Apple Mac Studio (M1 Max / M1 Ultra) vs Apple Mac Studio (M4 Max or M3 Ultra)

Every spec side by side, from each maker's published figures.

Better figure, where one is clearly better

Mac Studio (M1 Max / M1 Ultra) compared with Mac Studio (M4 Max or M3 Ultra)
AppleMac Studio (M1 Max / M1 Ultra)AppleMac Studio (M4 Max or M3 Ultra)
Overview
ReleasedMarch 2022March 2025
Performance
ProcessorApple M1 Max or Apple M1 UltraApple M4 Max or Apple M3 Ultra
CPU cores10 or 2014, 16, 28 or 32
Graphics24-core GPU, 32-core GPU, 48-core GPU or 64-core GPU32-core GPU, 40-core GPU, 60-core GPU or 80-core GPU
AI engine (NPU)22 TOPS–
Memory32 GB, 64 GB or 128 GB36 GB, 96 GB, 128 GB, 256 GB or 512 GB (better)
Storage512 GB to 8 TB512 GB to 16 TB (better)
CPUM1 Max has 10 CPU cores (8 performance, 2 efficiency); M1 Ultra has 20 (16 performance, 4 efficiency)M4 Max: 14-core CPU with 10 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores, or 16-core CPU; M3 Ultra: 28-core CPU with 20 performance cores and 8 efficiency cores, or 32-core CPU
GPUM1 Max has 24 or 32 GPU cores; M1 Ultra has 48 or 64M4 Max: 32-core or 40-core GPU; M3 Ultra: 60-core or 80-core GPU; hardware-accelerated ray tracing
AI engine16-core Neural Engine (M1 Max); 32-core Neural Engine (M1 Ultra)16-core Neural Engine (M4 Max); 32-core Neural Engine (M3 Ultra)
Memory type–M4 Max: 36GB; 48GB, 64GB or 128GB with the 16-core CPU / 40-core GPU. M3 Ultra: 96GB or 256GB in the current specification table. Apple announced 512GB at launch and documents a 32-core CPU / 80-core GPU, 512GB, 16TB system in its power test; that historical option is retained separately.
Memory bandwidth400 GB/s (M1 Max); 800 GB/s (M1 Ultra)M4 Max: 410GB/s with the 32-core GPU, 546GB/s with the 40-core GPU; M3 Ultra: 819GB/s. M4 Max takes 36GB (32-core GPU) or 48GB, 64GB or 128GB (40-core GPU); M3 Ultra takes 96GB or 256GB, and was offered with up to 512GB at launch
Storage typeSSD; M1 Max starts at 512 GB, configurable to 1 TB, 2 TB, 4 TB or 8 TB; M1 Ultra starts at 1 TB with 2 TB, 4 TB or 8 TB optionsSSD
Media engineHardware-accelerated H.264, HEVC, ProRes and ProRes RAW; M1 Max has one video decode, two video encode and two ProRes engines; M1 Ultra has two video decode, four video encode and four ProRes enginesHardware-accelerated H.264, HEVC, ProRes and ProRes RAW; AV1 decode; M4 Max: video decode engine, two video encode engines and two ProRes encode and decode engines; M3 Ultra: two video decode engines, four video encode engines and four ProRes encode and decode engines
Display
ScreenNone built inNone built in
Connections
Ports4 × Thunderbolt 4, 2 × USB-C, 2 × USB-A, HDMI, Ethernet, SD card slot, headphone jack4 × Thunderbolt 5, 2 × USB-C, 2 × USB-A, HDMI, Ethernet, SD card slot, headphone jack
Ethernet10 Gb/s10 Gb/s
External displaysUp to 5Up to 5
Wi-FiWi-Fi 6Wi-Fi 6E
Bluetooth5.05.3
Front portsTwo USB-C ports up to 10 Gb/s (M1 Max) or two Thunderbolt 4 ports up to 40 Gb/s (M1 Ultra); SDXC slot with UHS-II supportM4 Max: 2 × USB-C (up to 10Gb/s); M3 Ultra: 2 × Thunderbolt 5 (up to 120Gb/s); SDXC card slot (UHS-II)
Back portsFour Thunderbolt 4 ports with DisplayPort, Thunderbolt 4 and USB 4 up to 40 Gb/s, and USB 3.1 Gen 2 up to 10 Gb/s; two USB-A up to 5 Gb/s; HDMI; 10 Gb Ethernet supporting 1, 2.5, 5 and 10 Gb/s; 3.5 mm jack with high-impedance headphone support4 × Thunderbolt 5 (USB-C) with Thunderbolt 5 and USB 4 (up to 120Gb/s), USB 3 (up to 10Gb/s) and DisplayPort 2.1; 2 × USB-A (USB 3, up to 5Gb/s); HDMI 2.1 with multichannel audio output; 10Gb Ethernet (RJ-45); 3.5 mm headphone jack with advanced support for high-impedance headphones
External displaysFour displays at up to 6K 60 Hz over USB-C and one at up to 4K 60 Hz over HDMI, simultaneouslyM4 Max: up to five (four at up to 6K 60Hz over Thunderbolt plus one at 4K 144Hz over HDMI), or three (two at up to 6K 60Hz plus one at up to 8K 60Hz or 4K 240Hz over HDMI); M3 Ultra: up to eight at up to 6K 60Hz or 4K 144Hz, or four at up to 8K 60Hz or 4K 240Hz; VRR, HDR and multichannel audio supported
SpeakersBuilt-in speaker; HDMI multichannel audio outputBuilt-in speaker
Microphones–None built in
Design and power
TypeCompactCompact
Weight2.7 kg (better)2.74 kg
Width × depth × height197 × 197 × 95 mm197 × 197 × 95 mm
Operating systemmacOSmacOS
Size and weight detailWeight is 2.7 kg with M1 Max or 3.6 kg with M1 Ultra; both enclosures are 197 × 197 × 95 mm–
Power supplyBuilt-in; 100–240 V AC, 50–60 Hz; maximum continuous power 370 WBuilt-in; 100–240V AC; 480W maximum continuous power
Noise15 dBA sound pressure at idle and during Apple's wireless web test (M1 Ultra, operator position)–
Materials80% recycled aluminium enclosure–
ColoursSilverSilver
In the boxMac Studio, power leadMac Studio, power lead

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