A deep dive into Apple's M1 Ultra: two M1 Max dies combined into a single chip, 800GB/second memory bandwidth, 64 GPU cores to outperform the RTX 3090, and more

As part of Apple's spring “Peek Performance” product event this morning, Apple unveiled the fourth and final member of the M1 family of Apple Silicon SoCs, the M1 Ultra.

AnandTech 2022-03-09 Ryan Smith

Context & Ripple Effects

Apple’s M1 family had already moved from the base M1 to a larger M1 Max; the accompanying coverage identifies the Ultra as the new top tier, with substantially more unified memory and transistor count. Its defining move is not a separate processor design but joining two Max-class dies into one package.

That package strategy became a recurring high-end Apple Silicon pattern: later coverage describes an M2 Ultra paired with the M2 Max tier and an M3 Ultra built from two M3 Max chips. The M1 Ultra is the initial proof point for scaling Apple’s top desktop compute through die pairing.

First-order effects

Apple replaces the M1 Max at the top of its M1 lineup with an Ultra configuration that doubles up the Max-class design and raises available graphics and memory bandwidth.
Nvidia’s RTX 3090 becomes Apple’s stated comparison target for the 64-core integrated GPU, shifting attention to whether a tightly integrated chip can meet that discrete-GPU performance bar.

Second-order effects

Apple gains a repeatable product ladder—base, Max, then Ultra—rather than requiring an entirely separate top-end chip design for each performance tier.
The 800GB/s figure makes memory bandwidth a central competitive specification alongside GPU-core counts, favoring comparisons of complete chip packages rather than graphics hardware alone.

Third-order effects

The later M2 and M3 Ultra releases suggest Apple Silicon’s high end is becoming a modular architecture: a Max-class building block can be packaged into an Ultra-class system as demand rises.
If that pattern persists, desktop performance differentiation will increasingly depend on packaging and unified-memory scaling, not solely on designing a single ever-larger processor die.

The trend: Apple is turning die-to-die packaging and unified-memory bandwidth into a repeatable path for scaling its highest-end Silicon tiers.

