OVERALL
SPECS
VS AVERAGE
REVIEWS
ALTERNATIVES

Apple M1 Ultra Review | 78 Data compared

double-arrow
  • Avg. price: ~£4,050
  • PassMark benchmark result: 41,373
  • N. of physical cores: 20
  • CPU boost clock speed: 3.22 GHz
  • CPU socket: N/A
  • TDP (Thermal design power): 60 W

Apple M1 Ultra review. Compare 78 technical specifications and user reviews to see how this product ranks in the Processors category and whether it is worth buying.

8.3

Overall score

What it is: An overall evaluation of the processor's quality, based on technical analyses and user reviews.

When it matters: When you need a quick reference to identify the best processors on the market.

Score components:

90.0%

8.3

Technical Score

10.0%

?

User score

Excellent
8.3

Technical Score

What it is: An assessment of the processor's technical performance, covering key areas such as processing performance, core configuration, efficiency, platform support, integrated features, and thermal behavior.

When it matters: When you want to compare processors based on technical performance and available features.

Score components:

60.0%

9.2

Performance

18.0%

6.8

Cache & Architecture

10.0%

7.2

Memory & PCIe

7.0%

6.8

Power & Thermal

4.0%

6.3

Platform

1.0%

9.1

Integrated Graphics

Excellent
?

User score

What it is: A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the processor.

When it matters: When you want to know how a processor performs in real workloads and how reliable it is for gaming, productivity, and efficiency according to user feedback.

Score components:

70.0%

?

User reviews

30.0%

?

Popularity

  • 7.1
    Gaming

    Score components:

    30.0%

    ?

    PassMark single-core benchmark score

    25.0%

    ?

    Geekbench 6 single-core benchmark score

    20.0%

    2.7

    CPU boost clock speed

    17.0%

    ?

    L3 cache

    8.0%

    10

    N. of physical cores

  • 8.4
    Video editing

    Score components:

    45.0%

    ?

    Geekbench 6 multi-core benchmark score

    20.0%

    10

    N. of physical cores

    20.0%

    ?

    CPU threads

    15.0%

    ?

    L3 cache

  • No image
No image

Best prices in UK

    N/A~ £4,050

Best rankings

?

Available: ranking among products currently available (including other versions of this product).
All: ranking among all products in the database.

Verdict

The Apple M1 Ultra is a high-performance system-on-a-chip (SoC) built by interconnecting two M1 Max dies via the UltraFusion architecture, featuring 114 billion transistors and a 20-core CPU with 16 high-performance and 4 efficiency cores. It supports up to a 64-core GPU, a 32-core Neural Engine for machine learning, and a massive 128GB of unified memory with a bandwidth of 800GB/s. Key advantages include industry-leading performance-per-watt, the ability to handle up to 18 streams of 8K ProRes video simultaneously, and a unified memory pool that reduces data-copying latency between the CPU and GPU. However, notable drawbacks include its exclusivity to desktop systems like the Mac Studio due to its size and thermal requirements, and the fact that its components are not user-upgradable after purchase.

Technical Specifications of processor Apple M1 Ultra

Technical Score

What it is: An assessment of the processor's technical performance, covering key areas such as processing performance, core configuration, efficiency, platform support, integrated features, and thermal behavior.

When it matters: When you want to compare processors based on technical performance and available features.

Score components:

60.0%

?

Performance

18.0%

?

Cache & Architecture

10.0%

?

Memory & PCIe

7.0%

?

Power & Thermal

4.0%

?

Platform

1.0%

?

Integrated Graphics

8.3
Apple M1 Ultra has a technical score of 8.27 points, which is higher than that of 81.6% of products in this category.
User score

What it is: A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the processor.

When it matters: When you want to know how a processor performs in real workloads and how reliable it is for gaming, productivity, and efficiency according to user feedback.

Score components:

70.0%

0.0

User reviews

30.0%

1.0

Popularity

?
Popularity
What it is: An indicator based on the number of reviews received by the processor.
When it matters: When you prefer to choose a processor reviewed and selected by many other buyers.
1.0
Apple M1 Ultra has a popularity of 1 points, which is higher than 0% of products in this category.
Ratio quality/price

What it is: An indicator that combines the processor's overall rating with its cost.

