Apple M3 Ultra (512GB) vs Apple M2 Ultra (192GB)
Side-by-side local AI comparison — VRAM, memory bandwidth, model compatibility, and estimated tokens per second across 84 open-weight models.
Quick verdict
Apple M3 Ultra (512GB) wins for local AI inference. It has 320 GB more VRAM and 2% more memory bandwidth, runs 82 models natively (vs 71), and exclusively fits 11 models the other cannot.
Specs comparison
| Spec | Apple M3 Ultra (512GB) | Apple M2 Ultra (192GB) |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM | 512 GB unified | 192 GB unified |
| Memory type | LPDDR5X | LPDDR5 |
| Bandwidth | 819 GB/s(+2%) | 800 GB/s |
| CPU cores | 32 (24P + 8E) | 24 (16P + 8E) |
| Architecture | Apple M3 Ultra | Apple M2 Ultra |
| Backend | METAL | METAL |
| Tier | Workstation | Workstation |
| Released | 2025 | 2023 |
| Models (native) | 82 | 71 |
Estimated tokens per second
Computed from memory bandwidth and model active-parameter weight. Assumes model fits natively in VRAM.
| Model | Apple M3 Ultra (512GB) | Apple M2 Ultra (192GB) | Delta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Llama 3.3 70B Instruct(70B) | 2.3 t/s(FP32) | 4.5 t/s(BF16) | -49% |
| Qwen 3.6 27B(27B) | 6 t/s(FP32) | 5.9 t/s(FP32) | +2% |
| Llama 3.1 8B Instruct(8B) | 19.8 t/s(FP32) | 19.4 t/s(FP32) | +2% |
| Qwen 2.5 7B Instruct(7.6B) | 21.2 t/s(FP32) | 20.7 t/s(FP32) | +2% |
Delta is Apple M3 Ultra (512GB) relative to Apple M2 Ultra (192GB).
Only Apple M3 Ultra (512GB) can run(11)
- MiMo V2.5 Pro1020B
- Kimi K2.61000B
- Kimi K2.51000B
- Inkling975B
- GLM-5.1 754B754B
- GLM-5.2 753B753B
- GLM-5 744B744B
- DeepSeek V3 671B671B
- DeepSeek R1 671B671B
- Nemotron 3 Ultra 550B-A55B550B
- MiniMax M1 456B456B
Only Apple M2 Ultra (192GB) can run(0)
No exclusive models — Apple M3 Ultra (512GB) can run everything Apple M2 Ultra (192GB) can.
Both run natively(71)
These models fit in VRAM on both GPUs. Bandwidth determines which runs them faster.
- MiniMax M310.2 t/svs21.2 t/s
- Llama 3.1 405B Instruct1.5 t/svs4 t/s
- Llama 4 Maverick 400B10.2 t/svs25 t/s
- GLM-4.7 358B5.6 t/svs14.6 t/s
- GLM-4.5 355B5.6 t/svs14.6 t/s
- GLM-4.6 355B5.6 t/svs14.6 t/s
- DeepSeek V4 Flash 284B14 t/svs29.7 t/s
- Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE)8.2 t/svs13.8 t/s
- MiniMax M2.5 229B17.5 t/svs28.6 t/s
- MiniMax M2.7 229B17.5 t/svs28.6 t/s
- Step 3.7 Flash8.8 t/svs20.2 t/s
- Step 3.5 Flash8.8 t/svs20.2 t/s
- Mixtral 8x22B Instruct v0.12.5 t/svs4.6 t/s
- Mistral Medium 3.5 128B2.5 t/svs4.6 t/s
- Qwen 3.5 122B-A10B (MoE)9.5 t/svs17 t/s
- Nemotron 3 Super 120B8.1 t/svs14.8 t/s
- +55 more on both
Which should you choose?
Choose Apple M3 Ultra (512GB) if:
- • You need to run larger models (>192 GB VRAM)
- • Faster token generation is the priority
- • You want the newer architecture and longer driver support lifecycle
Choose Apple M2 Ultra (192GB) if:
Frequently asked questions
- Which is better for local AI, the Apple M3 Ultra (512GB) or Apple M2 Ultra (192GB)?
- For local AI inference, the Apple M3 Ultra (512GB) has the edge. It offers 512 GB VRAM (vs 192 GB) and 819 GB/s bandwidth (vs 800 GB/s), letting it run 82 models natively in VRAM vs 71 for its rival.
- How much VRAM does the Apple M3 Ultra (512GB) have vs the Apple M2 Ultra (192GB)?
- The Apple M3 Ultra (512GB) has 512 GB of LPDDR5X at 819 GB/s. The Apple M2 Ultra (192GB) has 192 GB of LPDDR5 at 800 GB/s. The Apple M3 Ultra (512GB) has 320 GB more VRAM, allowing it to run 11 models the Apple M2 Ultra (192GB) cannot fit natively.
- Can the Apple M3 Ultra (512GB) run Llama 3.3 70B?
- Yes. The Apple M3 Ultra (512GB) runs Llama 3.3 70B natively at FP32 quantization at approximately 2.3 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 BF16 quantization at approximately 4.5 tokens per second.
- What is the difference between the Apple M3 Ultra (512GB) and Apple M2 Ultra (192GB) for AI?
- The key difference for AI inference is VRAM and memory bandwidth. The Apple M3 Ultra (512GB) has 512 GB VRAM at 819 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 Ultra (512GB) runs 82 models natively vs 71 for the Apple M2 Ultra (192GB).