M4 Max Mac Studio vs M1 Ultra Mac Studio compared

The M1 Ultra Mac Studio is three years old, and for the “time is money” crowd, it might be time to update. Here’s how the M1 Ultra Mac Studio compares to the M4 Max Mac Studio in 2025.

It’s about the time of year when back-to-school sales help students get their hardware in line for the academic year ahead. For Mac users who are in classes where there’s a lot of data processing, it’s an opportunity to get new hardware.

This upgrade season isn’t just limited to students, as it’s an opportunity for companies too. Team leads with a bit of a surplus to their budget have an incentive to use it all up, so that the next year’s budget isn’t trimmed down.

With a budget of around $2,000, the Mac Studio is a decent purchase for both student and business needs.

In both cases, a Mac Pro would’ve been the answer 15 years ago, especially when number crunching is so important here. However, in the era of Apple Silicon, the Mac Studio is the better play.

Yes, you can get the latest M4 Max version, but for the same money, you can get an M1 Ultra model instead. The sky-high core counts are tempting, but not necessarily the best idea.

What follows is a comparison of the M4 Max and 2022 M1 Ultra versions of the Mac Studio. We’re considering the core versions of each, sans potentially expensive upgrades.

M4 Max Mac Studio vs M1 Ultra Mac Studio – Specifications

M4 Max Mac Studio vs M1 Ultra Mac Studio – Design, weight, size

Apple habitually likes to keep to the same type of design across multiple generations of hardware. After four chip generations, it’s still the case for the Mac Studio.

Originally surfacing as a Mac mini that had taken too many steroids, the Mac Studio was, and still is, a chunky block of computing. Its 7.7-inch by 7.7-inch foot has remained the same, echoing the previous design of the Mac mini.

The height of the aluminum enclosure is also unchanged at 3.7 inches apiece.

M4 Max Mac Studio vs M1 Ultra Mac Studio: The front ports vary by chip tier

Weight-wise, they are both quite heavy, but one is heavier than the other. The M4 Max variant is 6.1 pounds in weight, which is quite a bit considering it’s a large block of aluminum for your desk.

However, the M1 Ultra from 2022 tips the scales at 7.9 pounds. That increase is not from having a physically larger chip, but more from the need for considerably more thermal management, with heatsinks and other components adding weight.

The styling, too, hasn’t really changed at all over the years, with the venting and ports all in the same positions. Around the front is a memory card slot and two USB Type-C connections, with the remainder around the rear with extra venting for air circulation.

M4 Max Mac Studio vs M1 Ultra Mac Studio: The rear has a large vent, and practically identical ports

Visually, the two are identical. They weigh differently, and some of those ports have undergone changes, but there’s little external difference to be concerned about here.

At this point, if you were pointing things out to someone, you’d care more about it being a Mac Studio than openly stating its vintage.

M4 Max Mac Studio vs M1 Ultra Mac Studio – Processing

While the outside won’t give you any real clues that there are differences between the models, you will see a difference in what they can actually do.

The M4 Max is a SoC with a 14-core CPU, with a 16-core variant also available. The 14-core is made up of ten performance cores and four efficiency cores, accompanied by a 16-core Neural Engine.

M4 Max Mac Studio vs M1 Ultra Mac Studio: A Mac Studio on a desktop.

The M1 Ultra is literally a pair of M1 Max chips communicating with each other using an interconnect. That means there are double the resources than the M1 Max, and often higher counts for specs versus the M4 Max.

For the CPU, it’s a 20-core version in the M1 Ultra, using 16 performance cores and four efficiency cores. There are also double the Neural Engine cores at 32 in total.

Memory bandwidth ranges from 412GB/s on the 14-core CPU model of M4 Max to 546GB/s on the 16-core. Over on the M1 Ultra, it’s a phenomenal 800GB/s.

The memory you can configure also varies between the two M4 Max versions, starting at 32GB alone for the 14-core option, while the 16-core has 48GB, 64GB, and 128GB capacities.

On the M1 Max, you can choose between 64GB and 128GB.

On the GPU side, the M4 Max has a 32-core version in the 14-core CPU model, rising to 40 in the 16-core model. On the M1 Ultra, it’s either 48 cores or 64 cores, but you don’t get the hardware-accelerated ray tracing found in the newer GPUs.

Each also has the Media Engine, Apple’s hardware-accelerated video encoding system. On the M4 Max, there’s a video decode engine, two encode engines, two separate ProRes encode and decode engines, and AV1 decoding.

The M1 Ultra, having double everything, also goes big with the Media Engine. That means there are two video decode engines, four encode engines, and four ProRes encode and decode engines, though no AV1 decode.

For video, the M1 Ultra could handle up to five displays, including four Pro Display XDR monitors and one 4K screen. The M4 Max can handle up to eight 6K screens or four 8K displays.

Being able to connect so many displays has its uses, such as in building stages for productions with lots of video screens. It’s less useful from a desk-work viewpoint, but it’s nice to know the expansion options are available.

M4 Max Mac Studio vs M1 Ultra Mac Studio – Benchmarks

With such high core counts on display, you can expect either model to do well when it comes to actual number crunching. However, there is a difference when it comes to how each model actually lays down that performance.

The M1 Ultra may have more cores in general, as well as higher memory bandwidth, but the M4 has its benefits. Its cores have improved over time, so each core does a lot more work than its predecessors.

With a three-generation gap, those improvements can quickly add up.

M4 Max Mac Studio vs M1 Ultra Mac Studio: Geekbench Single-Core scores

Geekbench scores for single-core performance illustrate this handily, with the M1 Ultra managing a result of 2,396. By comparison, the M4 Max gets around 3,900 for the same test.

