Apple’s GPU register file (marketing term = Dynamic Caching) is super nice for ray-tracing. Full cache hierarchy + RAM supporting it. Can keep occupancy much higher as waiting waves don’t block other work. Most people don’t understand how advanced GPU tech Apple has.
A base M6 iGPU under 20W beating an RTX 2080 Ti in Blender path tracing AND topping the M4 Pro is wild 😮
I had zero expectations when Apple first attempted in hardware ray tracing, but this leap is incredible.
Now, Intel and AMD aren't even in the same conversation anymore...
Sep 26, 2026 · 6:59 AM UTC
11
47
543
38,520
Apple has a very nice ray scheduling/packing hardware too (does more than SER). That combined with their unique register file makes Apple the best in ray-tracing currently. Nvidia still had wider GPU and more memory bandwidth, but at the same resources/power, Apple leads.
4
5
68
3,877
@SebAaltonen Do you have explanation for dynamic caching outside Apple buzzwords? All In searched I only got rehashing of the same stuff.
1
0
1
731
@SebAaltonen I'm upset the top RDNA4 card is only 3200 - the kernel code is the other story - it would be awesome if someone like you could look at cycles code and join the meetings
1
0
0
69
@SebAaltonen I feel people are slightly over ray tracing, no? It's cool but like eh? The GPU tech part is awesome
0
0
0
127
@SebAaltonen I think in a decade's time or so we could see iPhones capable doing 60 FPS Path-Tracing on an A5 CFET node.
0
0
0
220
@SebAaltonen Where do you get this information from? I thought apple is pretty tight about details like this.
0
0
0
190
@SebAaltonen hardware architecture is brilliant but metal still feels like an annoying walled garden for cross platform devs
0
0
1
558
@SebAaltonen Only a matter of time until we’re running frontier models on our MacBooks
1
0
1
399
@SebAaltonen What is holding Apple GPUs back in gaming performance relative to Nvidia? Is it just the software stack and game optimization or are there hardware features games need that Blender does not?
1
0
0
136