When it matters: When you are looking for a processor with a good balance between performance, efficiency, and price.

Score components:

60.0%

8.3

Overall score

40.0%

1.0

Price

6.1
Apple M1 Ultra has a quality-to-price ratio of 6.1 points, which is lower than 76.4% of products in this category.
Brand name
What it is: The manufacturer or brand of the product.
When it matters: When you prefer a specific ecosystem, support network, or design philosophy.

Importance: LOW

Apple
Processor type
What it is: The kind of system the processor is built for, such as desktop PCs, laptops, workstations, or servers.
When it matters: When you want a processor meant for the kind of machine you are actually building or buying, rather than a chip aimed at a different class of system.

Importance: LOW

workstation
Apple M1 Ultra belongs to the workstation processor class, which is more advanced than that of 95.1% of processors and equal to that of 4.9% of processors.
CPU socket
What it is: The physical socket the processor fits into on the motherboard.
When it matters: When you need to make sure the CPU can actually be installed on a specific motherboard.

Importance: LOW

N/A
Chipset
What it is: The motherboard chipset families officially meant to work with the processor.
When it matters: When you are checking whether a CPU will work with the motherboard features and platform you plan to use.

Importance: LOW

Z790, B660
Apple M1 Ultra supports Z790, B660 chipsets, which is broader compatibility than 79% of processors and equal to that of 1.2% of processors.
CPU architecture
What it is: The processor family or design generation behind the chip, such as Zen 4 or Raptor Lake.
When it matters: When you are comparing CPUs across generations and want a clearer sense of their design age, feature level, and expected performance class.

Importance: LOW

ARM64
Apple M1 Ultra uses the ARM64 architecture, which is less advanced than that of 98.4% of processors and equal to that of 1.7% of processors.
Apple silicon
Show more
N. of physical cores
What it is: The number of physical CPU cores on the processor.
When it matters: When you run workloads that benefit from more real cores.

Importance: HIGH

Good value: 8+

20
Apple M1 Ultra has 20 CPU cores, which is more than 95.7% of processors and equal to 0.8% of processors.
CPU threads
What it is: The total number of processing threads the CPU can handle at once.
When it matters: When you run heavily threaded workloads or multitask a lot.

Importance: HIGH

Good value: 16+

20
Apple M1 Ultra offers 20 CPU threads, which is more than 85.3% of processors and equal to 4.5% of processors.
Threads per core
What it is: The number of threads each physical core can handle at once.
When it matters: When you want to understand how much thread-level parallelism each core can provide in multitasking or heavily threaded work.

Importance: LOW

Good value: 2

1
Apple M1 Ultra offers 1 threads per core, which is fewer than 69.8% of processors and equal to 30.2% of processors.
CPU boost clock speed
What it is: The highest clock speed the processor can reach under boost conditions.
When it matters: When you care about peak speed in short bursts.

Importance: HIGH

Good value: >4.7 GHz

3.22 GHz
Apple M1 Ultra reaches a boost clock of 3.22 GHz which is lower than that of 89.2% of processors and equal to that of 0.2% of processors.
CPU base clock speed
What it is: The processor's normal all-core starting frequency before boost behavior raises clocks temporarily.
When it matters: When you care about steadier performance in longer workloads rather than short burst speed alone.

Importance: MEDIUM

16 x 3.23 GHz & 4 x 2.06 GHz
Apple M1 Ultra has a base clock of 16x3.23 GHz & 4x2.06 GHz which is higher than that of 96.9% of processors.
Show more
Semiconductor size
What it is: The manufacturing process node used to produce the processor, usually expressed in nanometers.
When it matters: When efficiency, heat, and the relative modernity of the chip-making process matter to your comparison.

Importance: MEDIUM

Good value: <10 nm

5 nm
Apple M1 Ultra uses a 5 nm process node, which is more advanced than that of 85.2% of processors and equal to that of 3.3% of processors.
Foundry
What it is: The semiconductor manufacturer that physically fabricates the processor chip.
When it matters: When process source, manufacturing generation, or foundry differences matter to your comparison more than day-to-day performance alone.

