Head to head · October 2026
Ryzen AI Max+ 395 vs M5 Max 128GB: which is better for local AI?
128GB against 128GB, 256 against 614 GB/s. What each runs, how fast, and which one to buy.
The verdict
Both have 128GB of memory, so they run the same models. The M5 Max 128GB generates text about 96% faster thanks to 614 GB/s of memory bandwidth versus 256 GB/s. The Ryzen AI Max+ 395 costs about $1,800 less ($3,300 vs $5,100).
- Get the Ryzen AI Max+ 395 if you want the most for your money or you care about power draw, heat, and noise.
- Get the M5 Max 128GB if speed matters most.
We may earn a commission when you buy through links on this page. It never changes what we recommend. How we make money
Performance
Model by model
Estimated single-user generation speed for popular models, at the best quantization each card can hold with 8K context.
| Model | Ryzen AI Max+ 395 | M5 Max 128GB |
|---|---|---|
| Llama 3.1 8B Instruct | ~22 tok/sQ8_0 | ~44 tok/sQ8_0 |
| Qwen3 14B | ~12 tok/sQ8_0 | ~24 tok/sQ8_0 |
| gpt-oss-20b | ~41 tok/sMXFP4 | ~73 tok/sMXFP4 |
| Qwen3 30B-A3B (2507) | ~29 tok/sQ8_0 | ~54 tok/sQ8_0 |
| Gemma 3 27B | ~6.6 tok/sQ8_0 | ~14 tok/sQ8_0 |
| Qwen3 32B | ~5.5 tok/sQ8_0 | ~11 tok/sQ8_0 |
| Llama 3.3 70B Instruct | ~2.6 tok/sQ8_0 | ~5.3 tok/sQ8_0 |
| gpt-oss-120b | ~35 tok/sMXFP4 | ~64 tok/sMXFP4 |
Estimates from our bandwidth model; see methodology. Measured results, where we have them, are on each GPU's page.
Specifications
Spec by spec
| Spec | Ryzen AI Max+ 395 | M5 Max 128GB |
|---|---|---|
| Memory | 128GB LPDDR5X-8000 | 128GB LPDDR5X |
| Bandwidth | 256 GB/s | 614 GB/s● |
| Power | 120W● | 480W |
| Price | ~$3,300● | ~$5,100 |
| Price per GB | $26● | $40 |
| Architecture | RDNA 3.5 (Strix Halo) | Apple M5 Max |
| Released | 2025 | 2026 |
| Software | ROCm, Vulkan | Metal, MLX |
Our take
Bottom line on each
The cheapest way to run 100B-class MoE models in one quiet box, though prices have climbed past $3,300.
A quiet 128GB machine with more than twice the bandwidth of Strix Halo or DGX Spark.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Ryzen AI Max+ 395 or M5 Max 128GB better for running LLMs?
Both have 128GB of memory, so they run the same models. The M5 Max 128GB generates text about 96% faster thanks to 614 GB/s of memory bandwidth versus 256 GB/s. The Ryzen AI Max+ 395 costs about $1,800 less ($3,300 vs $5,100).
How much faster is the M5 Max 128GB than the Ryzen AI Max+ 395 for AI?
About 96% faster at generating text in our estimates, because token generation is limited by memory bandwidth (614 GB/s vs 256 GB/s). Prompt processing depends more on compute and can differ by more.
Keep comparing