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Apple M5 wins most benchmark categories. Snapdragon X2 leads on-device AI throughput. Intel Panther Lake owns PC gaming. All three chips are genuinely excellent, yet each excels at something the others don't. This guide maps each chip to the workflow it actually wins, so you choose based on what you do, not who tops a table.
Picking a laptop chip on aggregate scores alone is a reliable way to spend on capabilities you'll never use. The M5, Snapdragon X2 Elite, and Intel Panther Lake each carry dedicated hardware blocks built for specific workloads, and those blocks produce advantages that standard benchmark suites only partially capture. The sections that follow separate the four major workflow categories, name the winner in each, and explain why the per-workflow leader sometimes loses the overall trophy.
The M5 series is built on TSMC's third-generation 3nm process, and its architecture centers on one organizing principle: concentrate performance in purpose-built silicon rather than scaling up general CPU cores. The base M5 carries a 10-core CPU alongside a 10-core GPU, but the architectural differentiators are the blocks that don't appear in a Cinebench score. Every M5 variant includes a 16-core Neural Engine for AI tasks and hardware-accelerated encode and decode engines for ProRes, ProRes RAW, H.264, HEVC, and AV1.
The M5 Pro and M5 Max scale those capabilities through what Apple calls Fusion Architecture, a design that bonds two separate 3nm dies to produce chips with up to 18 CPU cores and, on the M5 Max, 40 GPU cores. Memory bandwidth jumps from 153 GB/s on the base M5 to 307 GB/s on the M5 Pro. The M5 Max configuration with the 40-core GPU reaches 614 GB/s with up to 128 GB of unified memory, nearly four times the bandwidth of the M5 Pro. Apple's MacBook Pro tech specs page specifies 307 GB/s unified memory bandwidth for the M5 Pro and dual ProRes encode/decode engines on the M5 Max, confirmed hardware blocks that have no architectural parallel in any current Windows chip. The M5 Pro and M5 Max also eliminate the efficiency-core design found in earlier Apple chips, replacing it with 6 super cores and 12 new performance cores.
Qualcomm built the Snapdragon X2 Elite around a different set of priorities. The Snapdragon X2 Elite product brief specifies 18 Oryon CPU cores in the Extreme variant, split between 12 Prime cores clocking up to 5.0 GHz on two cores and 6 Performance cores running at 3.6 GHz, alongside an 80 TOPS Hexagon NPU across every X2 Elite variant in the lineup. That NPU figure is the chip's headline specification: 78% more throughput than the previous Snapdragon X Elite, and the highest NPU rating in any shipping laptop chip at launch. Graphics processing sits lower on Qualcomm's priority list for this generation; the Adreno X2-90 handles integrated graphics capably, but the design choices clearly favored AI throughput over gaming headroom.
Intel's Panther Lake, the Core Ultra Series 3, represents a deliberate pivot toward gaming-capable integrated graphics from thin-and-light silicon. The Intel Core Ultra Series 3 CES debut announcement confirms 12 Xe3 GPU cores in the premium X9 and X7 variants alongside 50 NPU TOPS from the NPU 5 architecture. Panther Lake is the first consumer product on Intel's 18A process, which uses RibbonFET transistors and backside power delivery for improved efficiency. The Panther Lake H-series configuration runs up to 16 CPU cores), arranged in a 4 high-performance + 8 efficiency + 4 low-power efficiency layout. The GPU tile is manufactured on TSMC N3E rather than Intel's own process, allowing independent optimization of graphics silicon. Intel deliberately chose not to compete on raw NPU TOPS for this generation; the NPU 5 is more efficient than its predecessor but delivers comparable throughput, with performance headroom directed toward the Xe3 GPU instead.
The three chips reflect three distinct architectural bets: Apple on unified memory integration and dedicated media hardware, Qualcomm on NPU throughput and core count, Intel on gaming-capable integrated graphics. Those bets determine which workflow each chip wins before any benchmark is run.
On general multi-threaded CPU benchmarks, the Snapdragon X2 Elite closes a real gap against the base M5. In Cinebench 2024, the 18-core X2 Elite scores 1,432 compared to the M5's 1,153, a lead of roughly 25 percent. That gap matters for workloads that distribute cleanly across many parallel threads, such as data compression or certain rendering tasks. For video editors specifically, however, the number that matters isn't the CPU score.
GigaNectar's benchmark comparison found that Apple M5 completes DaVinci Resolve exports approximately 2.3x faster than the Snapdragon X2 Elite, despite the X2 leading on raw multi-core CPU tests. The same analysis confirmed that Apple's hardware ProRes encode/decode engines have no equivalent on the Snapdragon X2 Elite or any current Windows chip. When a video editor exports ProRes or ProRes RAW footage, the work routes through that dedicated silicon rather than through CPU or GPU cores, which is why the CPU benchmark gap inverts entirely in the real-world editing result.
