Between the M3 Max and Core i7-14700K, the M3 Max comes out ahead in tdp, while the Core i7-14700K wins on boost clock and cinebench r23 (multi). Overall, the M3 Max scores 50 and the Core i7-14700K scores 57.8 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The Core i7-14700K edges ahead on the Mars Score (50 vs 57.8), but the 7.8-point gap is small enough that the right pick comes down to which spec advantages matter to you.
Pick the M3 Max if you care most about tdp. The biggest gaps in its favor are tdp.
Pick the Core i7-14700K 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 boost clock, cinebench r23 (multi), cores, among others.
There are no meaningful ties on the headline specs — every popular-comparison metric has a winner.
Bottom line: the Core i7-14700K is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Why Apple - M3 Max wins
- ▲TDP — 65.00 W less. 60 vs 125.
Why Intel - Core i7-14700K wins
- ▲Boost clock — 38.27% more. 5.6 GHz vs 4.05 GHz.
- ▲Cinebench R23 (multi) — 31.34% more. 35200 vs 26800.
- ▲Cores — 25.00% more. 20 vs 16.
- ▲L3 cache — 3.13% more. 33 MB vs 32 MB.
Spec comparison
Cores
| Spec | Apple - M3 Max | Intel - Core i7-14700K |
|---|---|---|
| Coresⓘ | 16 | 20lead |
| Threadsⓘ | 16 | 28lead |
| Base clockⓘ | 0 GHz | 3.4 GHzlead |
| Boost clockⓘ | 4.05 GHz | 5.6 GHzlead |
| L3 cacheⓘ | 32 MB | 33 MBlead |
Platform
| Spec | Apple - M3 Max | Intel - Core i7-14700K |
|---|---|---|
| Socketⓘ | Soldered | LGA1700 |
| TDPⓘ | 60 Wlead | 125 W |
| Integrated graphicsⓘ | true | true |
| DDR5ⓘ | true | true |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple - M3 Max | Intel - Core i7-14700K |
|---|---|---|
| Cinebench R23 (multi)ⓘ | 26800 | 35200lead |
| Cinebench R23 (single)ⓘ | 2100 | 2120lead |
Spec-level deep dives
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