GoKawiilApple unveils M5 Ultra chip, its fastest yet, in new Mac Studio and Mac Mini lineup
Apple has introduced a new Mac Mini and Mac Studio lineup featuring the M6, M5 Max, and M5 Ultra chips, with the M5 Ultra standing as the company's most powerful processor to date. The chip offers an 80-core GPU, up to a 36-core CPU, up to 512GB of unified memory, and quadruple the LLM prompt performance of the previous M3 Ultra, built using a quad-die design that fuses two M5 Max chips. Prices have risen across the board, with the Mac Mini M6 now starting at $899 and the top Mac Studio configuration with M5 Ultra starting at $5,499.
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The M5 Ultra's massive memory capacity and AI performance gains signal Apple's push to make its desktops viable for running large language models locally, rather than relying on cloud AI services. Combined with major connectivity upgrades like Wi-Fi 7 and multiple Thunderbolt 5 ports supporting several high-resolution displays, this positions the Mac Studio as a serious workstation for AI developers and creative professionals. However, the notable price increases suggest Apple is deliberately targeting professional AI power users rather than mainstream consumers.
- The M5 Ultra delivers four times the LLM prompt performance of the M3 Ultra and supports up to 512GB of unified memory.
- Apple raised prices across its Mac Mini and Mac Studio lineup, with the Mac Mini M6 now starting at $899.
- New connectivity features include Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and up to six Thunderbolt 5 ports capable of driving multiple 5K displays.
Apple Mac Studio Desktop — If the M5 Ultra headlines have you dreaming of running big language models locally, the Mac Studio is the desktop built for exactly that kind of workload. It packs Apple's top-tier silicon and heaps of unified memory into a compact box that slides under a monitor, with plenty of Thunderbolt ports for multi-display setups.
See Apple Mac Studio Desktop on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: zdnet.com — Kyle Kucharski, 2026-08-25
Published there as: “Apple's M5 Ultra is its most powerful chip ever - with 4x faster AI performance than M3 Ultra”
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