Indeed, the M4 Max Studio has proven to be a formidable machine, challenging the notion that the M3 Ultra is unequivocally Apple’s most powerful offering. While the M3 Ultra excels in certain areas, the M4 Max demonstrates superior performance in others, making it a compelling choice for many users.
Furthermore, the M4 Max’s GPU has shown surprising strength in certain scenarios. In some graphics tests at 1080p resolution, the M4 Max actually outperforms the M3 Ultra due to its more advanced CPU architecture preventing bottlenecks. This makes the M4 Max potentially more suitable for users working with high-frame-rate 1080p content or running graphics-intensive applications that don’t scale well to higher core counts.
The M4 Max also brings Apple’s latest graphics architecture to the Mac Studio, including features like dynamic caching, hardware-accelerated mesh shading, and a second-generation GPU. These advancements contribute to its strong performance in certain graphics workloads.
When considering the price-to-performance ratio, the M4 Max becomes even more attractive. Starting at $1,999, it offers exceptional power at half the cost of the base M3 Ultra model. For many professionals and creatives, the M4 Max Studio might provide the optimal balance of performance, features, and value.
While the M3 Ultra still holds the crown in multi-threaded tasks and some GPU-intensive workloads, the M4 Max Studio has carved out its own niche as a powerhouse machine. Its strengths in single-core performance, advanced graphics architecture, and cost-effectiveness make it a serious contender for the title of Apple’s most capable machine for many users’ needs.
Here’s how the different processing units perform relative to previous Max SoCs…
Single Core Performance Across SOC Generations (Max Variant Only)
Multi Core Performance Across SOC Generations (Max Variant Only)
GPU Metal Performance Across SOC Generations (Max Variant Only)
Here’s a graph of current and previous generations of Apple Max SOCs. Notice how the M4 Max outpaces the first generation M1 & M2 Ultras. Note these are based on the Normalized Combined Geekbench Scores.
Normalized Combined Geekbench Scores* Across SOC Generations (Highlighting Max)
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| Manufacturer Part Number | Mac16,9 |
|---|---|
| Year | 2024 |
| Model Name | Mac Studio (M4 Max) |
| MSRP ($) | $2,699 |
| CPU/SOC Family | M4 |
| CPU/SOC Variant | Max |
| Total CPU Cores | 16 |
| Total GPU Cores | 40 |
| Memory Bandwidth (GB/s) | 546 GB/s |
| Max Screen Brightness (Nits) | n/a |
| Weight (Lbs) | 6.1 Lbs |
| Geekbench Single Core | 4,074 |
| Geekbench Multi Core | 26,247 |
| Geekbench Metal GPU (inc. Normalized) | 191,249 (Normalized: 26,198) |
| Normalized Combined Geekbench Score | 56,519 |
| Bang for Buck | 20.94 |
| Bang for Buck Grade | B |
| Reference Review 1 URL | support.apple.com/en-us/122211 |
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