Apple introduced a new generation of Mac Studio in March 2025, offering two chip options: the M3 Ultra and M4 Max. The M3 Ultra, with an 80-core GPU, scored 259,668 in Geekbench 6 Metal benchmarks, showing a 16% graphics improvement over the M2 Ultra and about 38% faster performance than the M4 Max’s 40-core GPU. Some lower benchmark results for the M3 Ultra appear to be anomalies. In CPU performance, the M4 Max scored higher in single-core tests, while the M3 Ultra held an 8% advantage in multi-core performance, likely due to differences in manufacturing processes.
Apple’s M3 Ultra chip: Performance analysis
Apple launched a new generation of Mac Studio in early March 2025, featuring an unusual approach by offering two different chip families: the M3 Ultra and M4 Max. While Apple claims the M3 Ultra delivers twice the speed of the M4 Max in certain workloads, benchmark testing reveals a more nuanced performance picture.
Graphics performance
The M3 Ultra can be configured with an 80-core GPU, representing Apple’s most powerful graphics offering to date. In a Geekbench 6 Metal benchmark, this configuration achieved a score of 259,668, compared to 222,582 for the previous M2 Ultra with a 76-core GPU. This translates to a 16% graphics performance improvement over the previous generation.
When compared to the current M4 Max chip with a 40-core GPU found in the 16-inch MacBook Pro (which scores around 187,460 in Metal benchmarks), the M3 Ultra delivers approximately 38% faster graphics performance. This substantial difference aligns with expectations, given that the M3 Ultra features twice the GPU cores and significantly higher memory bandwidth (800 GB/sec versus 500 GB/sec).
Some anomalous Geekbench results showing M3 Ultra scores in the 195,000 range appear to be outliers that don’t reflect the chip’s actual capabilities.
CPU performance comparison
The CPU performance comparison between these chips shows interesting trade-offs. The high-end M4 Max with a 16-core CPU scored 3,921 in single-core tests and 25,650 in multi-core benchmarks. Meanwhile, the M3 Ultra maintains an 8% advantage in multi-core performance despite having lower single-core speeds.
This performance difference likely stems from the manufacturing processes. The M3 Ultra uses TSMC’s first-generation 3 nm architecture (shared with the A17 Pro), which is less efficient than the second-generation process used for M4 and A18 chips. This manufacturing distinction helps explain why the M3 Ultra has lower single-core performance despite its multi-core advantages.
Previous reporting suggests the M3 Ultra offers approximately 10% faster CPU performance compared to the M4 Max chip in overall workloads.
Pricing and availability
The new Mac Studio is available for preorder through Apple’s online store and will launch in physical retail locations on March 12, 2025. In the US, pricing begins at $1,999 for configurations with the M4 Max chip, while M3 Ultra configurations start at $3,999.
Strategic implications
Apple’s decision to offer both chip families in the same product line represents an interesting strategic choice. Rather than simply advancing to the next chip generation across all products, Apple appears to be positioning the M3 Ultra as its ultimate performance solution for professionals with demanding graphics workloads, while the M4 Max offers newer architecture with different performance characteristics.
This approach gives customers the option to prioritize either raw multi-core and graphics performance (M3 Ultra) or the benefits of newer, more efficient architecture with stronger single-core performance (M4 Max), depending on their specific workflow requirements.
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