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            Apple Updates Mac Studio with M4 Max and M3 Ultra Chips

   Adam Engst

   Alongside the launch of the consumer-focused M4 MacBook Air (see '[1]M4
   MacBook Air Cuts Price, Boosts Performance, Camera, and Display
   Support,' 5 March 2025), Apple also updated the[2]Mac Studio. Untouched
   since the 2023 models that relied on the M2 Max and M2 Ultra, the
   revamped Mac Studio now features the M4 Max and the new M3 Ultra chips,
   along with Thunderbolt 5 ports that increase the available bandwidth
   (see '[3]Thunderbolt 5: Only Necessary for the Most Demanding Uses,' 6
   November 2024). There are no other changes. The M4 Max configuration
   starts at $1999 and the M3 Ultra configuration at $3999; both are
   available for pre-order now with availability on 12 March 2025.

   The M4 Max debuted in the MacBook Pro last year (see '[4]New MacBook
   Pros Gain M4 Chips, 12MP Center Stage Camera, and Thunderbolt 5,' 30
   October 2024), but the M3 Ultra is new. Although Apple issued a[5]press
   release promoting the M3 Ultra, it doesn't explain the decision to
   combine two M3 Max dies'effectively doubling the specs of the M3
   Max'rather than developing an Ultra version based on the M4
   architecture. When[6]Ars Technica asked, Apple merely said that not
   every chip generation will get an Ultra chip. That may be because it's
   not worth the engineering effort to develop an Ultra chip for the
   relatively small audience that would buy it.

   The M3 Ultra significantly outperforms all previous chips. The Mac
   Studio with M3 Ultra is nearly 2x faster than the M4 Max configuration
   for workloads that take advantage of high CPU and GPU core counts. It's
   up to 2.6x faster than the Mac Studio with M1 Ultra and, although Apple
   doesn't explicitly say so, probably 1.5x'2x faster than the M2 Ultra
   version. That's significant for anyone with an older Mac Studio who
   needs more power.

   The Mac Studio with M3 Ultra starts with 96 GB of unified memory and 1
   TB of storage. You can configure it with up to 512 GB of memory and up
   to 16 TB of storage, both more than ever before. A maxed-out Mac Studio
   costs an eye-watering $14,099.

   It's somewhat surprising that Apple didn't update the [7]Mac Pro to
   incorporate the M3 Ultra as well, but perhaps that's an announcement
   for another day. The Mac Pro primarily distinguishes itself from the
   Mac Studio through its PCI Express expansion slots and additional I/O
   ports, which cater to specialized workflows needing significant
   hardware expansion capabilities. Given this niche market, Apple may not
   feel pressure to update it as frequently as other Mac models.

References

   1. https://tidbits.com/2025/03/05/m4-macbook-air-cuts-price-boosts-performance-camera-and-display-support/
   2. https://www.apple.com/mac-studio/
   3. https://tidbits.com/2024/11/06/thunderbolt-5-only-necessary-for-the-most-demanding-uses/
   4. https://tidbits.com/2024/10/30/new-macbook-pros-gain-m4-chips-12mp-center-stage-camera-and-thunderbolt-5/
   5. https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2025/03/apple-reveals-m3-ultra-taking-apple-silicon-to-a-new-extreme/
   6. https://arstechnica.com/apple/2025/03/apple-announces-m3-ultra-and-says-not-every-generation-will-see-an-ultra-chip/
   7. https://www.apple.com/mac-pro/

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