Apple M1 Ultra 20 Core vs Apple M3 8 Core
Verdict
Our overall take, at a glance
Key takeaways
- Apple M1 Ultra 20 Core leads Apple M3 8 Core overall by 10 points (58 vs 48 out of 100).
- Apple M1 Ultra 20 Core stands out on Core Specifications Cores: 20, Core Specifications Threads: 20, Core Specifications Base Frequency: 3.1 GHz.
Apple M1 Ultra 20 Core leads overall
Apple M1 Ultra 20 Core
58
Apple M3 8 Core
48
Why it stands out
- Core Specifications Cores: 20
- Core Specifications Threads: 20
- Core Specifications Base Frequency: 3.1 GHz
In-depth analysisAI
AI-generated from the cited sources — may be incomplete or inaccurate; verify important details before deciding · generated Jun 2026.
Apple M1 Ultra 20 Core
The Apple M1 Ultra is an extremely powerful System-on-a-Chip designed for high-end, professional workstations. It combines two independently connected M1 Max units via the 'UltraFusion' interconnect to significantly increase computational throughput. This processor is suited for users who require maximum performance for intensive creative and scientific workloads.
Best for Professional video editingBest for 3D Rendering/VFXBest for Computational modeling
Pros
- High core count structure, featuring a total of 20 CPU cores and dedicated high-bandwidth interconnectivity (Source 1)
- Significant memory capacity options are available, supporting up to 128 GB of LPDDR5 RAM (Source 1)
- Achieves exceptional performance by combining two M1 Max units, effectively doubling peak capabilities (Source 1)
Cons
- The high resource requirements make it unsuitable for most general-purpose computing tasks
- It is a discontinued processor, limiting modern upgrade paths and support options (Source 1)
Apple M3 8 Core
The Apple M3 series is a System-on-a-Chip designed to power Apple's desktops, notebooks, and tablets. It belongs to the highly efficient ARM architecture family, succeeding previous generations of Apple silicon. This processor is engineered for performance across a broad spectrum of computing tasks, from standard productivity work to intense creative workloads.
Best for Creative ProfessionalsBest for High-Efficiency ComputingBest for General Productivity
Pros
- Features dedicated neural processing hardware (NPU) designed to accelerate AI and machine learning workloads
- Utilizes an advanced 3nm manufacturing process, contributing to industry-leading power efficiency
- Employs a Unified Memory Architecture (UMA) that integrates system memory with the GPU for high bandwidth data access
- The inclusion of specialized multimedia components supports decoding of multiple formats, including 8K H.265 and ProRes
Cons
- The M3 architecture features varying memory bus widths in its Pro variants (e.g., the 192-bit bus limit for some models)
- Accessory ports include Thunderbolt support, but specific port configurations vary widely across different SoCs and product lines
- Performance benchmarks related to bandwidth can vary noticeably between lower-core-count M3 and higher-core-count M3 Max variants.
Value for Money
Which is the better deal for the price
Enter today's price for each product to see which offers better value. Use the same currency for both.
Apple M1 Ultra 20 Core
Apple M3 8 Core
Performance
Higher benchmark score = faster
Apple M1 Ultra 20 Core26,695
Apple M3 8 Core18,941
Benchmark score — a measured indicator of raw performance, not a guarantee of real-world speed.
Detailed Specifications
The full spec sheet, side by side