Apple M1 Ultra (48-GPU) vs Apple M2 Max (30-GPU)

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CPU comparison with benchmarks

-VS-

CPU lineage

Apple M1 Ultra (48-GPU) or Apple M1 Ultra (48-GPU) – which processor offers superior performance? In this comparison, we examine disparities and assess which of these two CPUs outperforms the other. We delve into technical specifications and benchmark outcomes.
The Apple M1 Ultra (48-GPU) features 20 processor cores and has the capability to manage 20 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q1/2022 and belongs to the 1 generation of the Apple M series series.
The Apple M2 Max (30-GPU) features 12 processor cores and has the capability to manage 12 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q1/2023 and belongs to the 2 generation of the Apple M series series.
Mobile Segment Mobile
Apple M1 Ultra (48-GPU) Name Apple M2 Max (30-GPU)
Apple M series Family Apple M series
1 Generation 2
Apple M1 Group Apple M2
 
 

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

The Apple M1 Ultra (48-GPU) has 20 CPU cores and can calculate 20 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the A-Core is 3.2 GHz.
The number of CPU cores greatly affects the speed of the processor and is an important performance indicator.
Processors with hybrid (big.LITTLE) architecture strike a balance between performance and power efficiency, making them ideal for mobile devices.
The Apple M2 Max (30-GPU) has 12 CPU cores and can calculate 12 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the A-Core is 3.5 GHz.
2.06 GHz B-Core Frequency 2.8 GHz
3.2 GHz A-Core Frequency 3.5 GHz
4x Icestorm Cores B 4x Blizzard
16x Firestorm Cores A 8x Avalanche
No Overclocking No
hybrid (big.LITTLE) Core architecture hybrid (big.LITTLE)
20 Threads 12
No Hyperthreading No
20 CPU Cores 12
 
 

Internal Graphics

The Apple M1 Ultra (48-GPU) has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the Apple M1 Ultra (48-GPU) uses the Apple M1 Ultra (48 Core), which has 6144 texture shaders
and 768 execution units.
The iGPU uses the system's main memory as graphics memory and sits on the processor's die.
The Apple M2 Max (30-GPU) has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the Apple M2 Max (30-GPU) uses the Apple M2 Max (30 Core), which has 3840 texture shaders
and 480 execution units.
1.3 GHz GPU frequency 1.4 GHz
Q1/2022 Release date Q1/2023
-- Direct X --
Apple M1 Ultra (48 Core) GPU name Apple M2 Max (30 Core)
5 nm Technology 5 nm
-- Max. displays --
6144 Shaders 3840
64.0 GB Max. GPU Memory 96.0 GB
768 Execution units 480
1 Generation 2
-- GPU (Turbo) --
 
 

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

32 Neural cores @ 22 TOPS AI specifications 16 Neural cores @ 15.8 TOPS
Apple Neural Engine AI hardware Apple Neural Engine
 
 

Hardware codec support

A photo or video codec that is accelerated in hardware can greatly accelerate the working speed of a processor and extend the battery life of notebooks or smartphones when playing videos.
Decode AVC Decode
Decode VC-1 Decode
Decode / Encode VP9 Decode / Encode
Decode / Encode h265 / HEVC (10 bit) Decode / Encode
Decode / Encode h264 Decode / Encode
Decode VP8 Decode
Decode / Encode h265 / HEVC (8 bit) Decode / Encode
Decode / Encode JPEG Decode / Encode
No AV1 No
 
 

Memory & PCIe

The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 128.0 GB distributed across 8 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 819.2 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 96.0 GB distributed across 4 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 409.6 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
8 Memory channels 4
128.0 GB Max. Memory 96.0 GB
pci PCIe pci
Yes AES-NI Yes
No ECC No
819.2 GB/s Bandwidth 409.6 GB/s
LPDDR5-6400 Memory type LPDDR5-6400
 
 

Thermal Management

The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 60 W watts.
TDP indicates the cooling solution needed to effectively manage the processor's heat. It generally provides an approximate indication of the actual power consumption of the CPU itself.
The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 45 W watts.
120 W TDP up None
-- Tjunction max 100 °C
60 W TDP (PL1 / PBP) 45 W
 
 

Technical details

The Apple M1 Ultra (48-GPU) is manufactured using a 5 nm process.
A smaller manufacturing process indicates a more contemporary and energy-efficient CPU.
A substantial cache can significantly enhance the processor's performance, particularly in scenarios like gaming.
The Apple M2 Max (30-GPU) is manufactured using a 5 nm process.
Q1/2022 Release date Q1/2023
-- Part Number --
52.0 MB L2-Cache 36.0 MB
Apple Virtualization Framework Virtualization Apple Virtualization Framework
Rosetta 2 x86-Emulation ISA extensions Rosetta 2 x86-Emulation
Chiplet Chip design Chiplet
M1 Architecture M2
5 nm Technology 5 nm
Socket
macOS Operating systems macOS, iPadOS
-- Release price --
Technical data sheet Documents Technical data sheet
ARMv8-A64 (64 bit) Instruction set (ISA) ARMv8-A64 (64 bit)
0 bytes L3-Cache 0 bytes