Apple M4 Max (128GB) vs Apple M1 Ultra (128GB)
Side-by-side local AI comparison — VRAM, memory bandwidth, model compatibility, and estimated tokens per second across 70 open-weight models.
Quick verdict
Apple M1 Ultra (128GB) wins for local AI inference. It has 47% more memory bandwidth, runs 61 models natively (vs 61), and exclusively fits 0 models the other cannot.
Specs comparison
| Spec | Apple M4 Max (128GB) | Apple M1 Ultra (128GB) |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM | 128 GB unified | 128 GB unified |
| Memory type | LPDDR5X | LPDDR5 |
| Bandwidth | 546 GB/s | 800 GB/s(+47%) |
| CPU cores | 16 (12P + 4E) | 20 (16P + 4E) |
| Architecture | Apple M4 Max | Apple M1 Ultra |
| Backend | METAL | METAL |
| Tier | Laptop | Workstation |
| Released | 2024 | 2022 |
| Models (native) | 61 | 61 |
Estimated tokens per second
Computed from memory bandwidth and model active-parameter weight. Assumes model fits natively in VRAM.
| Model | Apple M4 Max (128GB) | Apple M1 Ultra (128GB) | Delta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Llama 3.3 70B Instruct(70B) | 7.8 t/s(Q8) | 11.4 t/s(Q8) | -32% |
| Qwen 3.6 27B(27B) | 10.1 t/s(FP16) | 14.8 t/s(FP16) | -32% |
| Llama 3.1 8B Instruct(8B) | 34.1 t/s(FP16) | 50 t/s(FP16) | -32% |
| Qwen 2.5 7B Instruct(7.6B) | 35.9 t/s(FP16) | 52.6 t/s(FP16) | -32% |
Delta is Apple M4 Max (128GB) relative to Apple M1 Ultra (128GB).
Only Apple M4 Max (128GB) can run(0)
No exclusive models — Apple M1 Ultra (128GB) can run everything Apple M4 Max (128GB) can.
Only Apple M1 Ultra (128GB) can run(0)
No exclusive models — Apple M4 Max (128GB) can run everything Apple M1 Ultra (128GB) can.
Both run natively(61)
These models fit in VRAM on both GPUs. Bandwidth determines which runs them faster.
- GLM-4.7 358B62.6 t/svs91.7 t/s
- GLM-4.5 355B62.6 t/svs91.7 t/s
- GLM-4.6 355B62.6 t/svs91.7 t/s
- DeepSeek V4 Flash 284B154 t/svs225.6 t/s
- Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE)68.3 t/svs100 t/s
- MiniMax M2.5 229B150.2 t/svs220 t/s
- MiniMax M2.7 229B150.2 t/svs220 t/s
- Mixtral 8x22B Instruct v0.120.5 t/svs30.1 t/s
- Qwen 3.5 122B-A10B (MoE)80.1 t/svs117.3 t/s
- Nemotron 3 Super 120B66.7 t/svs97.8 t/s
- GPT-OSS 120B160.2 t/svs234.7 t/s
- Llama 4 Scout 109B47.1 t/svs69 t/s
- GLM-4.5 Air 106B50.1 t/svs73.3 t/s
- GLM-4.6V 106B50.1 t/svs73.3 t/s
- Qwen 2.5 72B Instruct7.6 t/svs11.1 t/s
- Llama 3.3 70B Instruct7.8 t/svs11.4 t/s
- +45 more on both
Which should you choose?
Choose Apple M4 Max (128GB) if:
- • You want the newer architecture and longer driver support lifecycle
Choose Apple M1 Ultra (128GB) if:
- • Faster token generation is the priority
Frequently asked questions
- Which is better for local AI, the Apple M4 Max (128GB) or Apple M1 Ultra (128GB)?
- For local AI inference, the Apple M1 Ultra (128GB) has the edge. It offers 128 GB VRAM (vs 128 GB) and 800 GB/s bandwidth (vs 546 GB/s), letting it run 61 models natively in VRAM vs 61 for its rival.
- How much VRAM does the Apple M4 Max (128GB) have vs the Apple M1 Ultra (128GB)?
- The Apple M4 Max (128GB) has 128 GB of LPDDR5X at 546 GB/s. The Apple M1 Ultra (128GB) has 128 GB of LPDDR5 at 800 GB/s. Both GPUs have the same VRAM amount; bandwidth determines which generates tokens faster.
- Can the Apple M4 Max (128GB) run Llama 3.3 70B?
- Yes. The Apple M4 Max (128GB) runs Llama 3.3 70B natively at Q8 quantization at approximately 7.8 tokens per second.
- Can the Apple M1 Ultra (128GB) run Llama 3.3 70B?
- Yes. The Apple M1 Ultra (128GB) runs Llama 3.3 70B natively at Q8 quantization at approximately 11.4 tokens per second.
- What is the difference between the Apple M4 Max (128GB) and Apple M1 Ultra (128GB) for AI?
- The key difference for AI inference is VRAM and memory bandwidth. The Apple M4 Max (128GB) has 128 GB VRAM at 546 GB/s (METAL backend). The Apple M1 Ultra (128GB) has 128 GB VRAM at 800 GB/s (METAL backend). VRAM determines which models fit; bandwidth determines tokens per second. The Apple M4 Max (128GB) runs 61 models natively vs 61 for the Apple M1 Ultra (128GB).