Recent benchmark leaks and performance projections suggest Apple's upcoming M4 Ultra chip could represent a significant leap in computing power, potentially reshaping the landscape of high-performance computing and gaming on Mac platforms.
Projected Performance Benchmarks
The upcoming M4 Ultra is expected to achieve remarkable performance metrics, with projections indicating a Geekbench 6 OpenCL score of approximately 330,000. This figure would surpass the current champion, NVIDIA's RTX 4090, which scores 317,379. These estimates come from tech analyst Vadim Yuryev of Max Tech, who based his calculations on leaked M4 Max benchmarks and the expected scaling of the M4 Ultra's capabilities.
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| Comparison of multi-core performance metrics between the M4 Ultra and competing processors on the Geekbench 6 benchmark |
CPU Architecture and Performance
The M4 Ultra is anticipated to feature a 32-core CPU configuration, representing a significant upgrade from the M4 Max's 16-core setup. In multi-core performance testing, the chip is projected to score around 40,012 points in Geekbench 6, showcasing a 50% performance improvement over the M4 Max. More impressively, this would make it nearly 95% faster than AMD's Ryzen 9 9950X and about 74% faster than Intel's 24-core Ultra 9 285K.
Gaming and Graphics Capabilities
Apple's push into gaming becomes more credible with the M4 Ultra's projected graphics performance. The chip's 80-core GPU is expected to deliver superior performance in both OpenCL and Vulkan APIs, crucial for modern gaming applications. This is particularly significant given the recent announcement of Cyberpunk 2077's arrival on the Mac platform, suggesting Apple's confidence in the M4 family's gaming capabilities.
Market Implications
While these projections are impressive, it's important to note that they are based on extrapolated data and theoretical scaling. The actual performance metrics won't be confirmed until the M4 Ultra's official release, expected alongside new Mac Pro and possibly updated Mac Studio models in 2025. However, if these estimates prove accurate, Apple could establish itself as a serious contender in both professional workstation and gaming markets, traditionally dominated by NVIDIA, AMD, and Intel.