With the release of the M1 chipset in 2020, Apple completely revolutionized the chipset (and computing) industry. Featuring a powerful CPU, GPU, Neural Engine, high-efficiency memory architecture, and various optimizations for macOS, this chipset set a new standard for performance and power efficiency on personal computers. It enabled Apple to create powerful and energy-efficient Macs that could handle even the most demanding tasks, all while using very little power.
Apple followed the first-generation chipset with the release of Apple M2 in June 2022, followed by M2 Pro and M2 Max chipsets in January 2023. The company, at the time, said that the second-generation chipsets take ‘the breakthrough performance and capabilities of M1 even further.‘ And now, with the release of the new Mac Studio and Mac Pro, the company has unveiled the M2 Ultra chipset, which takes the performance even up a notch. In this article, let’s compare the M2, M2 Pro, M2 Max, and M2 Ultra chips and find out which one is the best option for you.
Apple M2 vs M2 Pro vs M2 Max vs M2 Ultra: Specs Comparison
| Specification | M2 | M2 Pro | M2 Max | M2 Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fabrication Process | 2nd Gen 5nm technology | 2nd Gen 5nm technology | 2nd Gen 5nm technology | 2nd Gen 5nm technology |
| Transistors | 20 billion | 40 billion | 67 billion | 134 billion |
| CPU Configurations | 8-core CPU: 4 high-performance cores + 4 high-efficiency cores |
|
12-core CPU: 8 high-performance cores + 4 high-efficiency cores | 24-core CPU: 16 high-performance cores + 8 high-efficiency cores |
| GPU Configurations | 8-core, 10-core | 16-core, 19-core | 30-core, 38-core | 60-core, 76-core |
| Neural Engine | 16-core (15.8 TOPS) | 16-core (15.8 TOPS) | 16-core (15.8 TOPS) | 32-core (31.6 TOPS) |
| RAM Configurations | 8GB, 16GB, 24GB (LPDDR5) | 16GB, 32GB (LPDDR5) | 32GB, 64GB, 96GB (LPDDR5) | 64GB, 128GB, 192GB (LPDDR5) |
| Unified Memory Bandwidth | 100GB/s | 200GB/s | 400GB/s | 800GB/s |
| Supported Mac Models | MacBook Air (2022), MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2022), Mac mini (2023) | Mac mini (2023), MacBook Pro (14- and 16-inch, 2023) | MacBook Pro (14- and 16-inch, 2023), Mac Studio (2023) | Mac Studio (2023), Mac Pro (2023) |
Apple M2 vs M2 Pro vs M2 Max vs M2 Ultra: CPU
Apple M2, M2 Pro, M2 Max, and M2 Ultra — all four chipsets are based on the second-generation 5nm node process. The new node architecture provides much improved performance and power efficiency, allowing for more transistors to be included on the same chipset dye compared to the first generation, according to Apple.
The new M2 Ultra chip is essentially two M2 Max chips connected together using Apple’s UltraFusion technology. This allows the M2 Ultra to deliver the same speed without any degradation. The baseline M2 chip features 20 billion transistors, the M2 Pro boasts 40 billion transistors, the M2 Max comes with 67 billion transistors, and the M2 Ultra, combining the two M2 Max chips, comes with a staggering 134 billion transistors.
Nonetheless, the underlying architecture of all M2 chips is quite similar, with all four of them featuring the same data cache and instruction cache (128KB and 192KB, respectively). The only difference is in the shared cache size, with the M2 Pro and M2 Max offering 32MB L2 cache while the baseline M2 features 16MB shared cache. The increase in shared cache size on the newer chipsets should provide noticeable gains when during CPU-intensive tasks.
Coming to the actual CPU and core architecture, the M2 Ultra, the M2 Pro and the M2 Max are available in a variety of CPU and core configurations. The M2 Pro offers a choice between a 10-core or a 12-core CPU, while the M2 Max has only a 12-core CPU configuration. The M2 Ultra comes with the most powerful 24-core CPU. These multithreaded CPUs are divided into high-performance cores and high-efficiency cores, as shown in the table above.
Apple claims the new M2 Ultra offers up to 20% faster performance compared to the M1 Ultra. Similarly, the M2 Pro and M2 Max also feature 20% faster CPU compared to the first-generation M1 Pro and M1 Max. On the other hand, the baseline Apple M2 is only available in one configuration, offering an 8-core CPU with a 4+4 architecture.
Apple M2 vs M2 Pro vs M2 Max vs M2 Ultra: GPU
All three chipsets feature significant upgrades in this department compared to their respective predecessor. However, when comparing the standard M2 against the M2 Pro and the M2 Max, it’s clear that the M2 Pro and M2 Max offer the most advanced and powerful options for high-end graphics-intensive tasks.
The standard M2 comes with up to a 10-core GPU, while the M2 Pro features up to 19-core GPU, and the M2 Max maxes out at 38-core GPU. The M2 Ultra offers two GPU configurations: 60-core GPU and a 76-core GPU. The following table illustrates how these M2-series processors’ perform differently:
| Feature | M2 | M2 Pro | M2 Max | M2 Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cores | Up to 10 GPU cores | Up to 19 GPU cores | Up to 38 GPU cores | Up to 76 cores |
| Execution units | N/A | 2,432 | 4,864 | 9,728 |
| Teraflops | 3.6 | 6.8 | 13.6 | 27.2 |
| Gigatexel/sec | 111 | 212 | 424 | 848 |
| Gigapixel/sec | 55 | 106 | 212 | N/A |
In terms of performance, the M2 Pro’s 19-core GPU offers a significant boost over the standard M2’s 10-core GPU. With 2,432 execution units, it delivers 6.8 teraflops and 212 gigapixel/sec, compared to the M2’s 3.6 teraflops and 111 gigapixel/sec. This makes the M2 Pro an ideal option for users who require high-performance graphics. Apple claims the M2 Pro chip compiles code 25% faster and processes images 40% faster than the M1 Pro.
