Apple has launched refreshed versions of the Mac Studio during WWDC 2023. There's the new Mac Studio with the M2 Max Apple Silicon, and also one with the new M2 Ultra, which Apple says helps make it the most powerful personal computer ever.
There are a few tidbits to note here with the new M2 Max-powered Mac Studio. It's 20% faster performance than the Mac Studio with the M1 Max, and 50% faster when rending in Adobe After Effects. It is also four times faster than the most powerful Intel-based iMac and supports up to 96GB of unified memory.
The really powerful Mac Studio, though, is the one with the new M2 Ultra chip. This chip is one of Apple's fastest ever in its Mac lineup. The M2 Ultra is two M2 Max chips connected with ultra fusion. It sports a crazy 24-core CPU, 76-core GPU, and a 32-core neural engine capable of 31.6 trillion operations per second. GPU performance is 30% faster than the M2 Max and CPU performance is up to 20% faster. The chip has support for up to 192GB of unified memory.
Apple is using second-generation 5nm technology with this chip, and there are over 134 billion transistors on board. If you're wondering, all that power makes the M2 Ultra over six times faster than an Intel-based 27-inch iMac. It even can drive up to 6 Pro XDR displays and can run 22 streams of 8K Pro resolution video, with performance in DaVinci Resolve being 50% faster. And yes, on connectivity, the new Mac Studio supports higher-bandwidth HDMI., Wi-Fi 6E, and Bluetooth 5.3
Apple also refreshed the classic "cheese-grater" Mac Pro today with the M2 Ultra. The Mac Pro has Apple’s most powerful 24-core CPU, an up to 76-core GPU, and starts with twice the memory and SSD storage as an older Intel-based Mac Pro. You'll also find that it supports PCIe Expansion, with up to seven slots, and six open slots supporting Gen 4.
You can pre-order the new Mac Studio and Mac Pro today from the Apple Store, and you can expect to ship on June 13. Mac Studio starts at $1,999 and $1,799 for education users. The Mac Pro starts at $7,000, and $6,600 for education.
Apple Mac Studio (2023)
The 2023 Mac Studio with either M2 Max or M2 Ultra is Apple's second most powerful computer behind only the Mac Pro. Its smaller size and lower price makes it arguably a better option than the latter.