Discussion

@benbajarin Ben Bajarin on x
Apple Silicon remains one of Apple's most innovative products.
@kenshirriff Ken Shirriff on x
how it started: how it's going: https://twitter.com/...
@gavkar @gavkar on x
There is only one MTLDevice on M1 Ultra.
@_ryanbritt Ryan Britt on x
@reneritchie For anyone who isn't aware, this means that the lowest graphics API on the Mac, Metal, literally sees the M1 Ultra (which is two M1 Max chips stitched together with Ultra Fusion) as one “Metal device”, as if it's one GPU. https://developer.apple.com/ ...
@aschilling @aschilling on x
I did a quick M1 family die shot/spec comparison poster for your convenience including the new M1 Ultra. https://twitter.com/...
@vadimyuryev Vadim Yuryev on x
This is why the M1 Ultra will absolutely destroy top-end consumer Intel chips in terms of real-world performance due to excellent optimization. Xcode, photo and video editing performance will be mind-blowing! https://twitter.com/...
@lukemiani Luke Miani on x
Apple is killing the efficiency game no doubt, and doing very well in the performance game especially given that. Where they're going to struggle is in making their chips affordable enough to justify it
@stroughtonsmith Steve Troughton-Smith on x
Also a 64-core Threadripper in the same ballpark as an M1 Ultra has a $3990 MSRP, for the CPU on its own https://twitter.com/...
@reneritchie Rene Ritchie on x
The enormity of this achievement can't be overstated. Literally the holy grail of GPU vendors for years. And Apple did it with M1 Ultra and Ultra Fusion. https://twitter.com/...
@iancutress @iancutress on x
800GB/s is also not the real story. A single core can barely access 200 GB/s, so it's a collective effort to use that bandwidth
@snazzyq Quinn Nelson on x
The M1 Ultra is two M1 Max fused together—Jade-2C. The rumored Jade-4C (intended for Mac Pro) must be posponed for M2. Maybe they'll call the 40-core chip the M2 Megalodon. That chip will be insanely powerful but will also be pushing past a 500W TDP. 🤯
@stroughtonsmith Steve Troughton-Smith on x
An extra *1kg* of mass for the M1 Ultra 😳 https://twitter.com/...
@iancutress @iancutress on x
Base Mac Studio model only has 20-core CPU 2x24-core GPU 2x16-core NE 64 GB DRAM 1 TB SSD $4k +$1000 for 2x32-core GPU +$800 for 128 GB version +$400 for 2 TB +$1000 for 4 TB +$2200 for 8 TB Max price is $8k https://www.apple.com/... https://twitter.com/...
@ryansmithat Ryan Smith on x
@mangeurdpommes @anandtech Mac Pro needs a *lot* more I/O than what two M1 Maxes can provide. I have to assume it'll be based on a newer architecture that can accommodate all of that I/O
@iancutress @iancutress on x
To get 800 GB/s, the M1 Ultra is likely using two 512-bit LPDDR5-6400 controllers to reach that number. To be clear, that's 32-channel LPDDR5-6400 memory. https://twitter.com/...
@rsgnl Joe Rossignol on x
M1 M1 Pro + M1 Ultra M1 Max This would have made more sense to me. Max implies maximum performance to me. Not a big deal though!
@iancutress @iancutress on x
Die to die ‘ultrafusion’ Users silicon interposer. Twice the density of anything in the industry. 10000 links, 2.5 TB/s 4x bandwdith of leading edge https://twitter.com/...
@anandtech @anandtech on x
Saving the best for last, Apple today has announced the fourth and final M1 SoC, the M1 Ultra. Packing two M1 Max dies on a single chip with a 2.5TB/sec interface for even more performance, the M1 Ultra is unlike any other SoC on the market today https://www.anandtech.com/... htt…
@markgurman Mark Gurman on x
FYI: Still expecting an iMac Pro, for those wondering. M2 versions of the Mac mini, MacBook Pro 13-inch and 24-inch iMac are also in development.
@markgurman Mark Gurman on x
Not sure why Apple is advertising the Mac Studio as “modular.” There's nothing modular about it as far as I can tell.
@benedictevans Benedict Evans on x
All the CPUs in all the Macs Apple sold in 1984: 25bn transistors One Mac Studio: 114bn
@shiraovide Shira Ovide on x
Just the *wheels* for the Mac Pro desktop cost $400. Can Apple top that with Mac Studio? Why am I watching this?
@mkbhd Marques Brownlee on x
Solid port selection, and a lot of space dedicated for cooling on Mac Studio https://twitter.com/...
@viticci Federico Viticci on x
not gonna lie, pretty disappointed they called it Mac Studio instead of MacThicc #AppleEvent
@ihnatko Andy Ihnatko on x
4) The Mac Studio is very much the desktop Mac I've wanted for years. A Mac Mini...just more of it. Faster, more expandability, more displays. Will surely be buying one once my wallet has recovered fully from all of 2021's needed upgrades. (4/4)
