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Apple has once again pushed the boundaries of computing performance with the release of its M4 Max chip. This new processor has taken the tech world by storm, challenging the notion that 'Ultra' chips are necessary for high-end performance. In this comprehensive analysis, we'll compare the M4 Max against the M2 Ultra, examining their capabilities across a wide range of tasks and benchmarks.
M4 Max: A Game-Changing Chip
The M4 Max represents a significant leap forward in Apple's chip design. With its advanced architecture and improved efficiency, it's setting new standards for what professionals can expect from a compact workstation.
Key Features of the M4 Max:
- Latest generation ARM v9 cores
- Thunderbolt 5 support (on select ports)
- Improved single-core and multi-core performance
- Enhanced GPU capabilities
- Better power efficiency
Specifications and Hardware Overview
Before diving into the performance comparisons, let's take a closer look at the specifications of the tested units:
M4 Max Configuration:
- $2,500 model with upgraded chip
- 48GB of RAM
- Thunderbolt 5 ports (4 on the back, 2 USB-C on the front)
M2 Ultra Configuration:
- 24-core CPU
- 60-core GPU
- 1TB SSD storage
Storage Performance
One of the first areas we'll examine is storage performance, as fast storage is crucial for professional workflows.
SSD Speed Comparison:
- M4 Max: 6,400 MB/s read speed
- M2 Ultra: 5,200 MB/s read speed
- M4 Max: Slightly lower write speeds compared to M2 Ultra
Interestingly, while the M4 Max excels in read speeds, the M2 Ultra maintains a slight edge in write performance. This difference, however, is unlikely to be noticeable in most real-world scenarios.
CPU Performance
The CPU performance is where the M4 Max truly shines, showcasing the advancements Apple has made with its latest chip design.
Single-Core Performance:
- M4 Max: 4,074 points
- M2 Ultra: 2,640 points
The M4 Max demonstrates a staggering 54% improvement in single-core performance, making it the world's fastest chip in this regard. This improvement is partly due to the new ARM v9 architecture, which brings various advantages including enhanced security features.
Multi-Core Performance:
- M4 Max (16 cores): 26,000+ points
- M2 Ultra (24 cores): 20,800 points
Despite having fewer cores, the M4 Max outperforms the M2 Ultra in multi-core tasks. This is a testament to the efficiency and power of the new chip design.
Web Browsing and Design Performance
For professionals who rely on web-based tools and design software, the M4 Max offers significant improvements.
Speedometer 3.0 (Web Browsing):
- M4 Max: 48.5
- M2 Ultra: Significantly lower score
This test demonstrates that the M4 Max provides the snappiest web browsing experience available on any computer.
Figma (Web Design):
- M4 Max: 1 minute 9 seconds
- M2 Ultra: 1 minute 34 seconds
The M4 Max completes web design tasks in Figma considerably faster than its Ultra counterpart, which is great news for designers working on complex projects.
Graphics Performance
Graphics capabilities are crucial for many professional workflows, from 3D rendering to video editing.
GPU Benchmark Comparison:
- M4 Max (40-core GPU): 191,000 points
- M2 Ultra (60-core GPU): 213,000 points
Despite having fewer GPU cores, the M4 Max comes remarkably close to the M2 Ultra's performance.
Gaming Performance (3D Mark Wild Life Extreme):
- M4 Max: 105 FPS
- M2 Ultra: 92.8 FPS
Surprisingly, the M4 Max outperforms the M2 Ultra in this gaming benchmark, suggesting improved efficiency in its GPU design.
Ray Tracing (3D Mark Solar Bay):
- M4 Max: Approximately 50% faster than M2 Ultra
This significant improvement in ray tracing performance with fewer cores highlights the advancements in the M4 Max's architecture.
Stress Testing and Thermal Performance
Long-term performance under heavy loads is critical for professional users. Let's examine how these chips handle sustained workloads.
Cinebench 2024 (10-minute stress test):
- M4 Max: 2,828 points
- M2 Ultra: 1,932 points
The M4 Max not only outperforms the M2 Ultra but does so while maintaining lower fan speeds and noise levels.
Temperature and Power Consumption:
- M4 Max: 100°C max temperature, 61.9W peak CPU power
- M2 Ultra: 85°C max temperature, 72.4W peak CPU power
While the M4 Max runs hotter, it consumes less power and delivers better performance, showcasing its superior efficiency.
Professional Application Performance
Let's look at how these chips perform in real-world professional applications.
