Apple just revealed during WWDC 2023 that a new version of the Mac Studio is coming soon, and it looks like it’ll be one of Apple’s most powerful products to date — all thanks to the freshly announced M2 Ultra chip, which is also powering a new Mac Pro.
The M2 Ultra, available in one of the versions of the Mac Studio, doubles the already intense capabilities of the M2 Max. Here’s what you need to know.
Many were expecting the Mac Pro, but Apple, true to previous leaks, also unveiled the new Mac Studio. The mini-computer, aimed at professionals, is coming out in at least two variants.
The cheapest model sports the M2 Max, which we already know from Apple’s 2023 MacBook Pro. This chip features a 12-core CPU and a 30-Core GPU, and it maxes out at 96GB of memory. Much like the previous generation, the M2 Ultra doubles what the M2 Max was able to offer, and that brings us some pretty insane specs.
Apple has now confirmed that the M2 Ultra will come with a 24-core CPU, an up to 76-core GPU, and 192GB of unified memory, which gives us a whopping 800GB/s of memory bandwidth. The chip was made based on a 5nm process node and essentially combines two M2 Max chips through Apple’s UltraFusion architecture.
For professionals such as graphic designers and video editors, the new Mac Studio is likely to deliver a huge upgrade. Apple predicts that the M2 Ultra has an up to 20% faster CPU and an up to 30% faster GPU than the M1 Ultra.
Throughout the presentation, Apple also highlighted that the new Mac Studio will have a considerable lead over the latest 27-inch Intel-based iMac — the new Studio is said to be up to six times faster. In addition, Apple states that the M2 Ultra has far more memory than even the most advanced workstation graphics cards, meaning it can tackle tasks that discrete GPUs couldn’t even dream of.
The M2 Max Mac Studio is also nothing to turn your nose up at. Apple says that it will be able to render up to 50% faster than the M1 Max version of the mini PC, and it will also offer up to 25% improved performance for developers who work in Xcode. M2 Ultra only enhances that, improving 3D rendering in Octane by up to three times, and video processing in DaVinci Resolve by up to 50%.
On top of the performance boosts, Apple also serves up improved connectivity and enables up to 8K resolution with 240Hz on the Mac Studio. If you get the M2 Ultra model, your PC will also support up to six Pro Display XDR monitors. The PC also sports a 10Gb Ethernet port, two USB-A ports as well as two USB-C, and four Thunderbolt 4 ports. There’s also an SD card slot.
The Mac Studio is already available for pre-order and will be available at various retailers starting on Tuesday, June 13. The cheapest model starts at $1,999, but of course, boosting its specs also increased the price accordingly.
