# M5 Ultra EXPLAINED - 50% FASTER LLM, 4x LOCAL AI - the King is Back! šŸ¤Æ **URL:** \ **Category:** Content Creators\ **Tags:** gpu, apple, hardware, xcreate\ **Created:** [25 August 2026 18:37 UTC](https://www.artofsm.art/t/m5-ultra-explained-50-faster-llm-4x-local-ai-the-king-is-back/23187 "2026-08-25T18:37:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![merefield](https://www.artofsm.art/user_avatar/www.artofsm.art/merefield/32/74_2.png) [@merefield](https://www.artofsm.art/u/merefield)\ **Post date:** [25 August 2026 18:37 UTC](https://www.artofsm.art/t/m5-ultra-explained-50-faster-llm-4x-local-ai-the-king-is-back/23187/1 "2026-08-25T18:37:28Z")
[![](https://www.artofsm.art/uploads/default/original/3X/7/8/78aac734e5e65f7ae6ee0001d07ec7653f5b2697.jpeg "M5 Ultra EXPLAINED - 50% FASTER LLM, 4x LOCAL AI - the King is Back! šŸ¤Æ") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUDtLSOcWiU) The video explains Appleā€™s new M5 Ultra chip and Mac Studio, highlighting significant performance improvements in CPU, GPU, and AI capabilities, along with support for up to 512 GB unified memory, while addressing pricing concerns and storage options. It also discusses the broader market context, potential tax benefits, and Appleā€™s ongoing commitment to powerful local AI hardware despite rising costs and competition. ---
**Author:** ![merefield](https://www.artofsm.art/user_avatar/www.artofsm.art/merefield/32/74_2.png) [@merefield](https://www.artofsm.art/u/merefield)\ **Post date:** [25 August 2026 19:01 UTC](https://www.artofsm.art/t/m5-ultra-explained-50-faster-llm-4x-local-ai-the-king-is-back/23187/3 "2026-08-25T19:01:58Z")
The video discusses the announcement of Appleā€™s new M5 Ultra chip and the return of the Mac Studio, addressing rumors about memory limitations by confirming support for up to 512 GB of unified memory. Despite the higher pricing, the presenter expresses relief that Apple is continuing to produce powerful computers amid rising Nvidia costs and the obsolescence of previous Mac Studio models. The M5 Ultra boasts significant improvements, including 80 GPU cores and a memory bandwidth increase from 800 GB/s to 1.2 TB/s, which theoretically boosts token generation speeds by 50%. Additionally, prompt processing and image generation are reported to be up to four times faster, although video generation remains somewhat sluggish. The M5 Ultra features 36 CPU cores, including 24 performance cores and additional efficiency ā€œsuper cores,ā€ delivering 25% higher single-threaded and 30% higher multi-threaded performance compared to the M3 Ultra. Graphics performance is also enhanced, with a 40% increase and a neuro accelerator providing 4.5 peak GPU compute for AI tasks. These improvements make the chip well-suited for local AI workloads, especially when using batching techniques that maximize GPU utilization. The chip also supports a massive 512 GB unified memory pool, though the presenter notes that future AI models with trillions of parameters may require networking multiple units together. Pricing remains a significant consideration, with the base M5 Ultra starting at around AUD 4,000 for the M5 Max and increasing substantially for higher configurations. The 256 GB memory option is currently available, with a 512 GB version expected in a few months. The presenter advises potential buyers to consider pre-ordering to secure availability, given past instances where higher memory options were pulled from sale. Storage costs are also high, with 4 TB SSD upgrades costing over AUD 2,000, prompting suggestions to use external Thunderbolt 5 enclosures in RAID configurations to expand storage affordably. The video also touches on the broader market context, noting that while Appleā€™s hardware remains expensive, the prices of RAM and SSDs have surged globally due to supply constraints. The presenter highlights the importance of having sufficient storage and memory to run large AI models locally, which can be costly but offers privacy and control advantages over cloud solutions. For Australian businesses, the pricing of certain configurations falls just below the instant asset write-off limit, potentially offering tax benefits. Students may also benefit from discounts, making the M5 Ultra a viable option for educational and research purposes. Finally, the presenter reflects on Appleā€™s position in the AI hardware space, expressing optimism that the company is still committed despite previous disappointments, such as Appleā€™s use of Nvidia GPUs in their cloud servers. The used market for previous generation M3 Ultra chips has seen dramatic price drops, making them more accessible but also risky due to potential scams. The video concludes by inviting viewers to share their thoughts on the new M5 Ultra and whether they plan to purchase one, while briefly mentioning the upcoming M6 chips and their potential impact on the market.