Skip to main content

With M1 Ultra power, tiny Apple Mac Studio targets pros

Apple has launched a new Mac, dubbed the Mac Studio, at its Peek Performance spring event. It marks a new line for the Mac and comes with either the brand-new M1 Ultra or the M1 Max, which is Apple’s most powerful desktop chip.

It takes the form of an enlarged Mac Mini — meaning it has no monitor. As previous rumors had speculated, it resembles several Mac Minis stacked on top of each other.

Related Videos
Overview of the specs and features on the the all new Mac Studio.

Apple talked up its “outrageous performance” and connectivity, combined with its compact form. Aimed at professional studio users, it sits a layer above the Mac Mini, but below the bulky Mac Pro.

In terms of performance, Apple is clearly aiming at high-end PCs — and perhaps even its own Mac Pro. Its M1 Max version offers 2.5 times the performance of the 27-inch Intel Core i9 iMac and is 50% faster than the Mac Pro with a 16-core Intel Xeon chip. Graphically, it is 3.4 times faster than the fastest iMac and Mac Pro.

Apple Mac M1 Ultra Graphic.

Things get even more impressive with the new M1 Ultra chip. This version is 3.8 times faster than the Core i9 iMac, 90% faster than the 16-core Xeon, and 60-core than the high-end 28-core Intel Xeon option in the Mac Pro. It also offers up to 128GB of memory.

For storage, there are options all the way up to 8TB, with 7.4GB/s speeds.

It offers four USB-C ports (at 10GB/s), two USB-A, one HDMI, an audio jack, an SDXC slot, and an Ethernet slot. There are two USB-C ports on the front for easy access. It supports Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.

While it has no built-in monitor, Apple also unveiled a new stand-alone screen, dubbed the Studio Display. This is a separate purchase for users who need a high-quality screen.

A person works at a station equipped with the all new Mac Studio and Studio Display.

The Mac Studio starts at $1,999 with the M1 Max or $3,999 with the M1 Ultra. That seriously undercuts the Mac Pro, despite outperforming it.

Editors' Recommendations

Apple’s $600 M2 Mac mini obliterates the $6,000 Mac Pro
Apple Mac Mini M1 sitting on a desk.

We just got even more proof that it's high time Apple released a new version of the Mac Pro. Why? Because it just got smoked in a benchmark -- and by a device that costs a tenth of its price.

The M2 Mac mini was tested in single-core and multi-core operations and then compared to the Intel-based Mac Pro. Unsurprisingly, the news is all bad for the expensive 2019 workstation.

Read more
Apple Mac Mini M2 vs. M1: don’t make a buying mistake
Apple Mac Mini M1 sitting on a desk.

Apple's new Mac Mini M2 promises better performance and features at a lower price. But with the next-gen machine now out and making the rounds, you can score a deal on a last-gen Mac Mini M1. Which should you buy?

With the same external design and similar port selection, the Mac Mini M2 looks like an internal-only upgrade to Apple's mini desktop. There are some significant differences compared to the M1 model, however, and they can make a huge difference in performance.
Pricing

Read more
Is Apple’s Mac Mini M2 any good? Here’s what reviews say
A Mac Mini M2 being used for video editing.

Apple's Mac Mini M2 looks like a welcome upgrade to the aging M1 model, but is it any good? After Apple's disappointing debut of the M2 chip, this update to the Mac Mini seemed doomed for failure. But reviews say otherwise.

TechCrunch's Matt Burns wrote the Mac Mini has "never looked better than it does now with the M2 and M2 Pro," specifically pointing to the value the machine introduces to Apple's lineup. The desktop starts at just $600 for the base model, which is a $100 price cut compared to the M1 model.

Read more