@neilcybart Neil Cybart on x
The amount of change that we have seen with Mac desktops in just the past few years is noteworthy. Apple has rethought the role modularity should play with the “pro” segment of the Mac line.
@tomwarren Tom Warren on x
this is the Mac Mini I've always wanted. Absolutely wild specs. I'm hoping it's not 💰💰💰 https://twitter.com/...
@snazzyq Quinn Nelson on x
Mac Studio also appears to have an internal PSU. Nice.
@reneritchie Rene Ritchie on x
Mac Studio with M1 Ultra: Finally, all the Chrome tabs imaginable!* (*Maybe, those are way gnarlier than 8K ProRes streams!)
@patrickmoorhead Patrick Moorhead on x
@markgurman Yeah it's so weird. They telegraphed the modular concept and I was expecting some kind of device bay kind of configuration. Plug and play for things internal. I was on the Device Bay board in the late 90s LoL.
@chancehmiller Chance Miller on x
can someone start a support group for Pro Display XDR and Mac Pro users
@iupdate Sam Kohl on x
The Mac Studio is comically insane. This is the new machine that every creative in the world will make stuff on. And it looks so damn good! #AppleEvent https://twitter.com/...
@marcan42 Hector Martin on x
Heh, interesting how they mapped the ATC ports. Makes sense. I guess on the M1 Max version those type C ports are the same external controller in the 4-port iMac, on the M1 Ultra they're obviously internal ATC.
@lukemiani Luke Miani on x
Apple today claimed their tiny Mac Studio can compete with a Core i9 12900K and RTX 3090. I'm heading to Microcenter tomorrow because I intend on finding out :)
@christianselig Christian Selig on x
The Mac Pro when it gets announced with M1 Plus Ultra is going to be 17 M1s stacked on top of each other https://twitter.com/...
@ismh Stephen Hackett on x
I think my 2019 Mac Pro is weeping.
@stroughtonsmith Steve Troughton-Smith on x
It looks like the Mac Studio is the first Mac with a ‘Mac’ model identifier, at Mac13,2. As opposed to ‘iMac’, ‘MacPro’, or ‘PowerMac’ if you go back far enough. It really is the mythical midrange Mac desktop we've been hoping Apple would do for nearly 20 years https://twitter.co…
@snazzyq Quinn Nelson on x
M1 Studio is not a large machine. Think about it: there is (1) a toasty internal PSU and (2) the total package draw from the M1 Max is around 92W so double that for the M1 Studio and you're nearing 180W. That's still insanely low for a desktop chip, but it ain't nothing.
@dansinker @dansinker on x
I hope the legendary Apple design team didn't pull a muscle coming up with this one. https://twitter.com/...
@joeyabanks Joey Banks on x
In love with the Mac Studio and its slight throwback to the G4 Cube. https://twitter.com/...
@stroughtonsmith Steve Troughton-Smith on x
...soooo which capacity SSD do you need to get in the Mac Studio to actually hit 7GB/sec read/write speeds? Because they've shown in the past they don't offer that to the base storage 😅
@snazzyq Quinn Nelson on x
The cooling system on this is 100% the same as the Mac mini.
@iupdate Sam Kohl on x
I'm sorry your 50k Mac Pro is a joke now #AppleEvent
@anildash @anildash on x
A free million-dollar idea for you is to figure out how to print an acrylic holder for the Mac Studio so it can look like an old G4 Cube. Folks will eat that up. (Note the vents, er... the *2000 perforations* on the back!)
@vadimyuryev Vadim Yuryev on x
With the new M1 Ultra Mac Studio performing on the same level as the best RTX 3090 GPU, I honestly don't think Apple has any incentive to release the 4x die Mac Pro until 2023. I think Ming-chi Kuo is likely right! Now in terms of the iMac/iMac Pro.. I'm not sure.. https://twitte…
@film_girl Christina Warren on x
Anyone want to buy a 4 month old MacBook Max? Lol.
@benedictevans Benedict Evans on x
(The entire Sun render farm for Toy Story in 1995 had (very roughly) 1bn CPU transistors.) https://t.co/TJEDyAIkHU
@underfox3 @underfox3 on x
Patent: Wafer reconstitution and die-stitching - Apple The Foundations of UltraFusion Architecture... More details: https://www.freepatentsonline.com/ ... https://twitter.com/...
@brianroemmele Brian Roemmele on x
A single Apple M1 Ultra SoC chip has the entire compute capacity of every computer on earth up to 1969. #AppleEvent https://twitter.com/...
@benwood Ben Wood on x
