GoKawiil
Tech News
Apple's Mac Studio lineup ranges from a $2,500 base model with the M5 Max chip up to configurations exceeding $5,899, with a separate M5 Ultra tier starting at $5,500 that supports up to 512GB of unified memory. The M5 Ultra combines two M5 Max chips and can be clustered four-wide over Thunderbolt 5 for even greater performance, aimed at running massive local AI models and handling uncompressed 8K video work.
Apple has begun shipping the redesigned Mac Studio, keeping its 2022-era chassis but adding M5 Max and M5 Ultra chip options in place of last year's M4 Max and M3 Ultra. The top configuration reviewed—36-core CPU, 80-core GPU, 256GB RAM, 4TB storage—runs $12,299, while entry M5 Max and M5 Ultra models start at $2,499 and $5,499 respectively.
In the latest 9to5Mac Overtime episode, hosts Jeff Benjamin and Fernando Silva compare the discounted $899 M4 Mac mini against the newer M6 model, and cover the M5 Pro Mac mini alongside Apple's new Mac Studio desktops running M5 Max and M5 Ultra chips. They close by previewing Apple's rumored 'Surprise and Shine' iPhone event.
Apple kept the M5 Max Mac Studio's starting price at $2,499, but choosing the 40-core GPU option—listed as a $300 upgrade—automatically bumps memory from 32GB to 48GB, adding another $300. That makes the real cost of the GPU upgrade $600, not the $300 shown next to it. John Gruber flagged the discrepancy while tallying configuration prices for the new lineup.
Apple has refreshed the Mac Studio desktop lineup with new M5 Max and M5 Ultra chip options, now available for pre-order alongside the updated Mac mini. The M5 Max configuration brings an 18-core CPU, up to 40 GPU cores with Neural Accelerators, and faster memory bandwidth, while the top-end M5 Ultra model scales up to a 36-core CPU and supports up to 512GB of unified memory.
Apple has updated the Mac Studio lineup, moving both models back onto the same chip generation after last year's mismatched M4 Max and M3 Ultra split. The M5 Max version starts at $2,499 with 36GB of memory and 512GB storage, while the new M5 Ultra model begins at $5,499 with 96GB of memory and 1TB storage. Both ship September 22nd with macOS 27 Golden Gate, though a 512GB memory M5 Ultra configuration won't arrive until late October with pricing still unannounced.