GoKawiilApple's M5 Ultra doubles chip fusion architecture, boosts memory bandwidth 50%
Apple has released the M5 Ultra chip for the new Mac Studio, built by fusing two dual-die M5 Max chips into a quad-die design, a first for the company's silicon lineup. The chip offers up to 36 CPU cores, a jump in inter-die connection speed to 4.4TB/s, and unified memory bandwidth of 1.2TB/s, both notable increases over the M3 Ultra.
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The design shift shows Apple pushing further into modular chip fusion to keep scaling performance without shrinking transistors further, which matters as AI workloads demand more local memory and bandwidth. Faster unified memory and higher core counts mean the Mac Studio can run larger local AI models without cloud reliance, though rising memory costs could affect pricing for high-end configurations.
- M5 Ultra uses a new quad-die fusion design, doubling complexity versus M3 Ultra's dual-die setup
- Core count rises to 36, with single-thread performance up 25% and multithreaded up 30%
- Unified memory bandwidth increases 50% to 1.2TB/s, aiding on-device large language model use
Apple Mac Studio Desktop Computer — The Mac Studio is the machine built around Apple's Ultra silicon, so it's the direct way to get hands on the horsepower this article breaks down. Its compact aluminum chassis packs a generous port selection right on the front and back, making it a tidy hub for video editing, 3D work, or local AI workloads.
See Apple Mac Studio Desktop Computer on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: engadget.com — Steve Dent, 2026-08-25
Published there as: “Apple M5 Ultra vs M3 Ultra: What's changed?”
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