The performance of the new M1 Ultra chip is remarkable. It is a reminder of Apple's prowess in semiconductor design and Apple Silicon's pivotal role in the “finished product” advancements it enables. #AppleEvent https://twitter.com/...
@zacbowden Zac Bowden on x
Seriously! No matter how good the Apple hardware / SoC becomes, I'm literally never going to want to use/learn macOS, so their advances might as well not exist to me. Shame really. https://twitter.com/...
@stroughtonsmith Steve Troughton-Smith on x
As the @siracusa/@markgurman chart has proven right so far, we ‘know’ that the upcoming Mac Pro will double perf over the M1 Ultra on high end, with 40 cores, 128 GPU cores, 256GB of unified memory, and a potential 1,600GB/sec memory bandwidth. Beyond, I expect RAM & PCIe slots h…
@benbajarin Ben Bajarin on x
Apple can get a lot of leverage out of UltraFusion and this can extend to more than just M1 Ultra. This also allows Apple to buy time as process node innovation slows down in coming years. Fusing two mature chips together also gives Apple economic advantages in the coming years.
@anildash @anildash on x
Interesting minor note from the Apple propaganda today: the M1 Ultra is described as the “final” member of the chip family. Implies Mac Pro will use a version of the Ultra chip as well, and sort of gives shape to the overall processor strategy. Truly impressive execution.
@lukemiani Luke Miani on x
I've been predicting multi chip Apple Silicon for a year now... so crazy to see it happen!
@marcan42 Hector Martin on x
Reminder that I also called what people are calling the “Mac Studio” with M1 Ultra quite a long time ago (which I called the Mac Mini Pro with M1 Max ×2, but same idea). Let's see.
@snazzyq Quinn Nelson on x
Never noticed until now Apple doesn't capitalize the ‘s’ in Apple silicon.
@tapbot_paul Paul Haddad on x
Apple really slamming their super expensive Mac Pro.
@stroughtonsmith Steve Troughton-Smith on x
Apple's comparing the GPU in the M1 Ultra to a 3090.
@ryansmithat Ryan Smith on x
For now this is the final word from Apple on multi-GPU: “M1 Ultra joins two M1 Max dies — yet it looks like a single piece of silicon to software, so apps benefit from its [...] capabilities without requiring any additional work from developers” The mad lads actually did it?!
@stroughtonsmith Steve Troughton-Smith on x
I wonder if the 40-core M1 Ultra can finally compile my Swift apps as quickly as my 2012 iMac compiled them when they were Objective-C... 👀
@marcan42 Hector Martin on x
Called so far: ✅ M1 Max ×2 = M1 Ultra ✅ M1 Max ×4 = <nonsense> ✅ Mac Mini Pro (*not* Mac Pro) = Mac Studio Maybe I should get into the Apple speculation business.
@chockenberry Craig Hockenberry on x
Intel: Shit.
@vadimyuryev Vadim Yuryev on x
Patent filings for Apple's M1 Ultra creation. Thanks to @tatech15 for sharing. https://twitter.com/...
@ishanagarwal24 Ishan Agarwal on x
Apple is going all-android phone naming scheme with their chipsets! Welcome the new Apple M1 Ultra chipset. The craziest and most powerful Apple chip yet. #AppleEvent https://twitter.com/...
@ishanagarwal24 Ishan Agarwal on x
Apple M1 Ultra is crazy #AppleEvent https://twitter.com/...
@aschilling @aschilling on x
Besides the M1 family itself this „single GPU build from two GPUs in two chips" is the most interesting part of today's presentation of the M1 Ultra - at least for me personally. https://twitter.com/...
@benbajarin Ben Bajarin on x
Apple is announcing a few significant architectural advances with M1 Ultra: - Fusing two fully developed SoCs into one SoC - Using the packaging and the substrate as a part of UltraFusion - 10,000 connection points - Software sees this as on SoC which is a key point for devs
@marcan42 Hector Martin on x
M1 Ultra lol. Marketing go brrrrrr
@detroitborg Michael Kukielka on x
So...Mac Pro is going to be phased out quietly right?
@pschiller Philip Schiller on x
Say hello to the #Apple #MacStudio and #StudioDisplay #AppleEvent https://www.apple.com/...
@lukemiani Luke Miani on x
I just spent seven thousand dollars
@ijustine @ijustine on x
@MKBHD That's not even that bad comparing an Intel MacBook I spec'd out years ago was way more than that.
@vadimyuryev Vadim Yuryev on x
$1999 starting price for Mac Studio with M1 Max means that it is replacing the Intel Mac Mini.
@siracusa John Siracusa on x
@SnazzyQ Try not to saw any pieces off this time.
@lukemiani Luke Miani on x
With Mac Studio, you can now get AppleCare on a yearly subscription model for $60 a year! Plus, you can cancel any time. No idea how long you can keep it going for though... https://twitter.com/...
