Apple M3 Max (128GB) vs Apple M2 Ultra (192GB)
Side-by-side local AI comparison — VRAM, memory bandwidth, model compatibility, and estimated tokens per second across 70 open-weight models.
Quick verdict
Apple M2 Ultra (192GB) wins for local AI inference. It has 64 GB more VRAM and 100% more memory bandwidth, runs 64 models natively (vs 61), and exclusively fits 3 models the other cannot.
Specs comparison
| Spec | Apple M3 Max (128GB) | Apple M2 Ultra (192GB) |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM | 128 GB unified | 192 GB unified |
| Memory type | LPDDR5 | LPDDR5 |
| Bandwidth | 400 GB/s | 800 GB/s(+100%) |
| CPU cores | 16 (12P + 4E) | 24 (16P + 8E) |
| Architecture | Apple M3 Max | Apple M2 Ultra |
| Backend | METAL | METAL |
| Tier | Laptop | Workstation |
| Released | 2023 | 2023 |
| Models (native) | 61 | 64 |
Estimated tokens per second
Computed from memory bandwidth and model active-parameter weight. Assumes model fits natively in VRAM.
| Model | Apple M3 Max (128GB) | Apple M2 Ultra (192GB) | Delta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Llama 3.3 70B Instruct(70B) | 5.7 t/s(Q8) | 5.7 t/s(FP16) | +0% |
| Qwen 3.6 27B(27B) | 7.4 t/s(FP16) | 14.8 t/s(FP16) | -50% |
| Llama 3.1 8B Instruct(8B) | 25 t/s(FP16) | 50 t/s(FP16) | -50% |
| Qwen 2.5 7B Instruct(7.6B) | 26.3 t/s(FP16) | 52.6 t/s(FP16) | -50% |
Delta is Apple M3 Max (128GB) relative to Apple M2 Ultra (192GB).
Only Apple M3 Max (128GB) can run(0)
No exclusive models — Apple M2 Ultra (192GB) can run everything Apple M3 Max (128GB) can.
Only Apple M2 Ultra (192GB) can run(3)
Both run natively(61)
These models fit in VRAM on both GPUs. Bandwidth determines which runs them faster.
- GLM-4.7 358B45.8 t/svs68.8 t/s
- GLM-4.5 355B45.8 t/svs68.8 t/s
- GLM-4.6 355B45.8 t/svs68.8 t/s
- DeepSeek V4 Flash 284B112.8 t/svs135.4 t/s
- Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE)50 t/svs64 t/s
- MiniMax M2.5 229B110 t/svs140.8 t/s
- MiniMax M2.7 229B110 t/svs140.8 t/s
- Mixtral 8x22B Instruct v0.115 t/svs22.6 t/s
- Qwen 3.5 122B-A10B (MoE)58.7 t/svs88 t/s
- Nemotron 3 Super 120B48.9 t/svs73.3 t/s
- GPT-OSS 120B117.3 t/svs176 t/s
- Llama 4 Scout 109B34.5 t/svs51.8 t/s
- GLM-4.5 Air 106B36.7 t/svs73.3 t/s
- GLM-4.6V 106B36.7 t/svs73.3 t/s
- Qwen 2.5 72B Instruct5.6 t/svs5.6 t/s
- Llama 3.3 70B Instruct5.7 t/svs5.7 t/s
- +45 more on both
Which should you choose?
Choose Apple M3 Max (128GB) if:
Choose Apple M2 Ultra (192GB) if:
- • You need to run larger models (>128 GB VRAM)
- • Faster token generation is the priority
Frequently asked questions
- Which is better for local AI, the Apple M3 Max (128GB) or Apple M2 Ultra (192GB)?
- For local AI inference, the Apple M2 Ultra (192GB) has the edge. It offers 192 GB VRAM (vs 128 GB) and 800 GB/s bandwidth (vs 400 GB/s), letting it run 64 models natively in VRAM vs 61 for its rival.
- How much VRAM does the Apple M3 Max (128GB) have vs the Apple M2 Ultra (192GB)?
- The Apple M3 Max (128GB) has 128 GB of LPDDR5 at 400 GB/s. The Apple M2 Ultra (192GB) has 192 GB of LPDDR5 at 800 GB/s. The Apple M2 Ultra (192GB) has 64 GB more VRAM, allowing it to run 3 models the Apple M3 Max (128GB) cannot fit natively.
- Can the Apple M3 Max (128GB) run Llama 3.3 70B?
- Yes. The Apple M3 Max (128GB) runs Llama 3.3 70B natively at Q8 quantization at approximately 5.7 tokens per second.
- Can the Apple M2 Ultra (192GB) run Llama 3.3 70B?
- Yes. The Apple M2 Ultra (192GB) runs Llama 3.3 70B natively at FP16 quantization at approximately 5.7 tokens per second.
- What is the difference between the Apple M3 Max (128GB) and Apple M2 Ultra (192GB) for AI?
- The key difference for AI inference is VRAM and memory bandwidth. The Apple M3 Max (128GB) has 128 GB VRAM at 400 GB/s (METAL backend). The Apple M2 Ultra (192GB) has 192 GB VRAM at 800 GB/s (METAL backend). VRAM determines which models fit; bandwidth determines tokens per second. The Apple M3 Max (128GB) runs 61 models natively vs 64 for the Apple M2 Ultra (192GB).