Apple M4 Max (128GB) vs Apple M4 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 M4 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 M4 Max (128GB) | Apple M4 Ultra (192GB) |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM | 128 GB unified | 192 GB unified |
| Memory type | LPDDR5X | LPDDR5X |
| Bandwidth | 546 GB/s | 1092 GB/s(+100%) |
| CPU cores | 16 (12P + 4E) | 32 (24P + 8E) |
| Architecture | Apple M4 Max | Apple M4 Ultra |
| Backend | METAL | METAL |
| Tier | Laptop | Workstation |
| Released | 2024 | 2025 |
| 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 M4 Max (128GB) | Apple M4 Ultra (192GB) | Delta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Llama 3.3 70B Instruct(70B) | 7.8 t/s(Q8) | 7.8 t/s(FP16) | +0% |
| Qwen 3.6 27B(27B) | 10.1 t/s(FP16) | 20.2 t/s(FP16) | -50% |
| Llama 3.1 8B Instruct(8B) | 34.1 t/s(FP16) | 68.3 t/s(FP16) | -50% |
| Qwen 2.5 7B Instruct(7.6B) | 35.9 t/s(FP16) | 71.8 t/s(FP16) | -50% |
Delta is Apple M4 Max (128GB) relative to Apple M4 Ultra (192GB).
Only Apple M4 Max (128GB) can run(0)
No exclusive models — Apple M4 Ultra (192GB) can run everything Apple M4 Max (128GB) can.
Only Apple M4 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 358B62.6 t/svs93.8 t/s
- GLM-4.5 355B62.6 t/svs93.8 t/s
- GLM-4.6 355B62.6 t/svs93.8 t/s
- DeepSeek V4 Flash 284B154 t/svs184.8 t/s
- Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE)68.3 t/svs87.4 t/s
- MiniMax M2.5 229B150.2 t/svs192.2 t/s
- MiniMax M2.7 229B150.2 t/svs192.2 t/s
- Mixtral 8x22B Instruct v0.120.5 t/svs30.8 t/s
- Qwen 3.5 122B-A10B (MoE)80.1 t/svs120.1 t/s
- Nemotron 3 Super 120B66.7 t/svs100.1 t/s
- GPT-OSS 120B160.2 t/svs240.2 t/s
- Llama 4 Scout 109B47.1 t/svs70.7 t/s
- GLM-4.5 Air 106B50.1 t/svs100.1 t/s
- GLM-4.6V 106B50.1 t/svs100.1 t/s
- Qwen 2.5 72B Instruct7.6 t/svs7.6 t/s
- Llama 3.3 70B Instruct7.8 t/svs7.8 t/s
- +45 more on both
Which should you choose?
Choose Apple M4 Max (128GB) if:
Choose Apple M4 Ultra (192GB) if:
- • You need to run larger models (>128 GB VRAM)
- • Faster token generation is the priority
- • You want the newer architecture and longer driver support lifecycle
Frequently asked questions
- Which is better for local AI, the Apple M4 Max (128GB) or Apple M4 Ultra (192GB)?
- For local AI inference, the Apple M4 Ultra (192GB) has the edge. It offers 192 GB VRAM (vs 128 GB) and 1092 GB/s bandwidth (vs 546 GB/s), letting it run 64 models natively in VRAM vs 61 for its rival.
- How much VRAM does the Apple M4 Max (128GB) have vs the Apple M4 Ultra (192GB)?
- The Apple M4 Max (128GB) has 128 GB of LPDDR5X at 546 GB/s. The Apple M4 Ultra (192GB) has 192 GB of LPDDR5X at 1092 GB/s. The Apple M4 Ultra (192GB) has 64 GB more VRAM, allowing it to run 3 models the Apple M4 Max (128GB) cannot fit natively.
- 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 M4 Ultra (192GB) run Llama 3.3 70B?
- Yes. The Apple M4 Ultra (192GB) runs Llama 3.3 70B natively at FP16 quantization at approximately 7.8 tokens per second.
- What is the difference between the Apple M4 Max (128GB) and Apple M4 Ultra (192GB) 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 M4 Ultra (192GB) has 192 GB VRAM at 1092 GB/s (METAL backend). VRAM determines which models fit; bandwidth determines tokens per second. The Apple M4 Max (128GB) runs 61 models natively vs 64 for the Apple M4 Ultra (192GB).