Apple M1 Max vs Apple M1 Ultra

Processor comparisons   21-10-2022
   Let's say you are thinking about choosing a CPU, you will be able to make a decision by looking at the Apple M1 Max vs Apple M1 Ultra tests and see which is better for games or normal use for video editing, machine learning, programming, streaming, rendering. Here is all information from real video editing and streaming tests or various benchmarks. A thorough review of all the technical characteristics, to make it easier to understand, is summarized in the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of joint testing in software tests like Blender, 7zip, WPrime, PCMark 10, Dolphin Emulator, SuperPi, AIDA64, 3DMark, Prime95, Gears 5, VeraCrypt, MATLAB, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, Handbrake, GeekBench 6, 5.2, PassMark, DaVinci Resolve Studio, RealBench, Blender, UserBenchmark, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), Furmark.
   And how good the CPUs are in games:

DOOM: Eternal
Apex Legends
Valorant
Overwatch
Death Stranding
Cyberpunk 2077
World of Warcraft: Shadowlands
Fallout 76
Borderlands 3
Halo Infinite
Last Man Standing
Call of Duty: Warzone and Modern Warfare
Grand Theft Auto V
Red Dead Redemption 2
Watch Dogs Legion
Fortnite
Assassin's Creed Valhalla
Rainbow Six Siege
Valheim

After reading the results of parallel benchmarks and videos, you already be able to know which CPU is better to buy for gaming Apple M1 Ultra or Apple M1 Max.

Summary benchmark results

As a percentage of the maximum value based on a sample from the entire base of all processors
Processor Benchmark

M1 Max

60%

M1 Ultra

68%

This shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, M1 Ultra is 11% better than M1 Max. The data source is several popular tests. More detailed information of the benchmarks is below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

M1 Max

57%

M1 Ultra

64%

The maximum result in this parameter is 100 percent, which is the performance of the most powerful processor currently available. And of course, this is a server processor, on which no one will play games. Because this processor costs several tens of thousands of dollars. Therefore, if you think that the selected CPU has a little game result, look at the FPS that it produces in real games in the final table below.
List of other games in which CPU comparisons were performed: Half-Life: Alyx, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), League of Legends (LOL), The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Hitman 3, Forza Horizon 4, Ghostrunner, Control, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Monster Hunter World, Horizon Zero Dawn, Battlefield V, Metro Exodus, DOTA 2A, NBA 2K20.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	101.3	113.1
Valorant	115.1	128.6
Cyberpunk 2077	64.5	72.0
Apex Legends	108.2	120.8
Call of Duty Warzone	86.3	96.4
Overwatch	93.2	104.1
Red Dead Redemption 2	79.4	88.7
DOOM Eternal	57.6	64.3
Warzone	89.8	100.3
Assassin's Creed	96.7	108.0
Valheim	95.5	106.7

The numbers in this table indicate the maximum FPS that was received on the device with the corresponding processor. Depending on the configuration of the computer (RAM size and Video Card) and graphics quality settings (Ultra, Medium, Normal), the results may differ quite significantly. We recommend that you better study the results of the Cinebench, GeekBench and Passmark becnmarks.
The computers that were in the comparisons not only did they have different video cards and different amounts of RAM. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 2K, 4K or FullHD. So the game benchmark data is approximate. But all video cards met the average system requirements of games. You will get more accurate information about how powerful the processor will be in games, if you compare it in one assembly with the video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

M1 Max

332%

M1 Ultra

272%

To make a finishing resolution on which processor is better, you should also consider the generation of its core. It is clear that the newer the generation, the better the performance of the processor in games and benchmarks, as well as its energy efficiency. In this case the M1 Max is more energy efficient than the M1 Ultra since it has less power consumption: 18W vs. 20W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, it will be useful to know its TDP. It is necessary to calculate so that the TDP data specified in the cooler specification is greater than the TDP of the compared processor.

Software benchmarks

Let's say you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for streaming, video rendering or video editing, programming, machine learning, then first of all you need to pay attention to the performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, the processor includes all cores and threads that it has to the maximum to reach maximum efficiency. You will learn this data from the benchmark tables below. Before using the data from these tests, be sure to make sure that the program that you are going to use on your computer can work in multi-threaded mode. Since there are still many programs that use only one core to work, and all the advantages of multi-core mode turns out to be unnecessary.
Cinebench 23, 20 an 15
The results of this benchmark show Single-threaded and Multi-threaded CPU performance

	Apple M1 Max	Apple M1 Ultra
Cinbench 15 Single-core	313	555
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	1811	3252
Cinbench 20 Single-core	617	1103
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	3106	5583
Cinbench 23 Single-core	2360	4240
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	12204	21959

Passmark
This popular benchmark displays Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Apple M1 Max	Apple M1 Ultra
Single-Core	5344	9611
Multi-Core	34572	62194

GeekBench 6, 5.2
This benchmark shows Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Apple M1 Max	Apple M1 Ultra
Single-Core	1793	1637
Multi-Core	13028	24642

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the most useful will be the release date of the processor and the possibility of overclocking it. The newer the processor, the longer it will last in your computer. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system later. The same can be said about overclocking. If the processor can be overclocked, increasing its performance, then it will still be able to produce maximum FPS in the newest games. The savings are obvious! Accordingly, there is no longer a need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer.

	Apple M1 Max	Apple M1 Ultra
Announcement date	October 07, 2021	April 09, 2022
Type	Laptop;Desktop	Desktop
Socket	M1	M1
Core name	8x Firestorm and 2x Icestorm	16x Firestorm and 4x Icestorm
Architecture	hybrid (big.LITTLE)	hybrid (big.LITTLE)
Generation	1	1
Turbo Frequency
Frequency	3.2 MHz	3.2 MHz
Cores	10	20
Threads	10	20
Bus rate
Bit	64	64
Lithography	5 nm	5 nm
Transistors count	57000 millions	114000 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	18 W	20 W
Memory type	LPDDR5 - Up to 6400MHz	LPDDR5 - Up to 6400MHz
Max. Memory	64 Gb	128 Gb
Memory Frequency	6400	6400
Memory bandwidth	409 GByte/s	818 GByte/s
L1 cache	4MB	4MB
L2 cache	24MB	48MB
L3 cache	48MB	96MB
Overclocking	No	No
Supports ECC	No	No
Part number	APL1105	APL1W06

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Another difference is that M1 Ultra has 10 more core than M1 Max. Also keep in mind that high CPU frequency affects battery life through power consumption (relevant for laptops).

Result:
The number of parameters for which Apple M1 Max is better: 2
The number of parameters for which Apple M1 Ultra is better: 28
However, it should be understood that all the figures that you have looked at here do not mean that taking them into account you should totally trust a simple comparison of these numbers. Be sure to watch benchmarks video and read the reviews of real owners of Apple M1 Max and Apple M1 Ultra before making a selection which of the CPUs to buy for gaming.

Apple M1 Max - all data

• Cinebench r15 score
• Cinebench r20 score
• Cinebench r23 score
• GeekBench 6, 5.2 score

• Apple M1 Max specs and review.

Apple M1 Ultra - all data

• Cinebench r15 score
• Cinebench r20 score
• Cinebench r23 score
• GeekBench 6, 5.2 score

• Apple M1 Ultra specs and review.