diff --git a/source/blender/gpu/metal/mtl_shader_generator.mm b/source/blender/gpu/metal/mtl_shader_generator.mm
index 15d451d0ddb..ad0280efa03 100644
--- a/source/blender/gpu/metal/mtl_shader_generator.mm
+++ b/source/blender/gpu/metal/mtl_shader_generator.mm
@@ -1752,8 +1752,9 @@ void MSLGeneratorInterface::prepare_from_createinfo(const shader::ShaderCreateIn
 bool MSLGeneratorInterface::use_argument_buffer_for_samplers() const
 {
   /* We can only use argument buffers IF sampler count exceeds static limit of 16,
-   * AND we can support more samplers with an argument buffer. */
-  return texture_samplers.size() >= 16 && GPU_max_samplers() > 16;
+   * AND we can support more samplers with an argument buffer.
+   * NOTE: We reserve one constant sampler within the shader for fast read via point-sampling. */
+  return texture_samplers.size() >= 15 && GPU_max_samplers() > 16;
 }
 
 uint32_t MSLGeneratorInterface::num_samplers_for_stage(ShaderStage stage) const
diff --git a/source/blender/gpu/shaders/metal/mtl_shader_defines.msl b/source/blender/gpu/shaders/metal/mtl_shader_defines.msl
index 8dff8982971..5cb9c47f36f 100644
--- a/source/blender/gpu/shaders/metal/mtl_shader_defines.msl
+++ b/source/blender/gpu/shaders/metal/mtl_shader_defines.msl
@@ -291,7 +291,93 @@ union _msl_return_float {
 /* Add custom texture sampling/reading routines for each type to account for special return cases,
  * e.g. returning a float with an r parameter Note: Cannot use template specialization for input
  * type, as return types are specific to the signature of 'tex'. */
-/* Texture Read. */
+
+/* Use point sampler instead of texture read to benefit from texture caching and reduce branching
+ * through removal of bounds tests, as these are handled by the sample operation. */
+constexpr sampler _point_sample_(address::clamp_to_zero, filter::nearest, coord::pixel);
+
+/* Texture Read via point sampling.
+ * NOTE: These templates will evaluate first for texture resources bound with sample. */
+template<typename S, typename T>
+inline vec<S, 4> _texelFetch_internal(thread _mtl_combined_image_sampler_1d<S, access::sample> tex,
+                                      T texel,
+                                      uint lod = 0)
+{
+  return tex.texture->sample(_point_sample_, float(texel));
+}
+
+template<typename S, typename T>
+inline vec<S, 4> _texelFetch_internal(thread _mtl_combined_image_sampler_1d<S, access::sample> tex,
+                                      T texel,
+                                      uint lod,
+                                      T offset)
+{
+  return tex.texture->sample(_point_sample_, float(texel + offset));
+}
+
+template<typename S, typename T>
+inline vec<S, 4> _texelFetch_internal(
+    thread _mtl_combined_image_sampler_1d_array<S, access::sample> tex,
+    vec<T, 2> texel,
+    uint lod,
+    vec<T, 2> offset = vec<T, 2>(0, 0))
+{
+  return tex.texture->sample(_point_sample_, float(texel.x + offset.x), uint(texel.y + offset.y));
+}
+
+template<typename S, typename T>
+inline vec<S, 4> _texelFetch_internal(thread _mtl_combined_image_sampler_2d<S, access::sample> tex,
+                                      vec<T, 2> texel,
+                                      uint lod,
+                                      vec<T, 2> offset = vec<T, 2>(0))
+{
+  return tex.texture->sample(_point_sample_, float2(texel.xy + offset.xy), level(lod));
+}
+
+template<typename S, typename T>
+inline vec<S, 4> _texelFetch_internal(
+    thread _mtl_combined_image_sampler_2d_array<S, access::sample> tex,
+    vec<T, 3> texel,
+    uint lod,
+    vec<T, 3> offset = vec<T, 3>(0))
+{
+  return tex.texture->sample(
+      _point_sample_, float2(texel.xy + offset.xy), uint(texel.z + offset.z), level(lod));
+}
+
+template<typename S, typename T>
+inline vec<S, 4> _texelFetch_internal(thread _mtl_combined_image_sampler_3d<S, access::sample> tex,
+                                      vec<T, 3> texel,
+                                      uint lod,
+                                      vec<T, 3> offset = vec<T, 3>(0))
+{
+  return tex.texture->sample(_point_sample_, float3(texel.xyz + offset.xyz), level(lod));
+}
+
+template<typename T>
+inline _msl_return_float _texelFetch_internal(
+    thread _mtl_combined_image_sampler_depth_2d<float, access::sample> tex,
+    vec<T, 2> texel,
+    uint lod,
+    vec<T, 2> offset = vec<T, 2>(0))
+{
+  _msl_return_float fl = {
+      tex.texture->sample(_point_sample_, float2(texel.xy + offset.xy), level(lod))};
+  return fl;
+}
+
+template<typename S, typename T>
+inline vec<S, 4> _texture_internal_samp(
+    thread _mtl_combined_image_sampler_2d_array<S, access::sample> tex,
+    vec<T, 3> texel,
+    uint lod,
+    vec<T, 3> offset = vec<T, 3>(0))
+{
+  return tex.texture->sample(
+      _point_sample_, float2(texel.xy + offset.xy), uint(texel.z + offset.z), level(lod));
+}
+
+/* Texture Read via read operation. Required by compute/image-bindings. */
 template<typename S, typename T, access A>
 inline vec<S, 4> _texelFetch_internal(thread _mtl_combined_image_sampler_1d<S, A> tex,
                                       T texel,