News Overview
- Recent Geekbench benchmarks reveal that Apple’s new M3 Ultra chip’s 80-core GPU scores 259,668 in Metal tests, marking a 38% performance increase over the M4 Max’s GPU, which scored 187,460.
- Compared to the previous generation M2 Ultra, the M3 Ultra’s GPU shows a 16% improvement.
- The CPU performance difference between the M3 Ultra and M4 Max is minimal, with the M3 Ultra leading by an 8% margin in multi-core tests.
In-Depth Analysis
The Geekbench Metal test results provide a quantitative measure of the graphics processing capabilities of Apple’s latest chips:
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M3 Ultra GPU: The high-end variant, featuring an 80-core GPU, achieved a score of 259,668.
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M4 Max GPU: This chip’s GPU scored 187,460 in the same tests.
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Performance Comparison:
- The M3 Ultra’s GPU outperforms the M4 Max’s GPU by 38%.
- Compared to the M2 Ultra, the M3 Ultra shows a 16% performance boost.
In terms of CPU performance:
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Multi-Core Performance: The M3 Ultra exhibits an 8% improvement over the M4 Max.
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Single-Core Performance: The M4 Max has faster individual cores compared to the M3 Ultra.
These benchmarks highlight the M3 Ultra’s significant advancements in GPU performance, making it the most powerful GPU in Apple’s lineup to date.
Commentary
The substantial GPU performance gains of the M3 Ultra underscore Apple’s commitment to advancing its silicon technology, particularly for graphics-intensive applications. This improvement is poised to benefit professionals engaged in video editing, 3D rendering, and complex computational tasks that demand high GPU performance.
However, the marginal CPU performance difference between the M3 Ultra and M4 Max suggests that users with CPU-bound workloads might not experience a significant boost with the M3 Ultra. Therefore, the choice between these chips should be informed by the specific performance requirements of the intended applications.
Apple’s strategy of introducing two distinct chip series within the same generation, with the M3 Ultra potentially reserved for higher-end devices like the Mac Pro, reflects a nuanced approach to product differentiation. This segmentation allows Apple to cater to a broader spectrum of professional users with varying performance needs and budget considerations.