Mac Studio Main Features and Price | M2 Max vs. M2 Ultra [Update 2024]

Brithny updated on Jan 11, 2024 | Home > Knowledge Center

In March, Apple rolled out the Mac Studio with Apple M1 chips (M1 Ultra and M1 Max) last year. It is marketed as a fresh pro-tier Mac and is best compared to a Mac mini on steroids.

Nevertheless, when the Mac Mini with an Apple M2 chip was launched in January, the Mac Studio with its M1-series chips lost its luster. However, the wait for M2 Ultra and M2 Max Mac Studio is over as this brand-new Mac Studio can be bought now, which started shipping on June 13.

Wondering what Mac Studio is? It allows you to develop the most-wanted studio with various 12 high-performance ports. You can transfer videos and photos with an SDXC card reader, and it can be attached to TVs with an extended HDMI output that backs 8K resolution.

M2 Max introduces the power to handle difficulties of different sizes, from recording your beats to editing your first video. On the other hand, M2 Ultra Mac Studio allows you to power through workflows on an unrivaled scale.

So, what are the features and prices of Mac Studio? Let's explore everything!

Main Features of Mac Studio

Apple's upgraded Mac Studio with M2 Max and M2 Ultra processors has gone on sale and started shipping to consumers in June. The top features of Mac Studio are the following:

✨Design of Mac Studio

The brand-new Mac Studio exhibits a similar design to the 2022 model. But now it showcases Apple's newest M2 Ultra and Max chips, rapid Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity, and immense assistance for high-impedance headphones.

At the inauguration of Mac Studio, it had an identical design to the Mac mini, and it's the case with the second generation. The 2023 Mac Studio has an Apple logo on the top and is silver. Mac Studio's base is similar to the Mac mini, such as 7.7 inches square. But the Mac Studio is 9.5 inches taller than 1.41 inches.

Mac Studio design

Similar to the previous generation, there are modifications between the Max and Ultra variants. The Max version has 4 Thunderbolt ports, whereas the Ultra has 6 Thunderbolt ports.

Moreover, Max possesses an extra 2 USB-C ports, and both Ultra and Max have two USB-A ports for outdated peripherals. Lastly, the Mac Studio is endowed with an M2 Max chip that weighs 5.9 pounds, whereas the M2 Ultra chip weighs 7.9 pounds.

🗃️M2 Chips in Mac Studio

The Mac Studio is the best pro-oriented desktop Mac, a hybrid between Mac Pro and mini. It has either an M2 Max or M2 Ultra chip, a novel thermal design, and several ports mentioned above.

Everyone knows what to anticipate from the M2 Max as it has been employed in the MacBook Pro, both in 14-inch and 16-inch. In the case of the M2 Ultra, we had speculated on some information about the chip based on hearsay and our knowledge of the M1 Ultra, which is two M1 Max processors combined.

This is how the chips fell apart, as we correctly anticipated:

  • M2 Ultra: It has a CPU of up to 24 cores and a GPU of 76 cores. Moreover, you will get up to 192 GB combined memory and 800 GB/s memory bandwidth.
  • M2 Max: It has a 12-core CPU and up to a 38-core GPU. You will get up to 400 GB/s memory bandwidth with M2 Max.

M2 Mac and M2 Ultra

Compared with M2 Pro and Max, the M2 Ultra has a significant difference; you can read this article to learn more about M2 chips.

M2 Mac vs M2 Pro

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🖥️Mac Studio Display

Thanks to the effectiveness of Apple Silicon Mac, Mac Studio allows M2 Ultra and Max, and your imagination functions entirely unimpeded within a tiny footprint. Unlike others, it is an optimized desktop, which is carefully designed to fit amazingly under every display, providing enormous power & connectivity at arm's reach.

The Mac Studio with premium M2 Ultra supports a maximum of 6 6K Pro Display XDRs and one 4K display over HDMI. So, up to 8 4K displays, 6 6K displays, or 3 8K displays can be paired with the Mac Studio, 8K display support is the leading addition to this machine in 2023.

Apple included the initial version of the Mac Studio with the Studio Display, a 27-inch 5K retina display designed to be employed with it. This device showcases a built-in A13 chip, which drives a 12-MP Ultrawide camera with a 6-speaker sound system and Center Stage with Spatial Audio.

Additionally, it features a three-microphone setup of studio caliber and a tilt- and height-adjustable stand solution. Lastly, Studio Display can be connected to up to 5 displays with M2 Max and 8 displays with M2 Ultra.

