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Unified memory vs a GPU: Strix Halo, Mac and RTX compared
Capacity or bandwidth? Three ways to hold a model, compared on the two numbers that matter, straight from the spec sheets.
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- Strix Halo: up to 128 GB; we work out 256 GB/s from AMD’s 256-bit LPDDR5x-8000 spec.
- Mac mini with M5 Pro: up to 64 GB at 307 GB/s, per Apple.
- RTX 5060 Ti: 16 GB at 448 GB/s, per NVIDIA. That’s the fastest of the three, but it has the least memory.
There are now two ways to give an AI model a home. A graphics card has a small room with a very fast door. A unified-memory machine has a huge room with a slower door. Which one you want depends on the model you’re moving in.
The spec sheet showdown
| Option | Max memory for the model | Memory bandwidth | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 (Strix Halo) | 128 GB (shared with the OS) | 256 GB/s (our arithmetic: 256-bit × 8000 MT/s ÷ 8) | AMD |
| Apple Mac mini, M5 Pro | 64 GB (shared with the OS) | 307 GB/s | Apple |
| NVIDIA RTX 5060 Ti 16GB | 16 GB VRAM | 448 GB/s | NVIDIA |
We list only the official figures. We haven’t measured any of these machines.
Capacity wins for big models
gpt-oss 120B is a 65 GB download in Ollama, and Qwen3.5 122B-A10B is 81 GB. Neither fits on a 16 GB card or in a 64 GB Mac. Only a 128 GB pool can hold them in one box. That’s the whole pitch for Strix Halo mini PCs like the Minisforum MS-S1 MAX and the GMKtec EVO-X2.
Bandwidth wins for small models
“Decode: Determines the tokens per second (TPS) and is memory-bound.”
If your model fits in 16 GB, the RTX card has the fastest memory of the three on paper. A 14 GB model on a 448 GB/s card should generate faster than the same model on a 256 GB/s pool (our estimate, based on the quote above, not a benchmark).
The trade-offs nobody puts on the box
- Soldered memory. On unified-memory machines you pick the size at purchase. You can’t upgrade it later.
- Expandability. The MS-S1 MAX’s store page lists a full-length PCIe x16 slot, which is unusual for a mini PC.
- Software. Check that your runtime supports your chip before you buy. This article doesn’t rate software support.
Hardware in this article
Minisforum MS-S1 MAX 128GB / 2TB (Ryzen AI Max+ 395)
$3,919 Minisforum · checked Oct 27, 2026, 12:40 PM CT
Caveat
Store data says estimated shipping late November. The 128GB / 4TB version was $4,199.
Check price at Minisforum (opens in a new tab)
GMKtec EVO-X2 128GB / 2TB
Price shown at Amazon
Sold at Amazon.
Check price at Amazon (opens in a new tab)
ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16GB OC
Price shown at Amazon
Sold at Amazon.
Check price at Amazon (opens in a new tab)More articles
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FAQ
Is unified memory as fast as GPU VRAM?
Not on these spec sheets. AMD’s 256-bit LPDDR5x-8000 works out to about 256 GB/s, Apple lists 307 GB/s for M5 Pro, and NVIDIA lists 448 GB/s for the RTX 5060 Ti.
Which is better for gpt-oss 120B?
A 128 GB unified-memory machine. The 65 GB download does not fit on any single consumer GPU we list, or in a 64 GB machine.