The M2 Max improves over the M2 Pro, offering a 38-core GPU. With 4,864 execution units, it delivers 13.6 teraflops and 424 gigapixel/sec, which is almost double the performance of the M2 Pro. The M2 Ultra takes this to the next level, offering a 60-core or 76-core GPU with 30% improved performance.
Apple also says the M2 Ultra can render 3D effect three times faster compared to the M1 Ultra. This makes the M2 Ultra the ultimate choice for users who require the highest level of graphics performance for tasks such as 4K video editing, 3D rendering, and other graphics-intensive tasks.
Apple M2 vs M2 Pro vs M2 Max vs M2 Ultra: RAM and Memory Bandwidth
The standard M2 comes with 100GB/s unified memory bandwidth and up to 24GB of unified memory. The M2 Pro has 200GB/s unified memory bandwidth and up to 32GB of unified memory. The M2 Max doubles the speed of M2 Pro, offering 400GB/s unified memory bandwidth and triples the unified memory, offering up to 96GB LPDDR5 RAM. However, the M2 Ultra offers the highest level of memory capability with 800GB/s unified memory bandwidth and up to 192GB of memory.
The M2 Pro’s memory capabilities are a significant upgrade over the standard M2, offering double the memory bandwidth and double the amount of RAM in the base variant. The M2 Max takes memory capabilities to the next level, offering four times the memory bandwidth and 72GB more RAM than the standard M2.
The M2 Ultra, however, offers the best speeds and RAM capabilities. This makes it the ultimate choice for users who require the highest level of memory performance for tasks such as 3D rendering, 4K video editing, and opening 1000s of Google Chrome tabs (ha!). It is also worth noting that the M2 Ultra also offers a maximum configurable storage of 8TB.
Apple M2 vs M2 Pro vs M2 Max vs M2 Ultra: Other Features
Media Engine
The standard M2 comes with a media engine and ProRes video engine for decoding 8K H.264 and HEVC video as well as playback of multiple streams of both 4K and 8K video. The M2 Pro takes it to the next level, with hardware-accelerated H.264, HEVC, and ProRes video encoding and decoding, allowing it to play up to 10 streams of 4K and 8K ProRes video at the same time.
M2 Max offers two video encode engines plus two ProRes engines, allowing for up to two times faster video encoding than M2 Pro. The M2 Ultra features a powerful media engine that has twice the capabilities of M2 Max. This chipset features dedicated, hardware-enabled H.264, HEVC, and ProRes encode and decode engines, allowing it to play back up to 22 streams of 8K ProRes 422 video. The M2 Ultra even supports up to six Pro Display XDRs at a single time.
Neural Engine
Three of the M2-series chips — the M2, M2 Pro, and M2 Max — are equipped with the same 16-core Neural Engine, which offers a significant boost in performance for machine learning tasks such as video and image processing. The new chipsets deliver up to 15.8 trillion operations per second, making them 40% faster than the previous generation.
The M2 Ultra takes it to the next level, offering a 32-core Neural Engine. Apple says M2 Ultra can perform tasks that other chips can’t do. For example, the M2 Ultra can train massive ML workloads in a single system that isn’t possible for even most powerful GPU out there.
Which chipset is best for your next Mac?
This brings us to the final question — which Mac should you buy? A Mac with M2 chipset? Or M2 Pro? Or M2 Max? Here’s what we suggest:
You should buy a Mac with Apple M2 if…..
The Mac with M2 chipset is a great option for casual users and those who primarily use their Mac for basic tasks such as web browsing, email, and document editing. The M2 chip is designed to provide a balance of performance and efficiency, making it suitable for everyday use. The M2 chip comes with an 8-core CPU, 8/10-core GPU, and 24GB of LPDDR5 RAM. It also offers 100GB/s unified memory bandwidth, which is sufficient for most basic tasks.
You should buy a Mac with Apple M2 Pro if…..
The Mac with M2 Pro chipset is a great option for professionals and power users who require advanced capabilities for tasks such as code compilation, video editing, or 3D rendering. The M2 Pro offers improved performance and memory capabilities over the standard M2, which makes it suitable for more demanding tasks. The M2 Pro comes with 8/12-core CPU, 19/38-core GPU, and up to 32GB of LPDDR5 RAM. It also offers 200GB/s unified memory bandwidth, which is twice as much as the standard M2.
You should buy a Mac with Apple M2 Max if…..
The Mac with M2 Max chipset is the ultimate option for users who demand the highest level of performance and memory capabilities for the most demanding tasks. It is designed to provide the best performance and memory capabilities available on the market. The M2 Max comes with up to 12-core CPU, up to 38-core GPU, and up to 96GB of LPDDR5 RAM. It also offers 400GB/s unified memory bandwidth, which is four times as much as the standard M2. This is the best option for users who need the highest level of performance for tasks such as 4K (or even 8K) video editing, 3D rendering, and whatnot.
You should buy a Mac with Apple M2 Ultra if…..
However, if you need the absolute highest level of performance and memory capabilities for the most demanding tasks, Apple M2 Ultra is the chipset you should opt for. It is the most powerful chipset that Apple has ever created, and it is designed to provide smooth performance even when you’re performing intensive tasks such as 8K video editing, 3D rendering, and machine learning. It comes with a 24-core CPU, up to 76-core GPU, and up to 192GB of LPDDR5 RAM. It also offers 800GB/s unified memory bandwidth, which is eight times as much as the standard M2.