Apple has just unleashed the new Mac Studio – my favourite desktop Mac. It’s incredibly powerful, now packing the M4 Max and M3 Ultra chips, but I can’t help feeling like I expected more. Where is the M4 Ultra chip? This desktop is aimed squarely at pros who need ridiculous amounts of power, and it seems Apple could have offered more.
The M4 Max version of the Mac Studio comes with a 16-core CPU, a 40-core GPU, and support for up to 128GB of unified memory. Apple is claiming performance boosts of up to 3.5 times over the M1 Max version. Since this is my machine, it’s a tasty upgrade – but note there is an M2 version already out. It’s also 6.1 times faster than the Intel-based 27-inch iMac.
Meanwhile, the M3 Ultra Mac Studio variant cranks things up even further with a 32-core CPU, an 80-core GPU, and the option to configure up to a frankly absurd 512GB of unified memory. If you’re into AI development, Apple claims it can run large language models with over 600 billion parameters entirely in memory. Basically, if you need a desktop that can outthink you, this is it.
Connectivity gets a big upgrade too, with Thunderbolt 5 ports offering up to 120Gb/s transfer speeds – triple what Thunderbolt 4 managed. M3 Ultra models can now drive up to eight Pro Display XDRs at full 6K resolution. There’s also Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, a 10Gbit Ethernet port, HDMI, and an SD card slot for good measure. It’s all still housed in the same compact, desk-friendly design that we love from the Mac Studio.
For those itching to get their hands on one, the new Mac Studio is available to pre-order now and ships from March 12. Prices start at $1999/£2099 for the M4 Max model, while the M3 Ultra version starts at $3999. If you’re planning on maxing out the specs with 512GB of memory and 16TB of storage, you might want to brace yourself before checking the final price.
