{"id":52996,"date":"2026-08-25T16:11:54","date_gmt":"2026-08-25T20:11:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mjtsai.com\/blog\/?p=52996"},"modified":"2026-09-16T11:34:49","modified_gmt":"2026-09-16T15:34:49","slug":"apple-m6-and-m5-ultra","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mjtsai.com\/blog\/2026\/08\/25\/apple-m6-and-m5-ultra\/","title":{"rendered":"Apple M6 and M5 Ultra"},"content":{"rendered":"

Apple<\/a> (MacRumors M5 Ultra<\/a> and M6<\/a>, Hacker News<\/a>):<\/p>\n

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M6 is built using cutting-edge 2 nm process technology, packing greater transistor density into a smaller die for a major leap in performance and power efficiency. M6 also introduces a Dual 16-core Neural Engine, providing up to 2x the peak compute over previous generations to make on-device AI workflows run even faster. System frameworks can automatically utilize both engines simultaneously, enabling applications to see faster model execution.<\/p>\n

M6 has a brand-new 12-core CPU complex — two more cores than M5 — that consists of 2 super cores, 4 performance cores, and 6 efficiency cores. It delivers the world’s fastest single-threaded performance and up to 1.2x faster multithreaded performance as compared to M5, and up to 2.4x faster than M1.<\/p>\n

[…]<\/p>\n

M5 Ultra uses UltraFusion to connect two dual-die M5 Max chips to form the quad-die architecture — a first for Apple silicon. UltraFusion increases the inter-die bandwidth to over 4.4TB\/s and the connection density by over 6x. Together, these ultra-low-latency, high-bandwidth interconnects allow the four dies to behave as a single unified processor. M5 Ultra also features a large up-to-36-core CPU consisting of 12 super cores and 24 performance cores, delivering up to 1.25x higher single-threaded performance and up to 1.3x higher multithreaded performance than M3 Ultra.<\/p>\n

M5 Ultra features a next-generation GPU with up to 80 cores, incorporating a Neural Accelerator in each core to offer up to 4.5x the peak GPU compute for AI compared to M3 Ultra and over 6x more than M1 Ultra.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

ghostly_s<\/a>:<\/p>\n

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It was not long ago all the illustrations in an M chip press release were graphs showing it flouncing the competition. Now it’s just random screenshots of desktops. Skimming this I didn’t see a single claim of performance advantages over competitors. The massive thing Apple still needs to solve is making sure customers don’t miss being able to plug the latest greatest GPU into their tower, they should not be resting on their laurels.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

Greg Pierce<\/a>:<\/p>\n

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I’m so old I remember when Apple PR benchmarks were all like “Photoshop Gaussian Blur in only 48 seconds!”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

Previously:<\/p>\n