Importance: LOW

TSMC 5 nm
Apple M1 Ultra is built on the TSMC 5 nm foundry process, which is more advanced than that of 83.7% of processors and equal to that of 3.2% of processors.
L3 cache
What it is: The total amount of L3 cache available on the processor.
When it matters: When you want better performance in cache-sensitive workloads and games.

Importance: MEDIUM

Good value: >=16 MB

?
L2 cache
What it is: The total amount of L2 cache available across the processor.
When it matters: When you want to compare CPU design efficiency and how much fast intermediate cache the cores have available.

Importance: MEDIUM

Good value: >=6 MB

56 MB
Apple M1 Ultra has an L2 cache of 56 MB which is larger than that of 99.5% of processors.
L1 cache
What it is: The total amount of L1 cache built into the processor, which sits closest to the cores.
When it matters: When you are comparing low-level CPU design details rather than the broader performance picture buyers usually notice first.

Importance: LOW

Good value: >=512 KB

5,888 KB
Apple M1 Ultra has an L1 cache of 5888 KB which is larger than that of 99.7% of processors.
Show more
DDR memory version
What it is: The RAM generation the processor is designed to support, such as DDR4 or DDR5.
When it matters: When you need the CPU to match the kind of memory platform you want to buy or reuse.

Importance: LOW

Good value: DDR5

LPDDR5
Apple M1 Ultra supports DDR LPDDR5, which is newer than that of 88.9% of processors and equal to that of 1% of processors.
Maximum memory speed
What it is: The highest official memory speed supported by the processor.
When it matters: When you choose RAM and want to know the supported speed ceiling.

Importance: LOW

Good value: >=4800 MHz

6,400 MHz
Apple M1 Ultra supports memory speeds up to 6400 MHz, which is higher than that of 83.9% of processors and equal to 8.1% of processors.
Max memory speed (JEDEC)
What it is: The highest official RAM speed the processor supports under standard JEDEC settings, before any memory overclocking profiles are applied.
When it matters: When officially supported stock RAM speed matters more than XMP, EXPO, or manual memory tuning.

Importance: LOW

Good value: >=5600 MHz

LPDDR5-6400 MHz
Apple M1 Ultra supports JEDEC memory speeds up to LPDDR5-6400 MHz, which is higher than that of 84.4% of processors and equal to 3.1% of processors.
Max memory speed (XMP / EXPO)
What it is: The highest memory speed supported through XMP or EXPO profiles.
When it matters: When you want faster RAM through memory profiles.

Importance: LOW

Good value: >=5200 MHz

N/A
Maximum memory capacity
What it is: The largest total amount of memory officially supported by the processor.
When it matters: When you plan a system with very large RAM capacity.

Importance: LOW

Good value: >=128 GB

128 GB
Apple M1 Ultra supports up to 128 GB of memory, which is more than 61.9% of processors and equal to 21.4% of processors.
Show more
Integrated graphics
What it is: Includes built-in graphics, so the system can output video without a separate graphics card.
When it matters: When you want the PC to work without a dedicated GPU, or you are building an office, media, compact, or troubleshooting-friendly system.

Importance: LOW

yes
Apple M1 Ultra includes integrated graphics. 12.4% of processors include integrated graphics.
Integrated GPU model
What it is: The model name of the integrated graphics processor, if present.
When it matters: When you plan to use the CPU's built-in graphics.

Importance: LOW

?
Integrated GPU execution units
What it is: The number of execution units available in the integrated graphics part of the processor.
When it matters: When you plan to rely on built-in graphics and want a better sense of its light gaming, display, or media capability.

Importance: LOW

Good value: >=24

64
Apple M1 Ultra has 64 GPU execution units, which is more than 87.4% of processors and equal to 3.5% of processors.
Integrated GPU base frequency
What it is: The base operating frequency of the integrated GPU.
When it matters: When integrated graphics performance matters to you.

Importance: LOW

Good value: >=350 MHz

450 MHz
Apple M1 Ultra has an integrated GPU clock of 450 MHz which is higher than that of 77.4% of processors and equal to that of 0.4% of processors.
Integrated media encoders/decoders
What it is: The hardware media formats the processor can encode or decode directly.
When it matters: When you stream, edit video, or rely on hardware media acceleration.