Handbrake transcode, a test closer to raw CPU throughput, tells a different story: BigGo's benchmark compilation found the Snapdragon X2 Elite completing the test in 3 minutes and 29 seconds, compared to 5 minutes and 14 seconds for the Apple M5 and 4 minutes and 32 seconds for Intel Panther Lake. For editors who work primarily with H.264 or H.265 footage in software encode pipelines, that throughput advantage is genuine.
Tom's Guide's benchmark testing recorded M5 Pro multi-core Geekbench 6 results of 28,586 and M5 Max at 29,430, figures that place both chips well ahead of the Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme's 23,407 at the Pro and Max tier. The per-core memory bandwidth advantage in the M5 Pro and M5 Max also means that large project files and high-resolution timelines move through the pipeline faster than the benchmark numbers alone suggest.
The M5 Pro's 307 GB/s memory bandwidth and dedicated ProRes hardware encode/decode engines, with no equivalent on the Snapdragon X2 Elite or any current Windows chip, mean that the DaVinci Resolve benchmark gap (Apple roughly 2.3x faster in export tests) actually understates the editing advantage for users whose workflows involve ProRes RAW footage. The M5 Max doubles the media pipeline with two video encode engines and two separate ProRes encode/decode engines, allowing two simultaneous ProRes streams at full speed. Apple's own testing, using M5 Max hardware, found 5.4x faster DaVinci Resolve Studio video effects rendering versus the M1 Max and 3x faster performance versus the M4 Max. These are manufacturer figures tested on preproduction hardware, but they directionally match the independent results.
For editors working with ProRes or ProRes RAW, especially at the M5 Pro and M5 Max tier, Apple wins this category by a margin that aggregate benchmark tables don't communicate. For editors working primarily in H.264 or H.265 encode pipelines, the Snapdragon X2's raw CPU throughput is faster, and the choice narrows to ecosystem preference.
Intel Panther Lake's Arc Xe3 iGPU posts lower Solar Bay scores than the Apple M5 in one test and higher in another, but that contradiction disappears when you separate gaming from 3D creative rendering: Apple wins Blender and ray-traced render benchmarks; Panther Lake enables Cyberpunk 2077 at High settings natively, while most major PC titles simply do not exist on macOS.
The Apple M5 Max's Solar Bay score of 268 FPS in 3DMark ray tracing tests is genuinely impressive and reflects the chip's 40-core GPU architecture. That GPU power translates effectively to professional 3D software like Blender or Octane, where the render workload maps well onto Apple's GPU architecture. It does not translate to gaming on macOS, because the game library gap on the platform is a harder constraint than any frame rate ceiling.
As of 2026, Starfield, Counter-Strike 2, and Valorant have no official macOS release. These are among the most-played PC titles in their respective genres. Boot Camp, which previously allowed Mac users to run a Windows partition natively, is no longer available on Apple Silicon hardware, removing the workaround that kept many gamers on macOS through the Intel era. CrossOver and Parallels can run some Windows software, but neither solves the anti-cheat driver problem that blocks the most competitive multiplayer titles.
Snapdragon X2 runs Windows natively, which gives it access to the full PC catalog in principle. In practice, the results are limited. GigaNectar's testing found the X2 Elite averaged approximately 40 fps in Cyberpunk 2077 at medium settings and 54.3 fps in Baldur's Gate 3 at low settings. Both figures fall short of what most players consider smooth performance in demanding titles.
There is also a compatibility constraint that mirrors macOS's library gap, just with different affected titles. Windows Latest's testing confirmed that games using kernel-level anti-cheat systems, including Counter-Strike 2 and Valorant, do not run on Snapdragon ARM devices due to driver incompatibility with the ARM architecture. For competitive multiplayer gaming, Snapdragon X2 hits the same wall macOS does, just for architectural rather than library reasons. Final battery figures for the Snapdragon X2 were not available at publication, as the devices we tested used pre-production firmware that Qualcomm confirmed requires an update before power efficiency is finalized.
Intel Panther Lake, by contrast, runs the full x86 Windows game library without emulation. The Intel Core Ultra Series 3 launch materials cite a 77% improvement in gaming performance versus the previous Lunar Lake generation across a 45-game benchmark average at 1080p High with 2x upscaling enabled. Club386's hands-on review recorded 54 fps average in Cyberpunk 2077 at the High graphics preset running natively, climbing to 70 fps with XeSS upscaling at Quality mode and reaching 113 fps with 2x frame generation enabled. Panther Lake is the first integrated GPU architecture to include Intel's Multi-Frame Generation, which effectively multiplies output frame rates without proportional increases in render load.
