Apple
Apple M5 Max
16C CPU · 40C GPU · 570 GB/s
98
/ 100
From $3,499
VS
Apple M5 Max wins by 1
Apple
Apple M4 Max
16C CPU · 40C GPU · 16-core Neural Engine
97
/ 100
From $1,299
Specdex verdict
Apple M5 Max takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, Apple M5 Max lands at 98 and Apple M4 Max at 97. That puts Apple M5 Max ahead by 1 points — a narrow margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick Apple M5 Max if…
- ✓Leads the industry in perf-per-watt
- ✓128 GB unified memory option
- ✓Best-in-class ML acceleration
Pick Apple M4 Max if…
- ✓Industry-best perf-per-watt
- ✓128 GB unified memory option
- ✓Hardware ray-tracing
Apple M5 Max 98
vs 97 Apple M4 Max
Score breakdown
Apple M5 Max
98 single 99
multi 98
gaming 85
efficiency 100
Apple M4 Max
97 single 98
multi 96
gaming 82
efficiency 100
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | Apple M5 Max | Apple M4 Max |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 16 (12P+4E) | 16 (12P+4E) |
| GPU cores | 40 | — |
| Memory bandwidth | ▲ 570 GB/s | 546 GB/s |
| Neural engine | 16-core, 60 TOPS | 16-core, 38 TOPS |
| Threads | — | 16 |
| Process | — | TSMC N3E |
| Max memory | — | 128 GB unified |
Apple M5 Max
Pros
- +Leads the industry in perf-per-watt
- +128 GB unified memory option
- +Best-in-class ML acceleration
Cons
- −Macs only, no DIY
- −Expensive
- −Gaming library still limited
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
FAQ: Apple M5 Max vs Apple M4 Max
Which is better, Apple M5 Max or Apple M4 Max? +
Apple M5 Max scores 98 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 1. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is Apple M5 Max worth the price? +
At $3,499, Apple M5 Max delivers a Specdex score of 98 — strongest in efficiency.
Is Apple M4 Max worth the price? +
At $1,299, Apple M4 Max delivers a Specdex score of 97 — strongest in efficiency.
Does Apple M5 Max or Apple M4 Max 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.