Importance: LOW

?
Show more
TDP (Thermal design power)
What it is: The rated thermal design power, which gives a general idea of cooling and power needs.
When it matters: When you choose a cooler or build in a tighter case.

Importance: LOW

Good value: <30 W

60 W
Apple M1 Ultra has a TDP of 60 W which is higher than that of 69% of processors and equal to that of 0.5% of processors.
Base power (PL1)
What it is: The sustained power target used for longer CPU loads.
When it matters: When you choose cooling and power delivery for sustained workloads.

Importance: LOW

Good value: <30 W

?
Boost power (PL2)
What it is: The short-term boost power limit the processor may draw under heavier turbo loads.
When it matters: When you size cooling and power delivery for peak turbo behavior.

Importance: LOW

Good value: <50 W

N/A
Tau (power duration limit)
What it is: The time limit the CPU can stay at higher boost power before dropping toward sustained power.
When it matters: When you want to understand turbo behavior under longer loads.

Importance: LOW

Good value: <=28 s

N/A
Configurable TDP
What it is: Allows the processor to run in alternate power modes instead of being fixed to one default TDP target.
When it matters: When you want more control over heat, noise, and power draw in compact systems, quieter builds, or thermally limited machines.

Importance: LOW

no
Apple M1 Ultra does not support configurable TDP. 52.8% of processors support configurable TDP.
Show more

Apple M1 Ultra vs the average processor

  • 3.82x higher multi-core score
    Apple M1 Ultra has a higher Geekbench 6 multi-core score than the average processor (18444 vs 4829). The average processor scores 4829 in Geekbench 6 multi-core.
    What it is: A Geekbench 6 score that reflects multi-core CPU performance in mixed modern workloads.
    When it matters: When you want a quick picture of multi-core speed in everyday mixed workloads, multitasking, and broadly optimized software.

    Importance: HIGH

    Good value: >8500

    Apple M1 Ultra has a higher Geekbench 6 multi-core score than the average processor (18444 vs 4829). The average processor scores 4829 in Geekbench 6 multi-core.18,444 vs 4,829
  • 3.91x higher PassMark score
    Apple M1 Ultra has a higher PassMark benchmark score than the average processor (41373 vs 10572.5). The average processor scores 10572.5 in PassMark benchmark.
    What it is: A benchmark score that gives a broad idea of overall processor performance.
    When it matters: When you want a quick overall performance comparison.

    Importance: HIGH

    Good value: >19000

    Apple M1 Ultra has a higher PassMark benchmark score than the average processor (41373 vs 10572.5). The average processor scores 10572.5 in PassMark benchmark.41,373 vs 10,572.5
  • 14 more CPU cores
    Apple M1 Ultra has more CPU cores than the average processor (20 vs 6). The average processor has 6 CPU cores.
    What it is: The number of physical CPU cores on the processor.
    When it matters: When you run workloads that benefit from more real cores.

    Importance: HIGH

    Good value: 8+

    Apple M1 Ultra has more CPU cores than the average processor (20 vs 6). The average processor has 6 CPU cores.20 vs 6
  • 3.31x better multi-core performance
    Apple M1 Ultra has a higher multi-core performance than the average processor (9226 vs 2791). The average processor scores 2791 in Cinebench R20 multi-core.
    What it is: A Cinebench R20 score that reflects how well the processor handles long, heavy rendering workloads across many cores.
    When it matters: When you care about sustained multi-core performance in rendering, compiling, heavy creation work, or productivity workloads that use many threads.

    Importance: HIGH

    Good value: >4700

    Apple M1 Ultra has a higher multi-core performance than the average processor (9226 vs 2791). The average processor scores 2791 in Cinebench R20 multi-core.9,226 vs 2,791
  • 54.5% better single-core performance
    Apple M1 Ultra has a higher PassMark single-core score than the average processor (3862 vs 2500). The average processor scores 2500 in PassMark single-core.
    What it is: A benchmark score that reflects single-core CPU performance.
    When it matters: When you care about responsiveness in lighter or older software.