💵Mac Studio Price

There are two leading Mac Studio models. The price remained similar in the USA but raised by £100-£200 in the UK. The M2 Max Mac Studio prices are the following:

  • Mac Studio with 24-core CPU, 32-core Neural Engine, and 60-core GPU M2 Max model with 1TB SSD and 64 GB RAM costs $3,999/£4,199.
  • Mac Studio with 12-core CPU, 16-core Neural Engine, and 30-core GPU M2 Max model with 512 GB SSD and 32 GB RAM costs $1,999/£2,099.

The M2 Ultra Mac Studio prices are the following:

  • Apple M2 Ultra with 76-core GPU, 24-core CPU, and 32-core Neural Engine costs an extra $1000.
  • If 8 TB SSD, it costs an extra $2200.
  • Up to 192 GB combined memory, it costs an additional $1600.

Share this article on social media to help others learn more about Mac Studio 2023.

 

M2 Max vs. M2 Ultra Mac Studio, Which One to Choose

Thinking of which one to choose among M2 Max and M2 Ultra Studio? We will provide a video explaining the significant differences between these two devices. Go through the main outlines of the video before selecting one:

  • 00:31 - Specs and connectivity
  • 01:05 - SSD performance
  • 01:32 - Geekbench 6 CPU
  • 02:12 - Web browsing speed

The pros and cons of M2 Ultra Mac Studio and M2 Max Mac Studio are the following:

  M2 Ultra Mac Studio M2 Max Mac Studio
Pros
  • Cool and remain quiet under pressure.
  • Top-notch port selection.
  • Port flexibility.
  • Maximized HDMI with extended display support.
  • Captivating processing power.
  • GPU Fan noise is minimum.
Cons
  • You can't upgrade the machine after buying.
  • You can't upgrade memory and SSD.

If you like working off multiple screens, the M2 Max supports a maximum of 5 external displays, 4 6K displays, and 1 4K display at 60Hz. At the same time, M2 Ultra supports a maximum of 8 4K displays and 6 6K displays, all at 60Hz.

Mac M2 Max and Ultra

Bonus Tips:

Losing data on Mac Studio is a headache that seriously affects your productivity. System crashes, sudden shutdowns, and accidental deletion can lead to serious data loss on your Mac Studio. Don't worry, we found six ways to recover data:

recover data from M2 chips

How to Recover Data from M2 Chip Mac [2023]

This page discusses six effective solutions for restoring data from an M2 chip Mac device and efficiently protecting your Mac data. Read more >>

Conclusion

You must think about why you require a Mac Studio. The M2 Ultra looks like a superior option if you are aware of how CPUs work and want to perform largely CPU-intensive jobs, such as video editing or sophisticated coding.

However, the M2 Max, with its 30 or 38 GPU processors, is preferable for your needs if you want to carry out GPU-demanding activities like 3D graphic processing or modeling.

Mac Studio FAQs

Let's consider the FAQs below to understand the topic better:

1. What is a Mac Studio used for?

With a selection of 12 high-performance connections, Mac Studio enables you to design the creative space of your dreams. Using an SDXC card reader, you may transfer pictures and videos. Use an improved HDMI connection to link to screens or TVs that can handle 8K resolution. Link with Bluetooth 5.3-compatible peripherals of the future.

2. How much does it cost to get a Mac Studio 2023?

M2 Ultra Mac Studio costs $4,999, and M2 Max Mac Studio costs $3,999.

3. Is the Mac Studio the most powerful computer?

On the occasion of WWDC 2023, Apple released revised editions of the Mac Studio. There are two versions of the revolutionary Mac Studio, one with the recently released M2 Ultra and one with the M2 Max Apple Silicon, both of which, according to Apple, contribute to making it the most potent personal computer ever.

4. What is the difference between Mac Studio and iMac?

The significant difference between Mac Studio and iMac is performance. Both have different processors, with a massive jump in power between them. iMac possesses Apple's M1 chip, which supports up to 16 GB of RAM. On the other hand, Mac Studio maintains an M1 Ultra or Max chip with a maximum of 128 GB of RAM.

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Updated by Brithny

Brithny is a technology enthusiast, aiming to make readers' tech lives easy and enjoyable. She loves exploring new technologies and writing technical how-to tips. In her spare time, she loves sharing things about her game experience on Facebook or Twitter.

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