Intel
Intel Core Ultra 5 345K
Panther Lake · 14C · 5.5 GHz
84
/ 100
From $329
VS
Apple M5 Max wins by 14
Apple
Apple M5 Max
16C CPU · 40C GPU · 570 GB/s
98
/ 100
From $3,499
Specdex verdict
Apple M5 Max takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, Intel Core Ultra 5 345K lands at 84 and Apple M5 Max at 98. That puts Apple M5 Max ahead by 14 points — a decisive margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick Intel Core Ultra 5 345K if…
- ✓Latest generation silicon
- ✓Improved perf-per-watt
- ✓Full modern feature set
Pick Apple M5 Max if…
- ✓Leads the industry in perf-per-watt
- ✓128 GB unified memory option
- ✓Best-in-class ML acceleration
Score breakdown
Intel Core Ultra 5 345K
84 single 86
multi 84
gaming 85
efficiency 86
Apple M5 Max
98 single 99
multi 98
gaming 85
efficiency 100
Specs side-by-side
Spec
Intel Core Ultra 5 345K
Apple M5 Max
Architecture
Panther Lake
—
Cores
14
16 (12P+4E)
Socket
LGA1851
—
Release year
2025
—
GPU cores
—
40
Memory bandwidth
—
570 GB/s
Neural engine
—
16-core, 60 TOPS
Intel Core Ultra 5 345K
Pros
- +Latest generation silicon
- +Improved perf-per-watt
- +Full modern feature set
Cons
- −Premium pricing
- −Requires up-to-date platform
- −Initial stock scarcity likely
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
FAQ: Intel Core Ultra 5 345K vs Apple M5 Max
Which is better, Intel Core Ultra 5 345K or Apple M5 Max? +
Apple M5 Max scores 98 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 14. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is Intel Core Ultra 5 345K worth the price? +
At $329, Intel Core Ultra 5 345K delivers a Specdex score of 84 — strongest in single.
Is Apple M5 Max worth the price? +
At $3,499, Apple M5 Max delivers a Specdex score of 98 — strongest in efficiency.
Does Intel Core Ultra 5 345K or Apple M5 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.