    Importance: HIGH

    Good value: >3200

    Apple M1 Ultra has a higher PassMark single-core score than the average processor (3862 vs 2500). The average processor scores 2500 in PassMark single-core.3,862 vs 2,500
  • 22.4x larger L2 cache
    Apple M1 Ultra has a higher L2 cache than the average processor (56 MB vs 2.5 MB). The average processor has L2 cache of 2.5 MB.
    What it is: The total amount of L2 cache available across the processor.
    When it matters: When you want to compare CPU design efficiency and how much fast intermediate cache the cores have available.

    Importance: MEDIUM

    Good value: >=6 MB

    Apple M1 Ultra has a higher L2 cache than the average processor (56 MB vs 2.5 MB). The average processor has L2 cache of 2.5 MB.56 MB vs 2.5 MB
  • 12 more CPU threads
    Apple M1 Ultra has more CPU threads than the average processor (20 vs 8). The average processor has 8 CPU threads.
    What it is: The total number of processing threads the CPU can handle at once.
    When it matters: When you run heavily threaded workloads or multitask a lot.

    Importance: HIGH

    Good value: 16+

    Apple M1 Ultra has more CPU threads than the average processor (20 vs 8). The average processor has 8 CPU threads.20 vs 8
  • 63% higher single-core score
    Apple M1 Ultra has a higher Geekbench 6 single-core score than the average processor (2398 vs 1471). The average processor scores 1471 in Geekbench 6 single-core.
    What it is: A Geekbench 6 score that reflects single-core CPU performance in mixed modern workloads.
    When it matters: When you care about snappy everyday performance in lighter apps, browsing, office work, or tasks that do not scale well across many cores.

    Importance: HIGH

    Good value: >2000

    Apple M1 Ultra has a higher Geekbench 6 single-core score than the average processor (2398 vs 1471). The average processor scores 1471 in Geekbench 6 single-core.2,398 vs 1,471
  • Higher-end processor class
    Apple M1 Ultra belongs to a higher-end processor class than the average processor (workstation vs mobile).
  • Supports HMP
    Apple M1 Ultra supports HMP, the average processor does not. 22.7% of processors support HMP.
  • Advanced security extensions
    Apple M1 Ultra provides more advanced security extensions than the average processor (Secure Enclave, PAC, APRR, KTRR, KIP, SPTM vs AES-NI, NX bit, Secure Processor).
  • 3.82x higher multi-core score
    Apple M1 Ultra has a higher Geekbench 6 multi-core score than the average processor (18444 vs 4829). The average processor scores 4829 in Geekbench 6 multi-core.
  • 3.91x higher PassMark score
    Apple M1 Ultra has a higher PassMark benchmark score than the average processor (41373 vs 10572.5). The average processor scores 10572.5 in PassMark benchmark.
  • 14 more CPU cores
    Apple M1 Ultra has more CPU cores than the average processor (20 vs 6). The average processor has 6 CPU cores.
  • 3.31x better multi-core performance
    Apple M1 Ultra has a higher multi-core performance than the average processor (9226 vs 2791). The average processor scores 2791 in Cinebench R20 multi-core.
  • 54.5% better single-core performance
    Apple M1 Ultra has a higher PassMark single-core score than the average processor (3862 vs 2500). The average processor scores 2500 in PassMark single-core.
  • 12 more CPU threads
    Apple M1 Ultra has more CPU threads than the average processor (20 vs 8). The average processor has 8 CPU threads.
  • 63% higher single-core score
    Apple M1 Ultra has a higher Geekbench 6 single-core score than the average processor (2398 vs 1471). The average processor scores 1471 in Geekbench 6 single-core.
  • 3.09x higher Cinebench R20 single-core score
    Apple M1 Ultra has a higher Cinebench R20 single-core score than the average processor (1510 vs 489). The average processor scores 489 in Cinebench R20 single-core.
  • Higher base clock
    Apple M1 Ultra has a higher base clock than the average processor (16x3.23 GHz & 4x2.06 GHz vs 4x3.3 GHz).
  • 22.4x larger L2 cache
    Apple M1 Ultra has a higher L2 cache than the average processor (56 MB vs 2.5 MB). The average processor has L2 cache of 2.5 MB.
  • 58.3% smaller process node
    Apple M1 Ultra has a lower process node than the average processor (5 nm vs 12 nm). The average processor uses a process node of 12 nm.
  • 15.33x larger L1 cache
    Apple M1 Ultra has a higher L1 cache than the average processor (5888 KB vs 384 KB). The average processor has L1 cache of 384 KB.
  • Uses big.LITTLE design
    Apple M1 Ultra uses a big.LITTLE design, the average processor does not. 20.5% of processors use a big.LITTLE design.
  • 23.03x more transistors
    Apple M1 Ultra has more transistors than the average processor (114 billion vs 4.95 billion). The average processor has 4.95 billion transistors.
  • More advanced foundry
    Apple M1 Ultra uses a more advanced foundry process than the average processor (TSMC 5 nm vs Intel 14 nm).
  • 17.47x higher memory bandwidth
    Apple M1 Ultra has a higher memory bandwidth than the average processor (800 GB/s vs 45.8 GB/s). The average processor offers memory bandwidth of 45.8 GB/s.
  • 2.18x higher memory speed
    Apple M1 Ultra has a higher maximum memory speed than the average processor (6400 MHz vs 2933 MHz). The average processor supports memory speed of 2933 MHz.
  • Newer DDR support
    Apple M1 Ultra supports a newer DDR generation than the average processor (LPDDR5 vs DDR4).
  • 2x more memory capacity
    Apple M1 Ultra has more maximum memory capacity than the average processor (128 GB vs 64 GB). The average processor supports 64 GB of memory.
  • Higher JEDEC memory speed
    Apple M1 Ultra has a higher JEDEC memory speed than the average processor (LPDDR5-6400 MHz vs DDR4-3200 MHz). The average processor supports JEDEC memory speed of DDR4-3200 MHz.
  • 2.67x more GPU execution units
    Apple M1 Ultra has more GPU execution units than the average processor (64 vs 24). The average processor has 24 GPU execution units.

