Key Takeaways
1. The M3 Ultra chip offers significant improvements over the M2 Ultra, including 32 CPU cores and the ability to support up to 512 GB of unified memory.
2. Geekbench scores show a 20% increase in single-core performance and a 30% increase in multicore performance for the M3 Ultra compared to the M2 Ultra.
3. The GPU performance improvements are less pronounced, with a 13% increase in the Metal test and a 9% increase in the OpenCL benchmark.
4. Compared to AMD’s Ryzen AI Max+ 395, the M3 Ultra shows about 9% better single-core performance and 33% better multicore performance, with a 63% advantage in GPU performance.
5. The M3 Ultra-powered Mac Studio starts at $3,999 for 96 GB of RAM, significantly higher than a comparable system with Ryzen AI Max+ 395, which is priced at $1,999.
Apple has quietly unveiled a brand new chip along with the latest Mac Studio. The M3 Ultra, which many thought was scrapped, brings some astonishing improvements over the M2 Ultra, including additional CPU cores and the ability to support up to 512 GB of unified memory. Recent Geekbench results have shed light on how the M3 Ultra compares with its predecessor.
Performance and Specifications
The Mac Studio being discussed is referred to as code-named Mac15,14. Its predecessor, the one featuring the M2 Ultra, is known as Mac 14,14. This indicates that the latter is indeed the new model, as confirmed by its impressive specs including 32 CPU cores and 256 GB of RAM exclusive to the M3 Ultra. According to Apple’s official site, this model is equipped with 80 GPU cores.
In the CPU test conducted by Geekbench 6.4, the M3 Ultra achieved scores of 3,262 and 28,333 points. Its predecessor, the M2 Ultra, managed 2,718 and 21,754 points. This shows a 20% boost in single-core performance and a 30% enhancement in multicore performance. The first improvement comes from an increase in clock speed (4.05 GHz compared to 3.48 GHz) and various upgrades made possible by the M3 architecture. The latter improvement is due to the higher number of CPU cores. However, these remarkable enhancements apply only to the CPU.
GPU Performance
When it comes to graphics, the improvements are less striking. In the Metal test from Geekbench, the M3 Ultra recorded 259,277 points, which is 13% faster than the M2 Ultra’s score of 229,348. A similar pattern emerges in the OpenCL benchmark, where the M3 Ultra (147,719) is about 9% faster than the M2 Ultra (135,233).
The M3 Ultra can be compared to AMD’s Ryzen AI Max+ 395, which scored 2,978 and 21,269 points in Geekbench 6.4’s CPU test, along with 90,181 points in the OpenCL benchmark. In single-core performance, Apple’s M3 Ultra is about 9% superior and approximately 33% faster in multicore tests. On the GPU front, the advantage grows to an impressive 63%. Clearly, the increase in both CPU and GPU cores gives the M3 Ultra a significant edge over the Strix Halo.
Pricing Comparison
Apple still holds a commanding position in the market; however, a fully equipped Strix Halo machine featuring a Ryzen AI Max+ 395, 128 GB RAM, and free NVMe SSD slots from Framework can be purchased for just $1,999. In contrast, an M3 Ultra-powered Mac Studio with 96 GB of RAM will cost a staggering $3,999, which also comes with a mere 512 GB of non-upgradable storage.
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