Intel
Intel Core Ultra 9 395K
Panther Lake · 26C · 6.0 GHz
93
/ 100
From $649
VS
Apple M4 Max wins by 4
Apple
Apple M4 Max
16C CPU · 40C GPU · 16-core Neural Engine
97
/ 100
From $1,299
Specdex verdict
Apple M4 Max takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, Intel Core Ultra 9 395K lands at 93 and Apple M4 Max at 97. That puts Apple M4 Max ahead by 4 points — a narrow margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick Intel Core Ultra 9 395K if…
- ✓Latest generation silicon
- ✓Improved perf-per-watt
- ✓Full modern feature set
Pick Apple M4 Max if…
- ✓Industry-best perf-per-watt
- ✓128 GB unified memory option
- ✓Hardware ray-tracing
Intel Core Ultra 9 395K 93
vs 97 Apple M4 Max
Score breakdown
Intel Core Ultra 9 395K
93 single 95
multi 93
gaming 94
efficiency 86
Apple M4 Max
97 single 98
multi 96
gaming 82
efficiency 100
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | Intel Core Ultra 9 395K | Apple M4 Max |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Panther Lake | — |
| Cores | ▲ 26 (8P+16E+2LP) | 16 (12P+4E) |
| Threads | ▲ 26 | 16 |
| Socket | LGA1851 | — |
| Release year | 2025 | — |
| Memory bandwidth | — | 546 GB/s |
| Neural engine | — | 16-core, 38 TOPS |
| Process | — | TSMC N3E |
| Max memory | — | 128 GB unified |
Intel Core Ultra 9 395K
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 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: Intel Core Ultra 9 395K vs Apple M4 Max
Which is better, Intel Core Ultra 9 395K or Apple M4 Max? +
Apple M4 Max scores 97 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 4. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is Intel Core Ultra 9 395K worth the price? +
At $649, Intel Core Ultra 9 395K delivers a Specdex score of 93 — strongest in single.
Is Apple M4 Max worth the price? +
At $1,299, Apple M4 Max delivers a Specdex score of 97 — strongest in efficiency.
Does Intel Core Ultra 9 395K 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.