Total
Platform
Performance
Cache & Architecture
Memory & PCIe
Integrated Graphics
  • Less advanced architecture
    Apple M1 Ultra uses a less advanced architecture than the average processor (ARM64 vs x86-64).
    Apple silicon
  • Narrower instruction support
    Apple M1 Ultra supports a narrower instruction set than the average processor (NEON, AES, SHA1, SHA2, SHA3, DotProd, AMX vs MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSSE3, SSE4A, SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX, AVX2, F16C, FMA3, AES, SHA).
  • 25.1% lower boost clock
    Apple M1 Ultra has a lower boost clock speed than the average processor (3.2 GHz vs 4.3 GHz). The average processor reaches boost clock speed of 4.3 GHz.
  • No multithreading support
    Apple M1 Ultra does not support multithreading, the average processor does. 74.2% of processors support multithreading.
  • 1 fewer threads per core
    Apple M1 Ultra has fewer threads per core than the average processor (1 vs 2). The average processor offers 2 threads per core.
  • Less advanced microarchitecture
    Apple M1 Ultra uses a less advanced microarchitecture than the average processor (Firestorm / Icestorm vs Kaby Lake).
  • 4.75x larger die size
    Apple M1 Ultra has a higher die size than the average processor (840 mm² vs 177 mm²). The average processor has a die size of 177 mm².
  • 6 fewer memory channels
    Apple M1 Ultra has fewer memory channels than the average processor (8 vs 2). The average processor supports 2 memory channels.
  • No configurable TDP
    Apple M1 Ultra does not support configurable TDP, the average processor does. 52.8% of processors support configurable TDP.
  • 33.3% higher TDP
    Apple M1 Ultra has a higher TDP than the average processor (60 W vs 45 W). The average processor has a TDP of 45 W.
  • 25.1% lower boost clock
    Apple M1 Ultra has a lower boost clock speed than the average processor (3.2 GHz vs 4.3 GHz). The average processor reaches boost clock speed of 4.3 GHz.
    What it is: The highest clock speed the processor can reach under boost conditions.
    When it matters: When you care about peak speed in short bursts.

    Importance: HIGH

    Good value: >4.7 GHz

    Apple M1 Ultra has a lower boost clock speed than the average processor (3.2 GHz vs 4.3 GHz). The average processor reaches boost clock speed of 4.3 GHz.3.22 GHz vs 4.3 GHz
  • Less advanced microarchitecture
    Apple M1 Ultra uses a less advanced microarchitecture than the average processor (Firestorm / Icestorm vs Kaby Lake).
    What it is: The internal core-design codename used for this processor generation.
    When it matters: When you are comparing CPUs at a deeper design level and want to identify the exact architecture behind marketing names.