When it comes to the multi-core benchmark, it’s safe to say that the core improvements have countered the sheer core counts of the Ultra. At 18,392, the M1 Ultra does well with its 20 cores, but the 14-core M4 Max beats it at 23,001.

The 16-core M4 Max does even better at 25,604.

M4 Max Mac Studio vs M1 Ultra Mac Studio: Geekbench Multi-Core scores

When it comes to graphics, it’s a bit more balanced. Geekbench listings for the M1 Ultra Mac Studio put its Metal benchmark score in the range of 162,000.

The M4 Max’s 14-core CPU variant is close at 158,710, while the upper-tier chip does better at 187,300.

M4 Max Mac Studio vs M1 Ultra Mac Studio: Geekbench Metal scores

Again, it is a case of core count benefits in older models being outpaced by core improvements.

This all said, the performance on offer for the M1 Ultra isn’t to be sniffed at. It may be getting on a bit, but it still does a lot of processing and holds its own against more modern releases.

M4 Max Mac Studio vs M1 Ultra Mac Studio – Storage, connectivity, audio

While the two models look pretty similar, the change in processor also means that there are subtle differences when it comes to hooking it up to stuff.

At the front, the Max model has a pair of USB-C ports, while the Ultra packs two Thunderbolt 4 ports instead. Apple has always made the front ports USB-C on the non-Ultra Mac Studio model, so this is less of a generational change and more a continuation of Apple’s specification policies.

Accompanying those front ports is an SDXC card slot rated to UHS-II. If you’re a content creator offloading video from a memory card, you’re going to have the same experience across the board.

Around the back, the M1 Ultra Mac Studio’s port selection includes four Thunderbolt 4 ports, 10-gig Ethernet, HDMI, a pair of USB 3 Type-A ports, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

M4 Max Mac Studio vs M1 Ultra Mac Studio: Two Mac Studios, stacked

The M4 Max changes things a little bit, with the four Thunderbolt 4 ports switched for Thunderbolt 5 versions.

To end users, this means a considerable increase of bandwidth from 40Gbps to 80Gbps, and up to 120Gbps in some situations. Of course, you need the hardware that can connect at those speeds to really benefit from it.

When it comes to storage, there’s no real difference between the models at all. In both cases, you get 512GB SSDs at a base level, with upgrades available from 1TB to 2TB, 4TB, and even 8TB.

That is, if you’re willing to stomach Apple’s historically high upgrade charges.

For audio, there is a built-in speaker, and you can use that 3.5mm headphone jack around the rear, but other options are available. For example, using HDMI to pipe audio through a monitor, using AirPlay with a pair of HomePods, or even some AirPods will be better than the internal speaker.

M4 Max Mac Studio vs M1 Ultra Mac Studio – Pricing

The entry-level M4 Max Mac Studio starts at $1,999 with the 14-core CPU, 36GB of memory, and 512GB of storage.

Getting the M4 Max with the 16-core CPU is “$300” more, but it also upgrades the memory to 48GB at the same time. Apple considers this ram upgrade to be a $200 extra, so going to the 16-core is really $500 more, memory included.

Going to 64GB is $200 more, while 128GB is a $1,000 upgrade.

The storage upgrades from 512GB to 1TB is $200, with 2TB another $400 on top, 4TB another $600 again, and 8TB an extra $1,200 on top of that.

Apple doesn’t sell the M1 Ultra Mac Studio brand new and directly, so your best move is to look into refurbished models. Apple’s certified refurbished store can list the M1 Ultra model every so often, with the base version sold for $2,879.

This is a lot, but it is an Apple-refurbished unit. A search on eBay comes up with better, but not by that much. Working M1 Ultra models are frequently listed with higher storage capacities than the base model, and cost around $2,000.

Do bear in mind that the M1 Ultra Mac Studio started at $3,999. Like other Apple hardware, it still holds its value over time quite well.

M4 Max Mac Studio vs M1 Ultra Mac Studio – Just get the new model

The point of the Ultra models of Mac has always been performance via excessive specifications. In lieu of major updates to the Mac Pro, the mantle for high-specification hijinks was shifted over to the Mac Studio, with its Ultra editions handily taking to the role.

However, the march of technology improvement means going down the route of excess isn’t beneficial in the long run.

M4 Max Mac Studio vs M1 Ultra Mac Studio: The outside hasn’t changed, but the processing matters

The M1 Ultra does hold its own against some modern chips, certainly, thanks to its core counts and generally higher quantities of everything. But it’s not enough to counter a three-generation leap in performance improvements.

Add in the price premium for the Ultra models, even when looking at second-hand hardware, and it’s hard to recommend going for the M1 Ultra Mac Studio when the M4 Max does so well.

Sure, you could get an M1 Ultra Mac Studio for bragging rights, but the smart money is to ignore the allure of the Ultra and just get the M4 Max.

If performance is important, the newer releases are your best bet, even on a budget.

Where to buy the M4 Max Mac Studio vs M1 Ultra Mac Studio

The standard M4 Max Mac Studio is available for $1,859.07 thanks to an exclusive discount at Apple Premier Partner Expercom (look for the special AppleInsider price above the add to cart button). You can also save on upgraded models, including the M3 Ultra Mac Studio, in our Mac Studio Price Guide.

Clearance deals, meanwhile, are available on M2 Max models, with prices as low as $1,394.07.

And if you prefer the M1 Ultra Mac Studio mentioned in this in-depth comparison, models in new condition are available on eBay, with prices at press time available from $2,299.