Intel Core Ultra 9 185H vs Apple M3 Pro: Which is the better laptop CPU?

The Intel Core Ultra 9 185H and the Apple M3 Pro are probably one of the more premium chipsets available for laptops today. These processors are some of the best currently and can perform advanced calculations at very high speeds.

If you are looking to buy a laptop with either one of these chips, you might be confused about which one to choose as they're both incredible options. We have put together this analysis to help you with your research. We'll be comparing specs, features, performance, and more so you get a clear idea at the end.

Intel Core Ultra 9 185H vs Apple M3 Pro: Specifications

Intel Core Ultra chips are true powerhouses (Image via Intel)

It is important to look into the specifications to get a full idea of the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H vs Apple M3 Pro comparison. However, do note that this isn't entirely a numbers game, and despite having lower specs on paper, the M3 Pro is quite fast and in some cases better than the Intel Core chipsets.

The Intel Core Ultra 9 185H performs better when it comes to multi-core tasks like video editing, multitasking, and gaming. However, the M3 Pro on the other hand has a higher base frequency which gives it almost just as good processing speeds.

Features	Intel Core Ultra 9 185H	Apple M3 Pro
Cores	16 (6 performance, 8 efficiency)	12 (6 performance, 6 efficiency)
Threads	22	12
Base Frequency	2.3 GHz Performance-core 1.8 GHz Efficient-core	2.75 GHz
Max Clock Speed	5.1 GHz	4.05 GHz
Total L2 Cache	24 MB Intel Smart Cache	16MB
Max Memory Size	96 GB LPDDR5/x 7467 MT/s DDR5 5600 MT/s	36GB LPDDR5-6400
TDP	45 W	30W

As you can see, both chips are quite close when it comes to frequencies, but the numbers are generally higher on Intel's side. But don't let this confuse you, as Apple shows some super impressive numbers on the benchmarks. Also, Apple is more efficient and less power-hungry compared to the Ultra 9 processors.

Intel Core Ultra 9 185H vs Apple M3 Pro: Performance

The M3 Pro chips perform incredibly well with modern video game titles (Image via Apple)

Intel can pull off impressive numbers solely due to the greater number of cores and threads. However, due to the super-efficient cores on the M3 Pro, you get to see better single-core performance on Apple's side. This means apps and software open faster and you can execute large codes very quickly.

However, Intel excels at multi-core performance, which means tasks like video rendering, gaming, and web designing. This only means that Intel is faster than Apple, but not always better.

Benchmark	Intel Core Ultra 9 185H	Apple M3 Pro
Cinebench R23 single core	1803	1967
Cinebench R23 multi core	18362	15023
Geekbench 6 single core	2446	3158
Geekbench 6 multi core	13613	15070

As you can see from the numbers above, Apple performs better at single-core tasks, while Intel handles multicore tasks more efficiently. However, you should be well off with either one, as both chipsets are favored by programmers, designers, and more due to their capabilities.

Gaming performance

Though not the same chips in question, you can see Stray looks better on Intel chips (Image via YouTube/ThinkView)

The Apple M3 Pro isn't exactly made for gaming but does pack a beefy graphics processor. Its 18-core GPU easily rules out the Intel Arc graphics and provides much higher framerates. But for some reason, games running the M3 Pro seem to look a little more animated and less realistic. Intel chips handle graphics much better as you get to see better colors and shadows.

I sourced the following framerates from YouTube channels like Andrew Tsai and Tech Guy Beau. Note that both chips aren't exactly running the same settings, so you might see a little difference there.

Games	Intel Core Ultra 9 185H (with Intel Arc GPU)	Apple M3 Pro (with 18-core GPU)
Baldur’s Gate 3	45 fps	68 fps
Cyberpunk 2077	49 fps	46 fps
Stray	29 fps	34 fps
Armored Core 6	49 fps	56 fps
Lies of P	32 fps	48 fps

As expected, the Apple GPU gives it a huge performance boost, compared to the Intel Arc graphics on the Ultra 9 processor. Nonetheless, I don't think this should be much of an issue when you have an RTX GPU paired with your processor. Overall, when it comes to gaming performance, Apple gives higher framerates, but we see that Intel cards tend to look better in terms of graphics quality.

Games running on the M3 Pro chip perform better but lose a bit of graphical fidelity, and don't look as good as games running Intel chipsets.

Intel Core Ultra 9 185H vs Apple M3 Pro: Which one offers more value for money?

Laptops featuring Ultra 9 and M3 Pro chips (Image via Intel/Apple)

Choosing one chip of the two would be a tough choice, as you can get Ultra 9 laptops at around a $1000 ballpark and also as high as $3000-$4000. The same can't be said about Apple though, as the Macbook Pro with the M3 Pro chip costs a whopping $1999.

The thing is, when it comes to laptops, the price comes down to other peripherals that affect the pricing like GPU, display, RAM, and more. This kind of makes it clear, doesn't it? Intel or Windows laptops have greater customizability, are cheaper, and are solid performers. So, if we're speaking of value for money, the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H would be the way to go.

Intel Core Ultra 9 185H vs Apple M3 Pro: Final Verdict

This brings us to a close on the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H vs Apple M3 Pro comparison. I expected Intel to win by a large mile, but I was wrong. The Apple M3 Pro put up quite a fight and it did outperform the Ultra 9 chips, providing greater framerates and overall performance.

However, taking factors like multi-core performance, gaming, and just raw performance in general, the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H would be the clear winner. This does not mean the Apple M3 Pro is a bad choice, as it still offers greater single-core performance and power efficiency.

The only downside with Apple laptops is that they're expensive. Apart from that, you should be well off with either chipset. We hope that you have a better idea of the chips and that helps in making a decision.

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Edited by Srijan Sen