    Importance: HIGH

    Apple M1 Ultra uses a less advanced microarchitecture than the average processor (Firestorm / Icestorm vs Kaby Lake).Firestorm / Icestorm vs Kaby Lake
  • No configurable TDP
    Apple M1 Ultra does not support configurable TDP, the average processor does. 52.8% of processors support configurable TDP.
    What it is: Allows the processor to run in alternate power modes instead of being fixed to one default TDP target.
    When it matters: When you want more control over heat, noise, and power draw in compact systems, quieter builds, or thermally limited machines.

    Importance: LOW

    Apple M1 Ultra does not support configurable TDP, the average processor does. 52.8% of processors support configurable TDP.
  • 4.75x larger die size
    Apple M1 Ultra has a higher die size than the average processor (840 mm² vs 177 mm²). The average processor has a die size of 177 mm².
    What it is: The physical area of the processor die, usually measured in square millimeters.
    When it matters: When you are comparing chip scale, packaging density, or broader design differences rather than direct user-visible performance.

    Importance: LOW

    Good value: <150 mm²

    Apple M1 Ultra has a higher die size than the average processor (840 mm² vs 177 mm²). The average processor has a die size of 177 mm².840 mm² vs 177 mm²
  • No multithreading support
    Apple M1 Ultra does not support multithreading, the average processor does. 74.2% of processors support multithreading.
    What it is: Lets each physical core run more than one thread at the same time, such as with Hyper-Threading or SMT.
    When it matters: When multitasking, rendering, compiling, virtualization, or other thread-heavy work benefits from more total processing threads.

    Importance: LOW

    Apple M1 Ultra does not support multithreading, the average processor does. 74.2% of processors support multithreading.
  • Less advanced architecture
    Apple M1 Ultra uses a less advanced architecture than the average processor (ARM64 vs x86-64).
    Apple silicon
    What it is: The processor family or design generation behind the chip, such as Zen 4 or Raptor Lake.
    When it matters: When you are comparing CPUs across generations and want a clearer sense of their design age, feature level, and expected performance class.

    Importance: LOW

    Apple M1 Ultra uses a less advanced architecture than the average processor (ARM64 vs x86-64).ARM64 vs x86-64
  • Narrower instruction support
    Apple M1 Ultra supports a narrower instruction set than the average processor (NEON, AES, SHA1, SHA2, SHA3, DotProd, AMX vs MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSSE3, SSE4A, SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX, AVX2, F16C, FMA3, AES, SHA).
    What it is: The supported CPU instruction sets and extensions.
    When it matters: When you run software that depends on specific CPU instructions.

    Importance: LOW

    Apple M1 Ultra supports a narrower instruction set than the average processor (NEON, AES, SHA1, SHA2, SHA3, DotProd, AMX vs MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSSE3, SSE4A, SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX, AVX2, F16C, FMA3, AES, SHA).NEON, AES, SHA1, SHA2, SHA3, DotProd, AMX vs MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSSE3, SSE4A, SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX, AVX2, F16C, FMA3, AES, SHA
  • 16.2x more expensive
    Apple M1 Ultra is more expensive than the average processor (£4050 vs £250).
    Apple M1 Ultra is more expensive than the average processor (£4050 vs £250).£4,050 vs £250
Total
Overall
Platform
Performance
Cache & Architecture
Memory & PCIe
Power & Thermal

Graphic comparison of Apple M1 Ultra and other processors

Attribute category
Attribute
No results found

Third-party reviews

What customers like about Apple M1 Ultra?

  • Extraordinary multi-core performance for complex professional workflows like 8K video editing and 3D rendering
  • Exceptional power efficiency, delivering high performance with significantly lower power consumption compared to high-end Intel and AMD chips
  • Runs cool and quiet even under heavy loads, often eliminating the need for aggressive fan cooling
  • Massive unified memory bandwidth (up to 800GB/s) that reduces latency for data-intensive tasks
  • Strong single-thread performance that remains competitive with modern desktop processors

What customers dislike about Apple M1 Ultra?

