After the recent unveiling of the latest Mac Studio, initial Geekbench benchmark results featuring the new M3 Ultra chip have surfaced online. While the difference in CPU performance between the M3 Ultra and the M4 Max chips isn’t significant, what about their GPU capabilities? A fresh benchmark reveals just how much faster the M3 Ultra is when it comes to graphics processing.
M3 Ultra boasts Apple’s most powerful GPU to date
The inaugural Geekbench benchmarks for the M3 Ultra chip initially covered only CPU performance, but today’s test (courtesy of @jimmyjames_tech) includes results for the GPU as well. This test was conducted using the high-end variant of the chip, which features an impressive 80-core GPU, alongside a more basic model equipped with a 60-core GPU.
How does the M3 Ultra’s 80-core GPU stack up against other Apple chips? As anticipated, the results are striking, establishing the M3 Ultra as the most powerful Apple Silicon GPU available.
The chip achieved a score of 259668 in Metal tests, outperforming the M4 Max chip’s GPU, which scored 187460, by 38%. Furthermore, when compared to the M2 Ultra GPU from the last generation of Mac Studio, the new GPU is 16% faster.
Regarding CPU performance, the disparity between the M3 Ultra and the M4 Max is modest. The M3 Ultra performs better in multi-core tests by a mere 8%, although the M4 Max holds an advantage in single-core speed. As mentioned previously, the M4 Max variant of the Mac Studio is likely sufficient for the average user, while the M3 Ultra version is tailored for those engaged in graphics-heavy tasks.
This marks the first occasion since the launch of the initial Apple Silicon Macs in 2020 that Apple has introduced two distinct series of chips within the same generation of Macs. The reasoning behind this choice remains uncertain; some speculate that Apple may have plans to reserve the Ultra variant of the M4 series for a forthcoming Mac Pro, aiming to provide a clearer distinction from the Mac Studio.
The new Mac Studio is currently available for pre-order, with the official release date set for March 12.
