Yesterday, a leaked Geekbench 7 benchmark provided the first real-world glimpse of Apple’s recently unveiled M5 Ultra chip in action. This performance data, although unverified, suggests we’re looking at the fastest CPU Apple has ever shipped. The Mac Studio with M5 Ultra officially hits preorders soon, but this early benchmark paints a clear picture of its capabilities.
Raw Power: Benchmark Breakdowns
The M5 Ultra recorded an impressive 3,774 in the single-core test and an even more eye-popping 52,516 in the multi-core segment. That compares strongly to the prior high-end M3 Ultra (32-core), which scored 2,920 single-core and 39,059 multi-core. In short, M5 Ultra is showing roughly 30% higher single-threaded performance and around 35% better multi-threaded output versus M3 Ultra.
Where It Stands in Apple’s Chip Lineup
Among Apple’s chip family, the M5 Ultra now leads the pack in multi-core strength:
- M5 Ultra: 52,516
- M3 Ultra: 39,059
- M5 Max: 35,119
- M5 Pro: 33,593
- … (followed by various legacy and other M-series chips)
That positions the M5 Ultra as more than double the multi-core power of the original M1 Ultra and nearly six times that of the base M1 chip.
Expectation vs Reality and Market Context
At Apple’s unveiling, the company claimed the M5 Ultra would deliver up to 1.25× faster single-threaded performance and up to 1.3× faster multi-threaded performance over the M3 Ultra. These new Geekbench numbers not only meet those projections but, in some cases, slightly outperform them — at least in synthetic CPU workloads.
Pricing reflects that elite status. A Mac Studio outfitted with the full 36-core M5 Ultra will start at around $6,799 in the U.S. Customers can expect the new Mac Studio models, including those with M5 Max and Ultra chips, along with Mac minis sporting M6 and M5 Pro variants, to officially launch on September 22.
What’s Still Unknown
No early GPU benchmark results have appeared for M5 Ultra, so graphics and integrated graphics performance remain untested in this leaked test. Also, because this is only one test — likely from a single unit, unverified — there could be variation in real-world use, depending on thermals, software optimization, and power constraints.
The first Geekbench 7 results for Apple’s new M5 Ultra chip suggests a generational leap in CPU horsepower. With approximately 30% gain in single-core and near 35% in multi-core over the M3 Ultra, it’s not just an incremental update — it’s a powerhouse upgrade. However, until GPU workloads are benchmarked and third-party testing backs up these early numbers, buyers should view this as an optimistic preview rather than the final word. If Apple delivers across the board, the M5 Ultra could redefine expectations for desktop chip performance.
