16" M3 Max 128gb vs Mac Studio M1 Ultra 128gb?

[RyanFlynn]

Hey Friends,

I'm a professional composer pretty much using my maxed out my m1 ultra Mac Studio Ultra with 8tb and 128gb memory to its maximum potential. It mostly shreds everything I throw at it, but occasionally get to the point that it slows down and playback becomes impossible. Usually this is a ram issue and I can get around it by freezing tracks.

That said, with the new m3 max being able to hit 128gb, do you guys thing I would notice a performance drop from the the m1 ultra? It would be nice to be able to grab a laptop with all my samples and most of my software effects for working away from the studio.


Thanks for your insight and help!
Ryan

 

[camotwen]

Apple claims that M3 max is 80% faster than M1 max (in multicore). AFAIK M1 ultra is supposed to be ~100% faster than M1 max. So I assume M3 max is slightly slower but pretty close. I would wait for benchmarks and reviews first.

 

[Rnd-chars]

It depends what the RAM issue is. If it’s purely quantity, I wouldn’t expect it to be any worse but also no better. If it’s due to bandwidth, the Max has half the bandwidth of the Ultra so may introduce performance problems.

You’d get faster single core performance with the Max, though again it may not have any substantial impact on your workflow.

Overall? I’d guess it’s a wash, though you gain portability and faster single thread performance.

 

[lowkey]

Wait for the M3Max Ultra. That thing will kick a$$

 

[Onimusha370]

Hey Friends,

I'm a professional composer pretty much using my maxed out my m1 ultra Mac Studio Ultra with 8tb and 128gb memory to its maximum potential. It mostly shreds everything I throw at it, but occasionally get to the point that it slows down and playback becomes impossible. Usually this is a ram issue and I can get around it by freezing tracks.

That said, with the new m3 max being able to hit 128gb, do you guys thing I would notice a performance drop from the the m1 ultra? It would be nice to be able to grab a laptop with all my samples and most of my software effects for working away from the studio.


Thanks for your insight and help!
Ryan

In my opinion The M3 Max will outperform the M1 Ultra in most tasks - the scaling on the M1 chip was notoriously bad once you reached the Max/Ultra chips. Having said that if your limitation is RAM then I’d probably wait for the M3 Ultra In the next Mac Studio and go all the way to 256GB.

Another option would be to upgrade now to a 192GB version of the M2 Ultra. My guess would be that we won’t see a new Mac Studio until WWDC (or even late 2024) but who knows given the update this week!

 

[RyanFlynn]

Copy that. It sounds like, I wouldn't gain or lose much. But, I'd get portability. I think I'll just pull the trigger, test and return if it doesn't work for me.

Anyone interested in a maxed out Mac Studio m1 ultra, upgraded video 8tb, 128gb? haha

 

[camotwen]

In my opinion The M3 Max will outperform the M1 Ultra in most tasks - the scaling on the M1 chip was notoriously bad once you reached the Max/Ultra chips. Having said that if your limitation is RAM then I’d probably wait for the M3 Ultra In the next Mac Studio and go all the way to 256GB.

Another option would be to upgrade now to a 192GB version of the M2 Ultra. My guess would be that we won’t see a new Mac Studio until WWDC (or even late 2024) but who knows given the update this week!

I thought the scaling issues were gpu issues not cpu?

 

[Onimusha370]

I thought the scaling issues were gpu issues not cpu?

Think it was mainly GPU yep, good point. From memory the multithreaded CPU performance on M3 Max is 80% faster than M1 Max, so similar (possibly slightly less) performance in multithreaded applications - I think the massive increase in single core performance outweighs that, although application specific obviously.

 

[Onimusha370]

Copy that. It sounds like, I wouldn't gain or lose much. But, I'd get portability. I think I'll just pull the trigger, test and return if it doesn't work for me.

