Between the M5 and Core Ultra 5 245K, the M5 comes out ahead in tdp, while the Core Ultra 5 245K wins on cinebench r23 (multi) and cores. Overall, the M5 scores 46 and the Core Ultra 5 245K scores 51.9 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The Core Ultra 5 245K edges ahead on the Mars Score (46 vs 51.9), but the 5.9-point gap is small enough that the right pick comes down to which spec advantages matter to you.
Pick the M5 if you care most about tdp. The biggest gaps in its favor are tdp.
Pick the Core Ultra 5 245K 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 cinebench r23 (multi), cores, l3 cache, among others.
There are no meaningful ties on the headline specs — every popular-comparison metric has a winner.
Bottom line: the Core Ultra 5 245K is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Why Apple - M5 wins
- ▲TDP — 103.00 W less. 22 vs 125.
Why Intel - Core Ultra 5 245K wins
- ▲Cinebench R23 (multi) — 62.82% more. 25400 vs 15600.
- ▲Cores — 40.00% more. 14 vs 10.
- ▲L3 cache — 20.00% more. 24 MB vs 20 MB.
- ▲Boost clock — 13.04% more. 5.2 GHz vs 4.6 GHz.
Spec comparison
Cores
| Spec | Apple - M5 | Intel - Core Ultra 5 245K |
|---|---|---|
| Coresⓘ | 10 | 14lead |
| Threadsⓘ | 10 | 14lead |
| Base clockⓘ | 0 GHz | 4.2 GHzlead |
| Boost clockⓘ | 4.6 GHz | 5.2 GHzlead |
| L3 cacheⓘ | 20 MB | 24 MBlead |
Platform
| Spec | Apple - M5 | Intel - Core Ultra 5 245K |
|---|---|---|
| Socketⓘ | Soldered | LGA1851 |
| TDPⓘ | 22 Wlead | 125 W |
| Integrated graphicsⓘ | true | true |
| DDR5ⓘ | true | true |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple - M5 | Intel - Core Ultra 5 245K |
|---|---|---|
| Cinebench R23 (multi)ⓘ | 15600 | 25400lead |
| Cinebench R23 (single)ⓘ | 2150lead | 2080 |
Frequently asked
Spec-level deep dives
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