Apple debuts 2nm M6 chip and M5 Ultra powerhouse

The M6 chip marks a transition to 2nm architecture, packing a 12-core CPU that features a mix of two super cores, four performance cores, and six efficiency cores. Apple claims this configuration delivers the world’s fastest single-threaded performance with a 1.2x boost in multithreaded tasks over the previous generation. Complementing the CPU is a 12-core GPU equipped with an integrated Neural Accelerator for each core and support for 32GB of unified memory, all managed by a Dual 16-core Neural Engine.

Scaling up for professional workflows, the M5 Ultra leverages UltraFusion interconnect technology to bridge two dual-die M5 Max chips. This creates a massive internal structure featuring up to 36 CPU cores, an 80-core GPU, and a 32-core Neural Engine. Designed for demanding AI models and complex rendering, the chip supports up to 512GB of high-bandwidth unified memory. As is standard with the M series, this memory remains fixed at the point of purchase, finalizing the hardware configuration for the new Mac Studio.