Apple Launches New Mac Studio with M3 Ultra and M4 Max Chips
Apple has released an updated version of the Mac Studio, bringing new processing power with two different chips. The new model comes with either the M4 Max or the M3 Ultra chip, but surprisingly, Apple did not introduce an M4 Ultra chip. This makes the lineup a bit confusing.
The M4 Max chip has up to 16 CPU cores and 40 GPU cores, making it much faster for single-core tasks. It is about 30 percent faster than before. On the other hand, the M3 Ultra chip is better for heavy multitasking and graphics work. It has 32 CPU cores and 80 GPU cores, making it the best choice for demanding tasks.
One big feature of the M3 Ultra is its memory. It can support up to 512 GB of unified memory, with a memory speed of 819 GB per second. This is a huge amount of memory, but it is mainly useful for professionals who work with advanced tasks like 3D rendering and video editing. The Mac Studio with M3 Ultra can also have up to 16 TB of storage, but Apple’s storage prices are very high.
Ports and Connectivity
The Mac Studio offers a wide range of ports. On the back, it includes:
- Two USB-A ports
- Four Thunderbolt 5 ports
- One HDMI 2.1 port
- One 10G Ethernet port
- One audio jack
On the front, the M3 Ultra version has two Thunderbolt 5 ports, while the M4 Max version has two USB-C ports. Both models also have an SD card slot.
For wireless connectivity, the Mac Studio includes Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3. However, it does not support Wi-Fi 7, which may disappoint some users.
Pricing
The new Mac Studio starts at $1,999 for the M4 Max version with 36 GB of memory. The M3 Ultra version starts at $3,999 with 96 GB of memory. If someone wants the top model with the full M3 Ultra chip, 512 GB of memory, and 16 TB of storage, they will need to pay $14,099. A more balanced option might be the M3 Ultra model with 256 GB of memory and a 2 TB SSD, priced at $7,499.
Apple has not provided detailed performance numbers, so users will have to wait for independent reviews to see how well these new Mac Studio models perform in real-world use.