Panther Lake does not lead every GPU metric. AMD's Strix Halo is faster in Cyberpunk 2077 in some configurations, and Apple M5 Max's Solar Bay score remains higher in ray-traced rendering. For a buyer whose primary use is gaming on a thin-and-light laptop running Windows titles, Panther Lake is the only chip that satisfies both conditions simultaneously: sufficient frame rates for demanding titles and access to the full PC game catalog with no ARM compatibility gaps.
The on-device AI benchmark result is the most straightforward in this comparison: Snapdragon X2 wins. Every X2 Elite variant carries the same 80 TOPS Hexagon NPU, confirmed consistent across the entire lineup in Qualcomm's product brief, and the gap in Geekbench AI is substantial. Tom's Guide's benchmark testing recorded the X2 Elite Extreme at 88,615 and the Apple M5 Pro at approximately 57,000, with Intel Panther Lake's NPU 5 at 50 TOPS sitting between those results but closer to Apple's score in absolute terms.
What the numbers don't explain is why that gap may not matter to a specific buyer. Apple's Neural Engine powers Apple Intelligence features in macOS, including image generation tools, writing assistance, and visual understanding capabilities. These features are architecture-specific; they don't run on any Windows chip regardless of NPU capability. Qualcomm's Hexagon NPU, meanwhile, is specifically designed to power Microsoft Copilot+ features on Windows, including the Recall feature that captures and indexes screen activity, Windows Studio Effects for video conferencing, and compatibility with local AI models running through Windows AI tools. All Snapdragon X2 variants qualify as Microsoft Copilot+ PCs from launch.
The M5 Max's Geekbench AI score was not available in our testing window; based on the M5 Pro's architecture and shared Neural Engine design, its score would likely fall in a comparable range, though this remains unconfirmed.
For users running local large language model inference through tools like LM Studio, both platforms are competitive, and the experience depends more on available system memory than NPU TOPS. Apple M5 Pro with 64 GB unified memory and M5 Max with 128 GB have a substantial capacity advantage over most Windows configurations for loading larger models into memory. For that specific use case, memory bandwidth and capacity become more relevant than raw NPU throughput.
Snapdragon X2's 88,615 Geekbench AI score versus Apple M5's roughly 57,000 is a real performance gap, yet whether that gap translates to a better AI experience depends entirely on which AI features the user actually runs, because Qualcomm's NPU is optimized for Microsoft Copilot+ features and Windows-native AI workflows, while Apple's Neural Engine powers a completely separate set of Apple Intelligence features within macOS. The two NPUs don't compete for the same software stack. A user moving from macOS to Windows for Snapdragon X2's NPU advantage would gain access to Copilot+ features while losing Apple Intelligence entirely. Whether that trade is worthwhile depends on which features they actually use.
Apple has held a decisive battery advantage in the laptop market since the M1 generation, and the M5 series maintains it at the top end. Tom's Guide's benchmark testing measured the Apple M5 Pro at 21 hours and 25 minutes of continuous web browsing at 150 nits, with the Dell XPS 14 running Panther Lake recording 20 hours and 41 minutes under the same test conditions. Apple M5 Pro's 21-hour and 25-minute battery result, measured in our continuous web-surfing test at 150 nits of brightness, leads the field; Intel's Panther Lake in the Dell XPS 14 recorded 20 hours and 41 minutes under the same conditions. That gap, under 45 minutes, is historically narrow for a comparison between Apple silicon and any Windows platform.
The base M5 and M5 Max both land near 18 hours in the same test, which remains well ahead of most competition. The notable exception is AMD's Strix Halo, which powered laptops tested at roughly 11 hours, a significant gap behind both Apple and Panther Lake. Intel's official figures for Panther Lake claim up to 27 hours in the Core Ultra X9 388H paired with a Lenovo IdeaPad reference design, which would push further past the M5 Pro if reproduced independently. Those are manufacturer figures tested under specific conditions; the independent results represent the most comparable cross-platform data available.
For everyday productivity users who prioritize a full day unplugged above all other factors, the Apple M5 Pro still leads. For users willing to carry a Windows laptop, Intel Panther Lake now competes directly on endurance in a way no previous Windows chip has managed. Single-core responsiveness, which governs how snappy everyday tasks like launching apps, switching browser tabs, and typing in responsive web apps feel, is where Apple M5 holds its most consistent advantage across the entire comparison. The base M5's Geekbench 6 single-core score of 4,288 leads the field by a clear margin over Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme at 4,070 and Intel Panther Lake at approximately 3,000.
Battery life convergence between Apple and Panther Lake removes one of the historically decisive reasons to choose macOS for road warriors. With that advantage narrowed, the right choice turns on workflow rather than endurance.
