M5 Ultra vs. M3 Ultra: Development and Local AI Performance

I compare the M5 Ultra Mac Studio with the M3 Ultra to examine Apple’s performance claims across developer workloads, storage, memory bandwidth, and local language models. The tests use matching software builds and model files, with examples that show how results vary by task and prompt length.

■ Hardware and developer workloads
- Configuration, pricing, CPU compilation, Python, and storage testing
- Memory-bandwidth measurements and local LLM testing with llama.cpp and MLX
■ Local AI performance and practical considerations
- Prompt processing and token generation across several model types
- Power use, temperature, noise, and workload limits; larger-memory configurations and deeper MLX comparisons are not covered in this first look

Developers and people considering a Mac Studio for local AI can use this overview to identify which workloads to investigate before choosing a configuration. For a purchase decision, compare the tests with your own model sizes, prompt lengths, and budget.