In addition to a new M4-powered MacBook Air, Apple on Wednesday launched a new Mac Studio, its desktop computer for professionals who need top-of-the-line performance. The company is trying something new with the Mac Studio as it lets you choose between the M4 Max or the M3 Ultra.
The Mac Studio starts at $1,999. Preorders open today, and it will be available in the Apple Store starting Wednesday, March 12.
Interestingly, despite the version number, the M3 Ultra is the most recent addition to the M-series lineup of chips. In Apple’s lingo, the “Ultra” version is more powerful than the “Max” version (which itself is more powerful than the “Pro” version).
As the name suggests, the M3 Ultra is based on the M3 architecture. Apple has linked two M3 Max dies to create a single M3 Ultra using its UltraFusion architecture. Compared to the M2 Ultra, the company says that customers can expect up to 2x better performance with the M3 Ultra. Apple says it is “the highest-performing chip it has ever created.”
In technical terms, the chip features a 32-core CPU with 24 performance cores and eight efficiency cores. It also has the largest GPU in any Apple chip, with up to 80 graphics cores. Overall, there are 184 billion transistors in the M3 Ultra.
As a reminder, the M4 Max packs a 14-core CPU with 10 performance cores and four efficiency cores, as well as a 32-core GPU. Despite being designed on a more recent architecture, the M3 Ultra should perform much better than the M4 Max.
For $1,999, you get an M4 Max with 36GB of unified memory and 512GB of storage. The M3 Ultra version starts at $3,999 and comes with 96GB of unified memory and 1TB of storage.
Those are just the base configurations. Whether you choose the M4 Max or the M3 Ultra, you can add more memory and storage before buying your computer.
If you find yourself hitting the limits of the configuration tool on Apple’s website when looking at a Mac Mini, the Mac Studio offers plenty of options. Customers can get as much as 512GB of RAM and 16TB of storage.
Compared to the previous Mac Studio, the design seems unchanged, with most of the ports located at the back of the computer. You’ll find four Thunderbolt 5 ports and two traditional USB-A ports for your legacy accessories. There’s also an HDMI port and a 10GB Ethernet port. Plus, you can plug an audio device thanks to the trustworthy 3.5mm headphone jack. Unlike on the Mac Mini, the power button remains easily available on the back of the device.
On the front of the computer, you’ll find an SD slot and two additional USB-C ports. If you opt for an M4 Max, those are just USB-C ports (without Thunderbolt capabilities). If you get an M3 Ultra, those ports are full-fledged Thunderbolt 5 ports.
It means that you can plug up to eight 6K displays or four 8K displays with a Mac Studio equipped with the M3 Ultra. So if you want to build a wall of screens, they can now all be powered by a single Mac.
