M5 Pro Performance Compared: Slower Than M5 Max & M3 Ultra in Multi-Core Tests, Outperforms M4 Max as Apple’s Best Value SoC

The recently launched Apple M5 Max has demonstrated notable performance enhancements compared to the M4 Max, as evidenced by its impressive Geekbench 6 results. Particularly remarkable is the M5 Max’s ability to surpass Apple’s flagship M3 Ultra in both single-core and multi-core performance, showcasing significant advancements in processing capabilities. Now, attention turns to Apple’s M5 Pro, the ‘mid-tier’ System on Chip (SoC), which, according to the latest benchmarking results, competes closely with its more powerful counterpart while also challenging the current workstation-class SoC offerings. Essentially, it appears that Apple has created an enhanced version of the M4 Pro.

Apple’s Fusion Architecture Elevates M5 Pro’s Competitive Edge

A recent Geekbench 6 analysis revealed the presence of a new MacBook Pro model with the identifier Mac17, 9, featuring an 18-core CPU and 48GB of unified RAM. This configuration achieved a single-core score of 4, 242 and a multi-core score of 28, 111. The performance difference between the M5 Pro and the M5 Max is minimal, suggesting that consumers seeking to save on costs can opt for the M5 Pro without sacrificing substantial performance.

In the benchmarking comparison, the M5 Pro also outperformed the M4 Max in both single-core and multi-core tests. Although the M3 Ultra managed to edge past the M5 Pro in one single-core evaluation, the overall results highlight the competitive landscape of chipsets, including contenders from Qualcomm, such as the Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme. Apple’s latest offerings showcase impressive technological advancements in their semiconductor designs.

Geekbench 6 Comparison of M5 Pro's Performance — Performance comparison showcasing M5 Pro’s benchmarks.

M5 Pro vs M5 Max Geekbench 6 Performance Metrics — M5 Pro vs M5 Max performance on Geekbench 6.

Benchmark Results Overview

M5 Pro (18-core CPU)

Single-core Score: 4, 242
Multi-core Score: 28, 111

M5 Max (18-core CPU)

Single-core Score: 4, 268 (0.6% faster than M5 Pro)
Multi-core Score: 29, 233 (4% faster than M5 Pro)

M4 Max (16-core CPU)

Single-core Score: 4, 049
Multi-core Score: 26, 509

M3 Ultra (32-core CPU)

Single-core Score: 3, 247
Multi-core Score: 28, 169

In terms of availability, Amazon has begun taking pre-orders for the M5 Pro MacBook Pro models, with prices starting at $2, 199. This baseline configuration includes a 15-core CPU, a 16-core GPU, 24GB of unified memory, and a 1TB SSD. For those interested in the 18-core variant, it is available for $2, 799, a more budget-friendly option compared to the starting price of the M5 Max MacBook Pro, which is set at $3, 899.

Source: Geekbench 6

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