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M2 Ultra Chip Benchmark Results Reveal Impressive Performance Gains
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That’s using OpenCL, OpenCL sucks on Apple Silicon. A fairer comparison would be with Metal.
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Interesting! I took a look again and there is only one mention in "Acknowledgements". It says
"Portions of this Apple Software may utilize the following copyrighted material, the use of which is hereby acknowledged."
"DXVK
Copyright (c) 2017 Philip Rebohle Copyright (c) 2019 Joshua Ashton
zlib/libpng license"
So they didn't use it to write the program but it may utilize DXVK.
Either way, we still need GPU upgradeablity
Asahi Linux: “FAQ: Will you be able to use GPUs on the PCIe slots of the new Mac Pro?
Answer: We don't know yet! The PCIe controllers on prior Apple Silicon chips could not support GPU workloads properly, but we have not checked whether this has changed on the M2 Max, which includes an updated PCIe controller. Or, indeed, on the apparently possibly separate PCIe controller block used in the Mac Pro (it's complicated).
We'll keep you up to date with this topic, but right now it could go either way.”
https://social.treehouse.systems/@AsahiLinux/110501435070102543
related:
Hector Martin: “Sooo I have ~zero use case for the Mac Pro over another Mac Studio (or my existing one for that matter), but I'm going to have to buy one anyway just so we can bring up the slightly special PCIe setup on it...
My wallet is going to hurt this year.
If you want to help make this less painful:
https://github.com/sponsors/marcan 🙏”
https://social.treehouse.systems/@marcan/110494131730190557
Reminds me of the PPc days , the 601 hit the ground running ( bit like the m1 ) , showed so much promise , sadly the chips following didn't live up to the hype
Is history repeating itself ??
Is history repeating itself ??
I mean… it doesn’t have discrete graphics (as-in a physical add-in card) and it’s hanging with a 4060. I’d say that’s pretty amazing.
A better and more fair comparison would be against an Intel with on-board Intel graphics.
Now I will admit that it’s lame and a killer that the Mac Pro can’t have a GPU in the PCIe slots. That makes no sense and in that case, you’d be more correct with this graph.
Ok so it is clearly the most powerful CPU in the world. Apple was right, there is no denial. I knew it was going to be either 1st or 2nd for Multi-Core.
But the GPU is 1-3 years behind the competition 😩 It doesn't even beat out NVIDIA's best previous line card from 2020.
But the GPU is 1-3 years behind the competition 😩 It doesn't even beat out NVIDIA's best previous line card from 2020.
uh not having to run SpyWareOS... er I mean Windows is a HUGE advantage in the M2 over intel
I don't know which M2 Ultra this is (there's only one) but it's nr 18 on the list in GFXBench Aztech 4K High Offscreen. Think it's the 60-core.
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You’ll be looking for a PC then, probably one to build to your specs! 👍🏻
There’s no such thing as Extreme, there never was. And, there won’t be. Because, Apple’s the only game in town if someone wants macOS. As a result, there’s no need to create a one-off “Extreme”, whatever they ship will be the fastest macOS system with (Mac Pro) or without (Mac Studio) PCIe slots.
Fortunately, for folks that depend on Intel and Nvidia workflows, there’s a wide selection of systems to choose from.
Given that the Ultra was attached to rumours that included the Extreme/Quadra version, and the Pro/Max/Ultra aspects of the rumour were perfectly correct, there is every reason to imagine that the M* Quadra was in the works. For whatever reason, Apple hasn't shipped it. Maybe with the M3, M4, or M5 Apple will ship it.
Either way, it was never rumoured to be a one-off chip. The rumour was a "4x M* Max" package, like the Ultra is a 2x M* Max" package, connected by Ultra Fusion.
Time will tell if it ever ships.
2x the M2 Ultra performance and RAM would have made a "fine" Mac Pro.
I guess I also tell myself the story, and believe the rumours that the "extreme" chip failed at the prototype stage.. cost, or lack of linear scaling, no idea? which is why the ASi Mac Pro feels so phoned in. The Mac Pro team had a hard delivery date and had to cobble together something by WWDC which is why you have the MP as an M2 studio ultra and $3000 of fresh air.
I also think Apple will need to find a new paradigm/strategy to keep scaling the GPU/compute in its chips. I don't think Just 2 MAX chips with their incremental improvements is gonna keep up with dedicated GPU tech. Maybe I'm wrong and the shrink to M3 will be massive for the GPU.. but will it be a bigger jump than from Nvidia 4000 -> 5000? You are not die shrinking every year, and forever. It needs to be a big jump just to keep pace and stay only a few years behind. I think the daughter-board idea.. or an eGpu.. or 4 MAX chips is the only way to close that gap. Assuming Apple wants to, and doesn't think in three years all users will be happy with 3090 performance and never more.
Switch the ultra to Metal and the scores massively jump. The above is not the best case scenario, it is the worst case. Just about anything running in MacOS is running Metal now so above is not even a realistic scenario.
At least M2 Ultra is comparable with high-end RDNA 2 GPUs that are still available for MacPro7,1.
the intel i9 raptor 24 core gets around 24,000 on Geekbench.
www.notebookcheck.net
So When the M3 Ultra comes out. Thats when I buy and pull the trigger on Apple Silicon.
I'll Pass on the M2.
Valid Intel Core i9-13900K Geekbench run leaves Raptor Lake possibly facing Zen 4 extinction event
The Intel Core i9-13900K Raptor Lake processor has been spotted on Geekbench again, this time around in a benchmark run that has been classed as valid. The recorded gains over its i9-12900K predecessor leave the i9-13900K looking surprisingly unspectacular considering Zen 4 from AMD is looming...
So When the M3 Ultra comes out. Thats when I buy and pull the trigger on Apple Silicon.
I'll Pass on the M2.
Is there at least an advantage on noise levels with the new Mac Pro? Full-load on the CPU's etc.?
One of the main reasons I'm enjoying my Mac Pro is the lack of noise while running things full-bore (although after some GPU heavy tasks it does ramp up the fans). But for the most part it's extremely quiet and what you can hear isn't obnoxious.
I'm probably in the minority (cloud/web software developer) but I bought a Mac Pro that was way overspecc'ed in order to comfortably run my dual XDR displays and my workflow in silence.
I'm interested in the new machines for that reason in conjunction with the power savings having the same or better performance than my 12 core 96GB Vega II Pro setup. I've heard the Mac Studio is a tad louder and can ramp up a little sitting on your desk.
One of the main reasons I'm enjoying my Mac Pro is the lack of noise while running things full-bore (although after some GPU heavy tasks it does ramp up the fans). But for the most part it's extremely quiet and what you can hear isn't obnoxious.
I'm probably in the minority (cloud/web software developer) but I bought a Mac Pro that was way overspecc'ed in order to comfortably run my dual XDR displays and my workflow in silence.
I'm interested in the new machines for that reason in conjunction with the power savings having the same or better performance than my 12 core 96GB Vega II Pro setup. I've heard the Mac Studio is a tad louder and can ramp up a little sitting on your desk.
The ‘19 Mac Pro is way louder than the Mac Studio - as in way louder. i can hear my Mac Pro pretty instantly when I start editing videos or photos, whereas I never hear my Mac Studio. Some ‘22 Mac Studios supposedly have a ”whine”, but I can confirm that is certainly a subset, and not every Mac Studio. I tested my Mac Studio in a recording booth, and it has no whine, and unless I really push it, I can’t hear the fans.