Apple’sMac Studiois an elegantly designed desktop PC that fits into sozzled place . It ’s also one of the quiet desktops you ’ll find , fix it an unobtrusive selection , while also furnish surprisingly fast performance .
But while the Mac Studio offer up seemly connectivity , it ’s also a sealed enclosure with zero expandability . What you order is what you ’ll have evermore , so choosing cautiously when configuring your Mac Studio is critical . This guide will help you make the right determination .
Specs and configurations
The Mac Studio is uncommitted in two canonical configurations , the M2 Max and M2 Ultra versions . I ’ll get to performance below , but for now , let ’s look at the pricing .
The M2 Max translation starts at $ 1,999 with an M2 Max 12/30 , 32 GB of RAM , and a 512 GB SSD . you could configure the M2 Max 12/38 variation with up to 96 GB of RAM and an 8 TB SSD , for $ 5,399 .
The M2 Ultra Mac Studio is more expensive , with a base price of $ 3,999 for an M2 Ultra 24/60 , 64 GB of RAM , and a 1 TB SSD . The most powerful Mac Studio has an M2 Ultra 24/76 , 192 GB of RAM , and an 8 TB SSD , costing a jaw - dropping $ 8,799 .
Consider these price as we discuss the dispute between the various configurations .
M2 Max vs. M2 Ultra
We have n’t tested all form of the Mac Studio , so we can only approximate performance . But that ’s enough to give you an musical theme of the comparative speed difference between the M2 Max and M2 Ultra .
In the table below , I use the MacBook Pro 14 M2 Max as a placeholder for the M2 Max Mac Studio . The desktop will probably be faster than the laptop , thanks to skilful thermal performance . I heel the M2 Ultra with 60 GPU cores , so adjust accordingly when think about the version with 76 GPU cores .
As you may see , the two chipsets will execute similarly in single - core CPU job , while the M2 Ultra will dramatically improve on the M2 Max in multi - core applications . likewise , the M2 Ultra has as many as twice the GPU cores , meaning it will be significantly quicker in diligence that utilize the GPU . This include gambling and software like those in Adobe ’s Creative Suite .
Productivity substance abuser wo n’t notice as much difference , therefore , as those who do demanding creativity tasks .
How much RAM and storage?
As mention above , you wo n’t be able to elevate RAM or storage . So , you ’ll desire to configure your Mac Studio with as much RAM as you conceive you ’ll need . Apple Silicon machine utilise unified Aries , intend some is used for the CPU and some for the GPU . The good thing is that the minimum RAM you could buy with a Mac Studio is 32 GB , which is enough for most ( but not all ) productivity substance abuser .
But if you ’re a professional creator who need to eke out as much performance as potential , you ’ll need as much Aries as possible . That ’s why the M2 Ultra variant , which is the chipset you ’ll likely want to pick out , can be configured with up to a whopping 192 GB of RAM . The M2 Max adaptation can “ only ” handle 96 GB if you prefer the fastest M2 Max ( 64 GB if you opt the base edition ) .
Storage is another consideration . All versions of the Mac Studio can be configure with between 1 TB and 8 TB of SSD storage , while the M2 Max reading also offers a 512 GB option . Storage is n’t as critical , though , because you could always add external memory board . Nevertheless , you ’ll desire to consider how much gamy - speed entrepot you ’ll require because internal SSDs will always be loyal than those attached via ports .
What about connectivity?
There are two more period of thoughtfulness : display support and how many Thunderbolt 4 ports you need . As you might opine , the M2 Ultra model has better connectivity .
To begin with , the M2 Max version has four USB - carbon ports with Thunderbolt 4 financial support on the back , with another two USB - C ports on the front . With the M2 Ultra , all six USB - C port plunk for Thunderbolt 4 .
More significantly , though , the M2 Ultra model supports more video display . It ’s complicated , but to put it simply , the M2 Ultra version supports up to eight show in various combinations . The M2 Max models tolerate up to five display . concern to Apple ’s verbal description above for the details .
In both case , most users will bump the M2 Max model provides more than enough connectivity and video display support . But if you ’re in the nonage and need more of either or both , then the M2 Ultra model is for you .
And if you can wait a while…
If you ’re not in a hurry to buy a Mac Studio , you might reckon expect . The lately innovate M3 Max give the M2 Ultra a runnel for its money , and the M3 Ultra is potential to be even faster yet .
Nobody knows yet when the Mac Studio will be upgraded with the newer chipsets , but it ’s appear like it may not be until the ulterior part of 2024 . If you have a compelling reason to bribe a Mac Studio today , by all means do so . But if you’re able to wait , you ’re likely to enjoy an even faster machine .
