Apple
Apple M4 Max
16C CPU · 40C GPU · 16-core Neural Engine
97
/ 100
From $1,299
VS
Apple M4 Max wins by 1
Apple
Apple M5 Pro
14C CPU · 20C GPU · 300 GB/s
96
/ 100
From $2,199
Specdex verdict
Apple M4 Max takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, Apple M4 Max lands at 97 and Apple M5 Pro at 96. That puts Apple M4 Max ahead by 1 points — a narrow margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick Apple M4 Max if…
- ✓Industry-best perf-per-watt
- ✓128 GB unified memory option
- ✓Hardware ray-tracing
Pick Apple M5 Pro if…
- ✓Creator-tier silicon in a laptop
- ✓Improved memory bandwidth over M4 Pro
- ✓Excellent media engines
Apple M4 Max 97
vs 96 Apple M5 Pro
Score breakdown
Apple M4 Max
97 single 98
multi 96
gaming 82
efficiency 100
Apple M5 Pro
96 single 99
multi 94
gaming 82
efficiency 98
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | Apple M4 Max | Apple M5 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | ▲ 16 (12P+4E) | 14 (10P+4E) |
| Threads | 16 | — |
| Memory bandwidth | ▲ 546 GB/s | 300 GB/s |
| Neural engine | 16-core, 38 TOPS | 16-core, 55 TOPS |
| Process | TSMC N3E | — |
| Max memory | 128 GB unified | — |
| GPU cores | — | 20 |
Apple M4 Max
Pros
- +Industry-best perf-per-watt
- +128 GB unified memory option
- +Hardware ray-tracing
Cons
- −Apple ecosystem lock-in
- −Not user-replaceable
- −Limited Windows gaming
Apple M5 Pro
Pros
- +Creator-tier silicon in a laptop
- +Improved memory bandwidth over M4 Pro
- +Excellent media engines
Cons
- −Only in MacBook Pro / Mac mini
- −Premium pricing
- −Windows ARM gap persists
FAQ: Apple M4 Max vs Apple M5 Pro
Which is better, Apple M4 Max or Apple M5 Pro? +
Apple M4 Max scores 97 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 1. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is Apple M4 Max worth the price? +
At $1,299, Apple M4 Max delivers a Specdex score of 97 — strongest in efficiency.
Is Apple M5 Pro worth the price? +
At $2,199, Apple M5 Pro delivers a Specdex score of 96 — strongest in single.
Does Apple M4 Max or Apple M5 Pro last longer? +
Based on our long-term update and support ratings, both ship with multi-year support. Battery and reliability scores are visible in the breakdown above.