Between the M4 Max and M5, the M4 Max comes out ahead in cinebench r23 (multi) and cores, while the M5 wins on tdp and boost clock. Overall, the M4 Max scores 52.3 and the M5 scores 46 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The M4 Max edges ahead on the Mars Score (52.3 vs 46), but the 6.3-point gap is small enough that the right pick comes down to which spec advantages matter to you.
Pick the M4 Max if you push the hardware — gaming, on-device AI, heavy multitasking — and the extra compute headroom is worth the trade-offs. The biggest gaps in its favor are cinebench r23 (multi), cores, l3 cache.
Pick the M5 if you care most about tdp and boost clock. Its strongest claims are tdp, boost clock.
There are no meaningful ties on the headline specs — every popular-comparison metric has a winner.
Bottom line: the M4 Max is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Why Apple - M4 Max wins
- ▲Cinebench R23 (multi) — 91.03% more. 29800 vs 15600.
- ▲Cores — 60.00% more. 16 vs 10.
- ▲L3 cache — 60.00% more. 32 MB vs 20 MB.
Why Apple - M5 wins
- ▲TDP — 33.00 W less. 22 vs 55.
- ▲Boost clock — 2.22% more. 4.6 GHz vs 4.5 GHz.
Spec comparison
Cores
| Spec | Apple - M4 Max | Apple - M5 |
|---|---|---|
| Coresⓘ | 16lead | 10 |
| Threadsⓘ | 16lead | 10 |
| Base clockⓘ | 0 GHz | 0 GHz |
| Boost clockⓘ | 4.5 GHz | 4.6 GHzlead |
| L3 cacheⓘ | 32 MBlead | 20 MB |
Platform
| Spec | Apple - M4 Max | Apple - M5 |
|---|---|---|
| Socketⓘ | Soldered | Soldered |
| TDPⓘ | 55 W | 22 Wlead |
| Integrated graphicsⓘ | true | true |
| DDR5ⓘ | true | true |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple - M4 Max | Apple - M5 |
|---|---|---|
| Cinebench R23 (multi)ⓘ | 29800lead | 15600 |
| Cinebench R23 (single)ⓘ | 2280lead | 2150 |
Spec-level deep dives
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