Anyone interested in a maxed out Mac Studio m1 ultra, upgraded video 8tb, 128gb? haha

aha nice - good decision. Sadly I've made the exact same decision and ordered an M3 Max/128gb/8tb MBP! Are you thinking 14 or 16 inch? I personally love the "roominess" of the 16, feels very much like a portable desktop which I love

 

[Chancha]

Someone on twitter reports on Geekbench 6, the M3 Max CPU multi-core outscores the M2 Ultra... which is on the Studio AND the Mac Pro just 5 months ago... lol.

With how much they charge for the Ultras, it seems the better strategy is to top out at M# Max and replace it every other gen.

 

[Beau10]

Apple claims that M3 max is 80% faster than M1 max (in multicore). AFAIK M1 ultra is supposed to be ~100% faster than M1 max. So I assume M3 max is slightly slower but pretty close. I would wait for benchmarks and reviews first.

But it isn't due to a bus bandwidth issue. In some specs the lower end ultra ended up performing better or flatlined against the top spec due to this.

I gather it would be rather close and wouldn't be surprised if the M3 Max comes out ahead.

 

[camotwen]

But it isn't due to a bus bandwidth issue. In some specs the lower end ultra ended up performing better or flatlined against the top spec due to this.

I gather it would be rather close and wouldn't be surprised if the M3 Max comes out ahead.

These were all GPU-specific issues. In pure CPU tasks it scales pretty well [1]. The GPU scaling issue was only about the model with the 60c gpu, not the 48c one. If the question was about graphics and not music production, then most probably the M3 max is better than M1 ultra. Realistically, for CPU I would expect it to be a bit worse but probably to an extent that the portability is still worth it.

[1] https://www.eurogamer.net/digitalfo...ultra-and-m1-max-take-on-high-end-pc-hardware

 

[Beau10]

These were all GPU-specific issues. In pure CPU tasks it scales pretty well [1]. The GPU scaling issue was only about the model with the 60c gpu, not the 48c one. If the question was about graphics and not music production, then most probably the M3 max is better than M1 ultra. Realistically, for CPU I would expect it to be a bit worse but probably to an extent that the portability is still worth it.

[1] https://www.eurogamer.net/digitalfo...ultra-and-m1-max-take-on-high-end-pc-hardware

Good point, and apologies for not noticing you made it just a bit earlier in the thread.

 

[MayaUser]

we already have M3 Max benchmarks
So M1 Ultra is out of the question
You go M3 Max or wait for M3 Ultra

 

[JamieLannister]

Depends on what you're trying to accomplish task wise. If it's short, then M3 will win. If it's something that requires more time, desktop M will win. You should wait for throttling tests on these new M3's to be sure. Laptops are great and all but the compromise in thermal dissipation will always be beaten by desktop models with huge heatsinks and fans.

 

[RyanFlynn]

Welp, I ordered the maxed out MBP. I'm going to compare the two and make a decision.

 

[Sirmausalot]

Welp, I ordered the maxed out MBP. I'm going to compare the two and make a decision.

Faced with a similar decision. I'm a filmmaker and disappointed in the way the M1 Ultra didn't scale nearly as much as anticipated. Kind of like throwing an extra 2K out the window. Especially rendering and compression. Just didn't need the ultra. So wondering how the M3 Max base model will compare to the M1 Ultra. Any insight is appreciated. I would like the portability as well.

 

[Coluch]

Welp, I ordered the maxed out MBP. I'm going to compare the two and make a decision.

How did this turn out? Did you receive the M3 yet? I’m faced with the same scenario.

 

[Chancha]

Faced with a similar decision. I'm a filmmaker and disappointed in the way the M1 Ultra didn't scale nearly as much as anticipated. Kind of like throwing an extra 2K out the window. Especially rendering and compression. Just didn't need the ultra. So wondering how the M3 Max base model will compare to the M1 Ultra. Any insight is appreciated. I would like the portability as well.

Even when the M2 Pro generation was released and was deemed lacklustre in terms of performance gains from M1 gen, despite that premise, just looking at M2 Max vs M1 Ultra, it already gave me a pretty good idea indicating that the Ultra chip is never going to be worth it for a majority of scenarios.