@snazzyq Quinn Nelson on x
*vomits* [screencap of a purchase screen with $9047.77 on it]
@vadimyuryev Vadim Yuryev on x
Apple chose to withhold a new high end Mac mini and a high end iMac until later because they want people to spend a ton of money on the Mac Studio right now. Bravo.
@tim_cook Tim Cook on x
We're bringing Mac users an entirely new system with Mac Studio and Studio Display. I can't wait to see the ideas you'll explore and the magic you'll make. https://www.apple.com/...
@twostraws Paul Hudson on x
Alright, it's happening! Cunningly the screen will arrive about a month before the Mac, but I guess I can slum it with my existing MacBook Pro for a while 😅 I've waited so long for this upgrade, and can't wait to see what it's capable of! https://twitter.com/...
@detroitborg Michael Kukielka on x
I guess this is my official iMac Pro replacement. https://twitter.com/...
@mkbhd Marques Brownlee on x
@ijustine If you told me a tiny box would outperform the Mac Pro for 8K I'd say sign me up
@snazzyq Quinn Nelson on x
@siracusa I'm pulling this thing apart the day I get it—guaranteed.
@filipeesposito Filipe Espósito on x
I guess that's what happens when you put an A13 chip in a display lol https://twitter.com/...
@forgottentowel Simon Buckmaster on x
Disappointing not to see ProMotion in the Studio Display. While we may not have the bandwidth to drive 5K@120fps, a 120hz panel would enable stepping down the frame rate for more accurate video work, which would be a huge plus for... well... studios.
@forgottentowel Simon Buckmaster on x
On the plus side, we do appear to be getting reference modes: https://twitter.com/...
@joeyabanks Joey Banks on x
An evolution of displays. [picture: collection of Apple's standalone displays]
@pierce David Pierce on x
Apple just announced a $1600 monitor and I went “whoa, that's not bad!” I need to go outside
@cabel @cabel on x
Reminiscing about the most stressful but amazing purchase in Panic early days: a 22" Apple Cinema Display. Hard to remember how amazing the CRT to LCD jump was. So flat. So sharp. It cost $3999 (!!!). Neither of us had credit limits that large so I had to borrow a friend's AmEx. …
@rsgnl Joe Rossignol on x
The rumors were true. Nearly everything from the #AppleEvent today was leaked. The green iPhone 13, the new iPhone SE with A15 + 5G, the new iPad Air with M1 chip, the technical aspects of the M1 Ultra chip (but not the chip's name!), the Mac Studio, and the Studio Display.
@unaliasedme Darren on x
@ChristianSelig An Ultrafine 5K is different how for $600 less? That's my problem. at best this is 15% brighter which is a gain. I mean sure the new display looks great but you lose features in this. You don't get a TB hub here, and the UF 5K comes with VESA Mount and Stand.
@ryan Ryan Block on x
Apple Studio Display fine print: “Each stand or mount adapter is built in. They are not interchangeable, so it's important to consider your workspace needs at the time of purchase.” So if your needs change, your equipment cannot adapt. Classic.
@tldtoday @tldtoday on x
@SnazzyQ You're joking right? Please find me a panel like that at 5K 600 nits. I'll buy you the new display if you do
@christianselig Christian Selig on x
Weird seeing people not happy with the Studio Display. Which monitor beats it out at this price? All seem to be either 4K (half as many pixels: 8 million versus almost 15 million), or not nearly as bright, or a much worse design, or a combination therein.
@snazzyq Quinn Nelson on x
@tldtoday This is just 100 nits off but can be found used cheap and is 8 years old. https://www.lg.com/... You know I can't find a 5K display because Apple's the only company that has decided 5K is worthwhile.
@rileytestut @rileytestut on x
ok yes this Studio Display is exactly what I wanted, plz take my money Apple
@christianselig Christian Selig on x
@unaliasedme The LG Ultrafine is on Apple's website for $1299 right now. I'd gladly pay an extra $300 to get rid of the creaky plastic design (I have one right in front of me), let alone better speakers, brightness, cameras, etc.
@lukemiani Luke Miani on x
Apple really released a monitor with more performance than any Android smartphone today lmao
@iupdate Sam Kohl on x
@LukeMiani Bet we'll get 27-inch iMac Pro with M1 Ultra at WWDC ...
@parrots Curtis Herbert on x
Yep, peasant display. Only 600 nits. Pff. (Man they are going to sell a lot of these. *Finally* a replacement for the LG 5k)

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