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Need-to-knows
- M3 Ultra can drive up to eight Pro Display XDRs at full 6K resolution
- M3 Ultra is nearly twice as fast as the M4 Max
- ChatGPT integration via Apple Intelligence
- M4 Max starts at £1,999 and M3 Ultra starts at £3,999
There’s a new Mac Studio in town, and it appears to come in two variants. Peculiar, given that Apple could have dished out the M3 Ultra and saved the M4 Max for later. But no complaints here!
But what do these two new flavours of Mac Studio have to offer? Let’s get into it.
Two Chips: M4 Max and M3 Ultra
The new Mac Studio comes in two variants: one sporting the M4 Max chip and another boasting the M3 Ultra. The M4 Max is the latest and greatest in Apple’s chip lineup, while the M3 Ultra is the final iteration of the previous generation.
But what does this mean for performance?
Read Our Ultimate Guide to The M4 MacBook Pro: Specifications and More!
M4 Max
The M4 Max is no slouch. With up to 16 CPU cores and a whopping 40 GPU cores, this chip is capable of chewing through tasks. But here’s the basic info:
- 14- to 16-core CPU
- 32- to 40-core GPU
- 16-core Neural Engine
- Starting with 36GB of unified memory (up from 32GB in the M2 model)
- Option to configure up to 128GB of memory
Apple claims this rendition is up to 3.5 times faster than the original M1 Max version.
M3 Ultra
The M3 Ultra has even more to offer over the previous generations of Apple silicon:
- Up to 32-core CPU with 24 performance cores
- Up to 80-core GPU
- 32-core Neural Engine
- Starting with 96GB of unified memory
- Option to configure up to a jaw-dropping 512GB of memory
Apple claims the M3 Ultra is nearly twice as fast as the M4 Max in tasks that can take advantage of all those cores.
Design
The new Mac Studio looks pretty much identical to its predecessor. It’s still that square-ish silver box. The compact design means it can still sit comfortably on your desk without taking up too much real estate.
Connectivity
The new Mac Studio comes equipped with Thunderbolt 5 ports.
These new ports are no joke:
- Transfer speeds up to 120 Gb/s
- Up to 3 times faster than the previous generation
- Support for faster external storage and expansion chassis
The port layout is as follows:
- Front: Two USB-C ports and an SD card slot
- Back: Four Thunderbolt 5 ports, two USB-A ports, one HDMI port, one 10Gb Ethernet port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack
And with the M3 Ultra, you can now drive up to eight Pro Display XDRs at full 6K resolution. Because why stop at one ridiculously expensive display when you can have eight?
Performance
Apple’s throwing around some pretty impressive performance claims. Let’s break them down:
M4 Max Mac Studio:
- Up to 1.6x faster image processing in Adobe Photoshop compared to M1 Max
- Up to 2.1x faster build performance when compiling code in Xcode
- Up to 1.2x faster ProRes transcode performance in Compressor
M3 Ultra Mac Studio:
- Up to 16.9x faster token generation using large language models
- Up to 2.6x faster scene rendering in Maxon Redshift
- Up to 1.4x faster 8K video rendering in Final Cut Pro
It’s important to remember that real-world performance can often differ from benchmark results.
Storage and Memory
Apple’s not messing around when it comes to storage and memory options. The M4 Max version starts with a 512GB SSD and can be configured up to 8TB. The M3 Ultra kicks things up a notch, starting at 1TB and maxing out at 16TB.
As for memory, the M4 Max starts at 36GB and can go up to 128GB. The M3 Ultra, however, takes things to a whole new level. It starts at 96GB and can be configured up to an eye-watering 512GB. That’s more RAM than most people have storage on their laptops.
Apple Intelligence
Apple’s been pushing its AI capabilities lately, and the new Mac Studio is no exception. The new Mac studio highly utilises Apple Intelligence.
Some of the features include:
- Writing Tools: Helps with rewriting, proofreading, and summarizing
- Priority Notifications: Minimizes distractions
- Live Transcription: For easy meeting recaps
- Improved Siri: Can now answer questions about Mac features and settings
There’s also mention of ChatGPT integration, which is interesting. Apple claims users will have full control over when to use it and what information is shared. But as always with AI, privacy concerns are bound to crop up.
Mark’s Apple Intelligence review
Pricing and Availability
Now for the part you’ve all been waiting for: how much is this going to cost you?
- Mac Studio with M4 Max: Starts at £1,999
- Mac Studio with M3 Ultra: Starts at £3,999
Pre-orders are available now, with the first shipments arriving on March 12th. And if you’re feeling particularly flush with cash, a fully specced-out M3 Ultra Mac Studio will set you back a mere £14,099.
📱 Read our full iPhone 16 Pro Max review
Is It Worth It?
So, after all that, is the new Mac Studio worth the hype (and the hefty price tag)? Well, that depends on who you are and what you need.
If you’re a professional who deals with heavy-duty tasks like 3D rendering, video editing, or running complex simulations, the Mac Studio could be a game-changer. The raw power on offer here is undeniable, and the ability to configure it with massive amounts of RAM and storage could be a real boon for certain workflows.
For the average user, however, this is probably overkill. If your most demanding task is having 50 Chrome tabs open while watching Netflix, you might want to look elsewhere.
The Mac Studio is aimed squarely at professionals and enthusiasts who need (or want) the absolute best performance available in a compact form factor.
So, what do you think? Let us know in the comments below!
