Calling the Mac Studio a monster is simply an understatement. It almost looks like two Mac Mini’s stacked together. Nevertheless, the most impressive aspect of this computer is what’s inside it, the new powerful M1 Ultra chip. If you thought the M1 Max was powerful, prepare to be blown away.
The M1 Ultra is basically two M1 Maxes fused to create one powerful SOC. Apple was able to do this through a process they call Ultrafusion, which doesn’t compromise efficiency or performance. In addition, the M1 Ultra is a step up from the M1 Max which was already extremely impressive; with 20 CPU cores, 64 GPU cores, 32 Neural Engine cores and up to 128Gb of unified memory.
Performance
The Mac studio can be configured with the older M1 Max chip or the Ultra depending on what the customers needs. Plenty of tech Youtubers and reviewers have tested it and the results speak for themselves. It’s an outright well-rounded device. However, Apple was criticized for using graphs that were not detailed enough to explain the efficiency of this device.
Speaking of efficiency, the M1 Studio is the only computer that offers this much power at this level of efficiency. It easily competes with a full-specced computer with an Intel i9-12900HK and Nvidia’s RTX 3090 for a fraction of the energy. That is absolutely mind-boggling when you consider energy costs and the size of this device.
According to Apple, the M1 Ultra uses 100W less power while offering 90% higher multi-threaded performance than the fastest available 16-core PC desktop chip. Apple also states that their GPU delivers faster performance while using 200W less power than the highest-end GPU available. Check out the graphs below to see Apple’s claims.
Design
The Mac Studio is a small computer, considering how powerful it is. It runs quietly and handles cooling efficiently, even at heavy loads. The overall design is aesthetically pleasing, enclosed in an aluminum chassis. This time around, Apple added more ports including 4 thunderbolt ports, an HDMI port, 10GB ethernet, 2 USB-A ports, and a fan favourite, the memory card port (SDXC).
Pricing
The Mac Studio starts at $1999 or ($2,499CAD in Canada) for the base model and can cost up to $7,999 to fully spec it out. It’s a pricey piece of hardware, but again, there’s nothing like it.
Studio Display
Apple released the Studio Display to compliment the Mac Studio. It’s a 27-inch 5K monitor with some of the best sounding speakers on any display. The display features an A13 Bionic Chip which also powered the iPhone 11. This allows the display to cohesively interact with the Mac Studio and delivers innovative features such as center stage, spatial audio and computational image processing for the 12MP Ultra-wide camera. The display starts at $1599 and can be configured with more features and add-ons.
Is this for you?
It depends on your workflow and what you need. If you work on demanding software that requires the horsepower, this might be the solution you’ve been waiting for!
Kenyon Ndezi is a recent graduate, writer, creator of kenyonndez.com; and the owner of Neonbuild.com, which is a company focused on building apps for small businesses and individuals. Follow along and get inspired!