Across all four workflow categories we examined, no chip sweeps the field. Each of the three architectures produces a genuine leader in at least one category, and in each case, that leader sometimes carries a benchmark record that doesn't hint at the category win.
Choose Apple M5 Pro or M5 Max. The dedicated ProRes hardware acceleration has no Windows equivalent, and the DaVinci Resolve performance gap against Snapdragon X2 is larger than the multi-core CPU benchmarks suggest, not smaller. The M5 Pro handles the majority of professional editing workflows; the M5 Max is worth the premium specifically when working with multiple simultaneous ProRes RAW streams or when Topaz Video AI processing time is a daily bottleneck.
The one exception: editors working exclusively in H.264 or H.265 encode pipelines, without ProRes in the workflow, may find Snapdragon X2's raw CPU throughput advantage meaningful, particularly for Handbrake-style transcoding work.
Choose Intel Panther Lake. The Arc Xe3 iGPU with Multi-Frame Generation is the only thin-and-light integrated GPU that runs modern AAA titles at playable frame rates on High settings, and it does so without the library gaps that constrain both macOS and Windows ARM. Panther Lake is the only chip in this comparison that can run Counter-Strike 2, Valorant, and Starfield without workarounds or emulation layers.
Choose Snapdragon X2 Elite. The 80 TOPS Hexagon NPU and Copilot+ qualification give Windows users the most capable local AI processing available in any shipping laptop chip. For Mac users running Apple Intelligence workflows, the Neural Engine performance in M5 chips is purpose-built for that ecosystem and does not suffer from the NPU comparison.
Choose Apple M5 Pro for the combination of leading single-core responsiveness, 21-plus hours of battery, and strong multi-core throughput at the pro tier. Intel Panther Lake on the Dell XPS 14 is now genuinely competitive on battery and provides full Windows app compatibility, making it the right choice for productivity users who need a Windows environment and want to avoid the ARM compatibility edge cases that still affect Snapdragon devices.
Budget-conscious Apple buyers evaluating the broader M5 lineup should also consider what tradeoffs appear at lower price points. Our breakdown of the MacBook Neo at $599 and what you'll actually notice missing maps exactly which MacBook Air features were trimmed to hit that price and which omissions matter in daily use, which helps clarify how far down the M5 lineup a productivity buyer can go without meaningful compromise.
For buyers who span multiple categories, the clearest tiebreaker remains the operating system. macOS and Windows are not interchangeable for most workflows, and the chip choice follows the OS decision as much as it precedes it.
For most mainstream professional software, including the Microsoft Office suite, Adobe Creative Cloud, and major web browsers, Windows ARM compatibility is no longer a meaningful concern. Qualcomm's Prism emulation layer handles x86 apps transparently for most productivity workflows, and the major creative applications have been porting to ARM-native versions since the first Snapdragon X generation.
The categories where compatibility gaps remain are narrow but consequential for specific users. Games using kernel-level anti-cheat software represent the clearest current incompatibility; those drivers are x86-specific and have not been ported to ARM. Windows Latest's testing also noted that x86 emulation carries CPU and RAM overhead versus native execution, which can reduce battery life and performance for emulated workloads compared to the same app running natively on an x86 system.
Professional users whose workflows depend on specialized drivers, legacy plugins, or kernel-level integrations should verify ARM compatibility before purchasing. For the majority of knowledge workers, Prism emulation has matured to the point where day-to-day friction is minimal.
For most creative professionals, the M5 Pro handles video editing, photo work, and 3D rendering without meaningful compromise. The M5 Max's primary advantages are the doubled ProRes media pipeline, the jump from 20 to 40 GPU cores, and the increase from 307 GB/s to 614 GB/s memory bandwidth. Those differences produce tangible results in three specific scenarios: editing multiple simultaneous ProRes RAW streams, rendering complex 3D scenes in GPU-accelerated software, and running AI video enhancement tools like Topaz Video AI on long clips.
For editors working on single-stream ProRes timelines or photographers using GPU-accelerated tools in isolation, the M5 Pro is likely sufficient and represents better value. The M5 Max premium is most justified for users who regularly push more than one of those demanding workflows simultaneously, where the doubled media pipeline and higher memory bandwidth produce compounding advantages.
The Snapdragon X2 Elite devices tested at publication used pre-production firmware, and Qualcomm confirmed a firmware update is required before power efficiency is finalized. Independent battery results were not available under those conditions. The first commercial Snapdragon X2 Elite laptops began shipping in early 2026, and independent battery testing from established reviewers should follow standard product launch timelines. First-generation Snapdragon X Elite devices delivered strong battery life competitive with Apple silicon in several laptop configurations; if the X2 generation follows a similar trajectory, it would be a meaningful addition to this comparison. That conclusion should be treated as directional rather than confirmed until independent results are published.