Apple M5 Ultra Leak Points to a Major GPU Performance Jump in Geekbench 7
Apple’s next high-end desktop chip, the M5 Ultra, has reportedly appeared in Geekbench 7, and the early GPU result suggests a significant leap over the previous Ultra-class silicon.
The benchmark entry appears to come from a Mac Studio powered by the M5 Ultra and configured with 256GB of unified memory. According to the listing, the chip features a 36-core CPU, including 12 high-performance cores alongside 24 additional cores. The tested model also includes Apple’s top 40-core GPU configuration, positioning it as a flagship option for demanding creative and professional workloads.
In Geekbench 7’s Metal test, the M5 Ultra scored 360,019 points. That is a notable increase compared to a recent M3 Ultra Mac Studio result, which scored 255,009 points in the same benchmark. Based on those figures, the M5 Ultra delivers roughly 41% higher GPU performance in this specific test.
That kind of uplift could be a big deal for users working with graphics-heavy applications, including video editing, 3D rendering, visual effects, AI-assisted creative tools, and professional media production. Apple’s Ultra chips are typically designed for the company’s most powerful desktop systems, and this early result suggests the M5 Ultra could bring a meaningful improvement for Mac Studio users who need maximum performance from Apple silicon.
However, there are a few important details to keep in mind. Geekbench’s Metal benchmark is optimized around Apple’s own graphics API, so it does not provide a complete picture of how the M5 Ultra compares with high-end GPUs from other manufacturers. To understand its broader graphics performance, more neutral benchmark results such as OpenCL or Vulkan tests will be needed.
It is also worth remembering that this is only a single benchmark submission. Scores can vary depending on thermal conditions, software versions, background processes, and early hardware or firmware behavior. Even so, a score of 360,019 is a strong early indicator that Apple has made a substantial GPU performance gain over the M3 Ultra.
The latest listing also follows earlier CPU benchmark appearances for the M5 Ultra, suggesting that Apple’s upcoming flagship chip may offer improvements across both processing and graphics workloads. If these early results hold up in final retail hardware, the M5 Ultra Mac Studio could become one of Apple’s most powerful desktop upgrades yet.
