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Apple M3 Ultra 28 Core
Apple · CPU

Apple M3 Ultra 28 Core — Benchmarks & Specs

Bottom line: how fast is the Apple M3 Ultra 28 Core?

For local LLM inference it generates 18.1 tokens/sec running deepseek-r1:671b at q4_0 under mlx, per Hostbor. In PassMark CPU Mark it scores 69,044 points, per PassMark Software.

Every figure above is a row in the tables below, and each row links out to the review or public benchmark database the number was taken from. SpecPicks aggregates published measurements; it does not report first-party benchmark runs.

The Apple M3 Ultra 28 Core is a processor from Apple. Data on this page draws on 23 synthetic benchmark results (top 10 shown), 16 community AI inference reports (top 12 shown), 9 measured game frame-rate results, compiled from MacRumors Forums, ComputerBase, Hostbor, llama.cpp GitHub Discussions, TBreak, Olares Blog, PassMark Software, CpuTronic, Digital Trends, EveryMac, Geekbench Browser, TurboVS, XDA Developers; each table row links to its source. Read this page when shopping the Apple M3 Ultra 28 Core, comparing it against other processors in your build, or sizing it for a specific workload (gaming at 1080p/1440p/4K, synthetic benchmark scores, or local LLM inference).

Gaming Performance (measured FPS)

Average and 1% low frame rates by game, resolution, and quality preset. Bars are scaled against the fastest result on this page.

Measured gaming frame rates for the Apple M3 Ultra 28 Core by game, resolution, and quality preset. “1% low” is the frame-time floor that determines perceived smoothness. A CPU’s frame rate depends on the graphics card it was tested with, named in the Test GPU column when the source records it. Each row links to its original review or benchmark database.
Game Resolution Settings Relative Avg FPS 1% low Test GPU Source
Cyberpunk 2077 1080p Medium FSR Balanced 136 fps — Not recorded ComputerBase 2025-08-01
Baldur's Gate 3 1440p Ultra 135 fps — Not recorded Hostbor 2025-03-12
Cyberpunk 2077 1440p Medium FSR Balanced 118 fps — Not recorded ComputerBase 2025-08-01
Cyberpunk 2077 1440p Ultra FSR Balanced 90 fps — Not recorded ComputerBase 2025-08-01
Cyberpunk 2077 1080p RT Ultra RT on FSR Performance 81 fps — Not recorded ComputerBase 2025-08-01
Cyberpunk 2077 4K Custom MetalFX Balanced, no RT 71 fps — Not recorded TBreak 2025-07-24
Cyberpunk 2077 4K For This Mac MetalFX Standard 64 fps — Not recorded TBreak 2025-07-24
Cyberpunk 2077 1440p RT Ultra RT on FSR Performance 62 fps — Not recorded ComputerBase 2025-08-01
Cyberpunk 2077 4K RT Ultra RT on MetalFX Standard 32 fps — Not recorded TBreak 2025-07-24

AI Inference Performance

Tokens per second under each model + quantization. Higher = faster generation. Bars compare runs across the same model.

Local LLM inference throughput on the Apple M3 Ultra 28 Core, in generated tokens per second for a single request (one user's generation speed). Higher is better; each row links to the community report or benchmark database it came from.
Model Quantization Relative Tokens/sec VRAM used Source
deepseek-r1:7b q4_K_M LM Studio (MLX) 128.6 tok/s 4.3 GB MacRumors Forums 2025-05-05
qwen3:8b q4_K_M LM Studio (MLX) 114.9 tok/s 4.6 GB MacRumors Forums 2025-05-05
llama2:7b q4_0 llama.cpp 88.4 tok/s — llama.cpp GitHub perf thread (Apple Silicon) 2025-03-15
llama3.1:7b q4_0 llama.cpp 88.4 tok/s — llama.cpp GitHub Discussions 2023-11-21
qwen3:30b-a3b — ollama 84.1 tok/s — Olares Blog 2025-11-04
qwen3:14b q4_K_M LM Studio (MLX) 70.3 tok/s 8.3 GB MacRumors Forums 2025-05-05
llama2:7b q8_0 llama.cpp 63.5 tok/s — llama.cpp GitHub perf thread (Apple Silicon) 2025-03-15
llama2:7b FP16 llama.cpp 42.2 tok/s — llama.cpp GitHub perf thread (Apple Silicon) 2025-03-15
qwen3:32b q4_K_M mlx 33.9 tok/s — MacRumors Forums 2025-05-05
deepseek-r1:32b q4_K_M mlx 33.3 tok/s — MacRumors Forums 2025-05-05
gemma3:27b — ollama 27.5 tok/s — Olares Blog 2025-11-04
deepseek-r1:671b q4_0 mlx 18.1 tok/s — Hostbor 2025-03-12

Synthetic Benchmarks

Higher is better. Bars are scaled within each benchmark family (multi-thread, single-thread, etc.) so you can compare like-with-like at a glance.

Synthetic benchmark scores for the Apple M3 Ultra 28 Core — higher is better. Each row links to the public database the number was taken from.
Benchmark Relative Score Source
PassMark CPU Mark 69,044 points PassMark Software 2026-06-01
Cinebench R23 multi 37,200 points CpuTronic 2026-07-01
Geekbench 6 multi 28,778 points XDA Developers 2025-04-02
Geekbench 6 multi 28,417 points Hostbor 2025-03-12
Geekbench 6 multi 27,749 points TurboVS 2025-03-01
Geekbench 6 multi 27,551 points MacRumors Forums 2025-03-21
Geekbench 6 multi 27,404 points Digital Trends 2025-03-11
Geekbench 6 multi 26,610 points Geekbench Browser 2025-03-01
Geekbench 6 multi 26,530 points EveryMac (Geekbench Browser averages) 2026-09-27
PassMark CPU Mark (single-thread) 5,139 points PassMark Software 2026-06-01

Apple M3 Ultra 28 Core — Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Apple M3 Ultra 28 Core best used for?
Apple M3 Ultra 28 Core is a processor. Mainstream desktops and gaming builds are the typical workloads.
Where do the Apple M3 Ultra 28 Core benchmark numbers come from?
Each benchmark row on this page names its source (public benchmark databases such as TechPowerUp, PassMark, Geekbench and Cinebench, and community reports such as r/LocalLLaMA threads) and links to it, so every number can be checked against the original.
How many cores does the Apple M3 Ultra 28 Core have, and how does it benchmark?
Core and thread counts for Apple M3 Ultra 28 Core aren't on file. Synthetic benchmark results (PassMark CPU Mark, Cinebench, Geekbench) are in the Synthetic Benchmarks section.
Where can I buy the Apple M3 Ultra 28 Core?
No verified listing for this exact part is on file yet. The Compare tool and the /benchmarks index cover adjacent parts that are in stock.

Buying guides that rank the Apple M3 Ultra 28 Core's class

This page is the raw performance data. The guides below turn it into a ranked pick for a specific build.

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