Where they actually differ
The most decisive specs, ranked by how much they matter — before the full spec table.
| Spec | Apple - M3 | Intel - Core Ultra 9 285H |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 8 | 16 |
| L3 cache | 16 MB | 24 MB |
| Cinebench R23 (multi) | 14400 | 21500 |
| Boost clock | 4.05 GHz | 5.4 GHz |
| TDP | 22 W | 45 W |
Between the M3 and Core Ultra 9 285H, the M3 comes out ahead in tdp, while the Core Ultra 9 285H wins on cores / l3 cache. Overall, the M3 scores 43.6 and the Core Ultra 9 285H scores 51.2 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The Core Ultra 9 285H edges ahead on the Mars Score (43.6 vs 51.2), but the 7.6-point gap is small enough that the right pick comes down to which spec advantages matter to you.
Pick the M3 if you care most about tdp. The biggest gaps in its favor are tdp. The single most decisive one: TDP — 23.00 W less. 22 vs 45.
Pick the Core Ultra 9 285H if you push the hardware — gaming, on-device AI, heavy multitasking — and the extra compute headroom is worth the trade-offs. Its strongest claims are cores, l3 cache, cinebench r23 (multi), among others. The single most decisive one: Cores — 100.00% more. 16 vs 8.
There are no meaningful ties on the headline specs — every popular-comparison metric has a winner.
Bottom line: the Core Ultra 9 285H is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Which should you buy: Apple - M3 or Intel - Core Ultra 9 285H?
Intel - Core Ultra 9 285H leads the current Mars Score by 7.6 points.The more useful decision is the trade-off behind that result: compare cores, boost clock, tdp against the way you will actually use the product.
Choose Apple - M3 if…
Apple - M3 has the measurable edge on tdp w.
Choose Intel - Core Ultra 9 285H if…
Intel - Core Ultra 9 285H has the measurable edge on core count, cache l3 mb, cinebench r23 multi.
This is a structured comparison of the published catalog values. It is not a claim of identical real-world performance across every workload; use the linked spec drill-downs and methodology page to inspect the inputs.
Why Apple - M3 wins
- ▲TDP — 23.00 W less. 22 vs 45.
Why Intel - Core Ultra 9 285H wins
- ▲Cores — 100.00% more. 16 vs 8.
- ▲L3 cache — 50.00% more. 24 MB vs 16 MB.
- ▲Cinebench R23 (multi) — 49.31% more. 21500 vs 14400.
- ▲Boost clock — 33.33% more. 5.4 GHz vs 4.05 GHz.
Spec comparison
Cores
| Spec | Apple - M3 | Intel - Core Ultra 9 285H |
|---|---|---|
| Coresⓘ | 8 | 16lead |
| Threadsⓘ | 8 | 16lead |
| Base clockⓘ | 0 GHz | 2.9 GHzlead |
| Boost clockⓘ | 4.05 GHz | 5.4 GHzlead |
| L3 cacheⓘ | 16 MB | 24 MBlead |
Platform
| Spec | Apple - M3 | Intel - Core Ultra 9 285H |
|---|---|---|
| Socketⓘ | Soldered | BGA |
| TDPⓘ | 22 Wlead | 45 W |
| Integrated graphicsⓘ | true | true |
| DDR5ⓘ | true | true |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple - M3 | Intel - Core Ultra 9 285H |
|---|---|---|
| Cinebench R23 (multi)ⓘ | 14400 | 21500lead |
| Cinebench R23 (single)ⓘ | 1950 | 2050lead |