Logic Pro (Audio Production):
- M4 Max: 405 simultaneous tracks
- M2 Ultra: 320 simultaneous tracks
The M4 Max provides a significant boost in audio production capabilities, allowing for more complex compositions.
Xcode (Programming):
- M4 Max: 77 seconds
- M2 Ultra: 87 seconds
Developers will appreciate the 10-second improvement in build times, which can add up to significant time savings over the course of a project.
Photo Editing (542 megapixel RAW export):
- M4 Max: 4 minutes 13 seconds
- M2 Ultra: 3 minutes 15 seconds
This is one area where the M2 Ultra maintains an advantage, likely due to its higher memory bandwidth (800 GB/s vs. 546 GB/s).
3D Rendering (Blender):
- M4 Max: 27 seconds
- M2 Ultra: 41 seconds
The M4 Max shows a remarkable improvement in 3D rendering tasks, which will be welcomed by 3D artists and animators.
Video Editing (Final Cut Pro):
- 5-minute HEVC export:
- M4 Max: 1 minute
- M2 Ultra: 42 seconds
- 5-minute 8K Canon R5 RAW export:
- M4 Max: Approximately 1 minute faster than M2 Ultra
While the M2 Ultra maintains an edge in HEVC encoding due to its additional encoders, the M4 Max shows impressive performance in handling high-resolution RAW footage.
Considerations for Different User Groups
Content Creators
For video editors, photographers, and graphic designers, the M4 Max offers exceptional performance that will satisfy most needs. The only scenarios where an Ultra chip might be necessary are for extremely high-resolution photo editing or complex multi-stream video editing projects.
Developers
Programmers will find the M4 Max more than capable of handling their workloads, with faster compile times and excellent performance in virtual machines and containers.
3D Artists and Animators
The improved ray tracing and 3D rendering performance of the M4 Max makes it an excellent choice for 3D work, often outperforming the M2 Ultra.
Music Producers
With its ability to handle more simultaneous tracks in Logic Pro, the M4 Max is well-suited for complex audio production tasks.
Data Scientists and AI Researchers
For machine learning and AI workloads that require high memory bandwidth and capacity, the Ultra chips may still hold an advantage, especially with the upcoming M3 Ultra's support for up to 512GB of RAM.
Upgrading and Expansion Options
When considering a new Mac Studio, it's important to think about future-proofing and expansion options.
Storage Upgrades
Rather than paying a premium for built-in storage upgrades, consider external solutions:
- DIY Thunderbolt 5 SSD: A custom-built 4TB SSD using Samsung 990 Pro drives can offer faster performance than built-in storage for a fraction of the cost ($500 vs. $1,200 for a 4TB upgrade).
- This external solution provides flexibility, allowing you to use it with future machines or other devices.
RAM Considerations
- The M4 Max supports up to 128GB of RAM, which is sufficient for most users.
- For extreme memory requirements, the M3 Ultra (when released) will support up to 512GB of RAM.
Conclusion: Is the Ultra Chip Necessary?
Based on the comprehensive testing and comparisons, it's clear that the M4 Max represents a significant leap in performance and efficiency. For the vast majority of professional users, including content creators, developers, and 3D artists, the M4 Max will provide more than enough power to handle their workflows effectively.
Key takeaways:
- The M4 Max often outperforms the M2 Ultra, despite having fewer cores and a lower price point.
- Single-core performance on the M4 Max is unmatched, benefiting a wide range of applications.
- Multi-core performance is excellent, even compared to chips with more cores.
- Graphics performance is surprisingly strong, sometimes surpassing the M2 Ultra.
- The M4 Max offers better power efficiency in many scenarios.
Recommendations:
- For most professional users, the M4 Max is the recommended choice, offering exceptional performance at a lower cost.
- Consider upgrading the M4 Max chip and RAM rather than opting for an Ultra model.
- Use external storage solutions like custom Thunderbolt 5 SSDs for cost-effective expansion.
- Only consider the Ultra chip if you have specific workflows that require extremely high memory bandwidth or capacity, such as working with massive datasets or complex AI models.
The M4 Max has redefined what's possible in a compact workstation, making the Ultra chip unnecessary for all but the most demanding and specialized workflows. As Apple continues to innovate, we can expect even more impressive performance gains in future chip iterations, further blurring the lines between consumer and professional-grade hardware.
Article created from: https://youtu.be/QCn8JtarC_c?si=SN2WFeKOKbFwAhwi