  • Extremely high cost, making it overkill and poor value for casual or non-professional users
  • Not optimized for intense gaming, with performance often lagging behind dedicated high-end GPUs like the RTX 3090
  • Total lack of post-purchase upgradability; RAM and internal components are soldered and cryptographically locked
  • Scaling issues in certain applications where performance does not always double that of the M1 Max as advertised
  • Software compatibility gaps, particularly with older or non-native applications that must run through the Rosetta 2 emulation layer

Expert reviews

R
reneritchie.net
24/03/2022
Summary of the review
M1 Ultra Benchmarks — The Ugly Truth Would you like to see a comparison table of the specific Geekbench or Cinebench scores found in these reviews? Co...
E
extremetech.com
02/05/2022
Summary of the review
The Apple M1 Ultra Crushes Intel in Computational Fluid Dynamics Performance
9
9to5mac.com
18/05/2022
Summary of the review
M1 Ultra benchmarks with real-life usage tests: 40-100% faster
P
provideocoalition.com
17/03/2022
Summary of the review
Review: Mac Studio and the M1 Ultra for video editors – part 1
Z
zdnet.com
07/04/2022
Summary of the review
Apple Mac Studio with M1 Ultra review: A workstation-class upgrade
E
engadget.com
17/05/2022
Summary of the review
We ran every test you could think of on the M1 Ultra
P
pcmag.com
06/04/2022
Summary of the review
Apple Mac Studio (M1 Ultra) Review
T
theverge.com
17/03/2022
Summary of the review
Apple Mac Studio review: finally
U
uk.pcmag.com
02/04/2022
Summary of the review
Apple M1 Max vs. M1 Ultra, Tested: Apple's Top Desktop Chips Face Off
U
uk.pcmag.com
06/04/2022
Summary of the review
Apple Mac Studio (M1 Ultra) - Review 2022
D
dailymotion.com
17/03/2026
Summary of the review
Apple M1 Ultra Mac Studio Review: A 20-Core Knockout?", "Mac Studio M1 Ultra Test: Apple's 20-Core Wins by KO?
(Translated)Show original
M
mac4ever.com
22/03/2026
Summary of the review
Mac Studio Review: M1 Max vs. M1 Ultra? The Performance Showdown
(Translated)Show original
F
fotonerd.it
08/03/2022
Summary of the review
Apple M1 Ultra: Materials and Performance Specifications
(Translated)Show original
S
saggiamente.com
16/04/2026
Summary of the review
Apple Mac Studio Review: A Mac mini in Pro Clothing
(Translated)Show original
D
dday.it
29/04/2026
Summary of the review
Apple Mac Studio with M1 Ultra Review: Super Performance with Built-in Energy Savings
(Translated)Show original
T
tweakers.net
11/04/2022
Summary of the review
Apple Mac Studio Review - Ultra, Not Pro
(Translated)Show original
I
icreatemagazine.nl
27/05/2022
Summary of the review
Watch: Just how fast the M1 Ultra is in the Mac Studio
(Translated)Show original

Video reviews

Best alternatives

amd-ryzen-9-7900
AMD Ryzen 9 7900

Processors

9.2
amd-ryzen-threadripper-pro-7985wx
AMD Ryzen Threadripper Pro 7985WX

Processors

9.2
No image
Intel Core i7 13700T

Processors

9.1
amd-ryzen-threadripper-7970x
AMD Ryzen Threadripper 7970X

Processors

9.1
intel-core-ultra-5-235
Intel Core Ultra 5 235

Processors

9.1
amd-ryzen-threadripper-pro-9965wx
AMD Ryzen Threadripper Pro 9965WX

Processors

9.1
amd-ryzen-9-9900x
AMD Ryzen 9 9900X

Processors

9.1
intel-core-ultra-9-285
Intel Core Ultra 9 285

Processors

9.1
intel-core-i5-13600k
Intel Core i5 13600K

Processors

9.1
amd-ryzen-9-7950x
AMD Ryzen 9 7950X

Processors

9.1
amd-ryzen-9-7900x
AMD Ryzen 9 7900X

Processors

9.1
intel-core-i5-14500
Intel Core i5 14500

Processors

9.0

Compare Apple M1 Ultra with other processors

VS
VS

Compare