 11700K6167.4 points
- 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10850K5769.67 points
- 11th Gen Intel Core i5 11600KF5499.67 points
- 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900K4635.96 points
Measures a full Lightroom Classic catalogue workflow: importing, building previews, scrolling the library, exporting JPEGs and running the AI tools such as Denoise.
Import and export spread across every core, so core count counts for more here than it does in Photoshop. The AI tools lean on the graphics card, so a CPU gap matters less if you pair either chip with a strong GPU.
Measured results
Cinebench scores
| Cinebench 2024, Multi-Core Median of 3 independently published results. | 2,437 2,377 to 2,456 |
| Cinebench 2024, Single-Core Median of 3 independently published results. | 199 199 to 200 |
Measured results
Geekbench scores
| Geekbench 6, Multi-Core Median of 2 independently published results. | 29,726.5 29,256 to 30,197 |
| Geekbench 6, Single-Core Median of 2 independently published results. | 4,340 4,322 to 4,358 |
Our verdict
Reviewed by Burooj Alam. Rated by us, not by users.
Best for
- MacBook Pro 14-inch/16-inch or Mac Studio buyers who need the M5 Max's large GPU and memory bandwidth for professional video, 3D, or AI work.
Not for
- Buyers who only need M5 Pro-level CPU performance, the M5 Max's extra cost isn't justified for lighter workloads.
- Native Windows gaming or CUDA-dependent workloads.
Specifications
What these specs meanIdentity
| Brand | Apple |
|---|---|
| Product Line | Apple Silicon |
| Model Number | M5 Max |
Segment and platform
| Microarchitecture | Apple Silicon, Fifth Generation |
|---|---|
| Process Node | 3 nm |
Core configuration
| Total Cores | 18 |
|---|---|
| Total Threads | 18 |
Clock speeds
| P-Core Base Clock | 3.0 GHz |
|---|---|
| P-Core Boost Clock | 4.6 GHz |
Cache
| L2 Cache | 40 MB |
|---|
| Form Factor | Laptop |
|---|---|
| TDP | 50 W |
FAQs
What are the key specifications of the Apple M5 Max?
The Apple M5 Max has 18 cores and 18 threads, a 3.0 GHz base and 4.6 GHz boost clock and a 50 W TDP.
Who is the Apple M5 Max best suited to?
Best suited to: MacBook Pro 14-inch/16-inch or Mac Studio buyers who need the M5 Max's large GPU and memory bandwidth for professional video, 3D, or AI work.
What are the drawbacks of the Apple M5 Max?
Not the best fit for: Buyers who only need M5 Pro-level CPU performance, the M5 Max's extra cost isn't justified for lighter workloads; Native Windows gaming or CUDA-dependent workloads.
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