Apple’s revamped Mac Studio boasts insane performance thanks to its most powerful chip ever

It’s been a long while since I had my hands on a Mac Studio. My review of the M2 Max iteration said nice things about the sheer power on offer and less nice things about “eye-watering SSD costs”. Well, hold on to your hat, because the new M5 Max and M5 Ultra Mac Studio ramp up both considerably.

This is now Apple’s flagship desktop. The company quietly lobbed the Mac Pro into the trash, leaving its most powerful machine looking like an extruded Mac mini. But in that surprisingly compact – and quiet – case lurks a beast of a computer. As ever, Apple throws a lot of stats your way, but what they amount to is simple: faster everything.

Given the tech world we now live in, it’s unsurprising that Apple pitches its new Mac Studio as ideal for on-device AI, noting that you can “cluster multiple units for distributed AI inference”. All while simultaneously sobbing into your wallet. But these machines aren’t just for ushering in Skynet. They’re also aimed at engineers and creative types with seriously demanding workflows.

If you fancy being the next Pixar, a Mac Studio might be the machine for you. Apple reckons the Ultra lets you colour-grade uncompressed 8K footage in real time, making veteran filmmakers who once struggled with lengthy renders green with envy. (Maybe you can use a Mac Studio to ‘grade’ them to a healthier shade?)

Gimme (M) 5!

Mac Studio M5 rear — Alas, the Mac Studio doesn’t actually levitated. Although the maxed-out version probably should.

Beyond a swanky new M5 Max or M5 Ultra, there are other upgrades, even if the machine’s exterior looks identical to its predecessor. There’s Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, while Thunderbolt 5 speeds up connectivity. Depending on which flavour of Mac Studio chip you go for, you can run up to eight displays. Even the software’s improved, with macOS 27 Golden Gate including a revamped Siri and a version of Liquid Glass that’s considerably less hideous.

You can pre-order now and new Mac Studios will start arriving from 22 September. Alas, with AI eating the tech world, Apple has hiked prices and the Mac Studio’s no exception.

The Mac Studio with M5 Max starts at $2,499/£2,499 – $500/£400 more than its predecessor. The Mac Studio with M5 Ultra starts at $5,499/£5,499. And that BTO thing? Max out your Ultra, with a 36-core CPU/80-core GPU, 256GB RAM and 16TB storage, and you’ll need to shell out $18,299/£18,299. If that’s not extravagant enough for you, hang on until October, because Apple says a 512GB memory option is coming.

Natch, even at the entry level this is a serious Mac for serious work. For most people, it’s spectacular overkill. But that doesn’t mean you won’t love owning one – assuming you can afford it.