Because it looks like an average of one year gap is there between M chip generations, and the Ultra so far is always coming months later than the initial M base chip introduction. This time it further reduces the gap, since M3, M3 Pro, M3 Max are all released on day one. So the specific comparison between M2 Ultra Mac Studio vs M3 Max MBP 16" already exists and the M3 Max is so close if not better in most of the tasks, and M2 Ultra was released just half a year ago, not just on a Mac Studio but also on a Mac Pro...

To me Apple really needs to improve the scaling in their Ultra line, or if that 4x Extreme chip is going to happen that will need scaling efficiency even more so. But I feel that software optimization may take just as an important part and that is not what Apple can control, unless you only use FCPX and Logic.

So in the long run, keep buying just the Mx Max Studio seems to be the safest bet, you don't rely on 2x scaling since it is just one chip, and that the value proposition is going to be easier to manage.

 

[gigapocket1]

I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if we don’t get an m3 ultra.

 

[richinaus]

Even when the M2 Pro generation was released and was deemed lacklustre in terms of performance gains from M1 gen, despite that premise, just looking at M2 Max vs M1 Ultra, it already gave me a pretty good idea indicating that the Ultra chip is never going to be worth it for a majority of scenarios.

Because it looks like an average of one year gap is there between M chip generations, and the Ultra so far is always coming months later than the initial M base chip introduction. This time it further reduces the gap, since M3, M3 Pro, M3 Max are all released on day one. So the specific comparison between M2 Ultra Mac Studio vs M3 Max MBP 16" already exists and the M3 Max is so close if not better in most of the tasks, and M2 Ultra was released just half a year ago, not just on a Mac Studio but also on a Mac Pro...

To me Apple really needs to improve the scaling in their Ultra line, or if that 4x Extreme chip is going to happen that will need scaling efficiency even more so. But I feel that software optimization may take just as an important part and that is not what Apple can control, unless you only use FCPX and Logic.

So in the long run, keep buying just the Mx Max Studio seems to be the safest bet, you don't rely on 2x scaling since it is just one chip, and that the value proposition is going to be easier to manage.

Is the above made on real-world testing?
I did, and compared the M3 Max to my M1 Ultra in real-world apps and didn't see a difference enough to warrant the change and sent the M3 Max back.

When returning it the guy at the Apple store said his girlfriend did the exact same thing and returned hers [comparing a M1 max to the M3 Max MBP] - and she used similar design and 3D apps too.

I never ask anyone for advice on these forums on what to buy and also never believe any opinions on speed etc. I always just wait a few weeks, buy what I want and test it out to review how it performs for my specific workloads.

 

[RyanFlynn]

Looks like mine with arrive on Monday. Setting it up is going to take days to get up to speed and report back

 

[RyanFlynn]

Alright guys, after about a week of testing and working. The m3 max 16core and 128gb memory is indeed faster than the maxed out Mac Studio m1 ultra. Not by a ton, but its an upgrade and its portable

 

[phoenixbt]

Alright guys, after about a week of testing and working. The m3 max 16core and 128gb memory is indeed faster than the maxed out Mac Studio m1 ultra. Not by a ton, but its an upgrade and its portable

Thanks for reporting back! I’m in a similar situation - I have an M1 Max MBP and m1 ultra 64gb and was thinking of consolidating down to an M3 max 64gb. Wasn’t sure how big of a difference it would be going from the ultra to the M3 max…I think I’ll miss the 10gb port and extra TB4, but going down to one machine would be nice (and the faster wifi 6e)

 

[RyanFlynn]

Honestly, Wi-Fi 6E isn’t that impressive, I have a 10 GB fiber line for my home office, and I rarely see speeds above one gigabit.

My workaround was the OWC thunderbolt pro dock with 10gbe and a 75 foot fiber optic thunderbolt cable. Works brilliantly for the nas and for the internet.