Highlights
- Apple introduces the latest Mac Studio with M4 Max and M3 Ultra chips.
- It boasts improved speed, Thunderbolt 5 connectivity and advanced features ideal for professionals needing top-tier computing power.
- The M4 Max is 3.5x faster than the M1 Max and the M3 Ultra offers exceptional performance boosts for AI, 3D rendering and video production.
- The Mac Studio starts at ₹2,14,900 (₹1,94,900 for education) in India with pre-orders available now and deliveries starting March 12.
Apple has introduced the latest Mac Studio, now powered by the M4 Max and M3 Ultra chips. This high-performance desktop packs improved speed, Thunderbolt 5 connectivity and advanced features in a compact design, making it ideal for professionals who need top-tier computing power.
Apple claims that the Mac Studio can handle large language models with over 600 billion parameters, thanks to the M3 Ultra’s powerful GPU and up to 512GB of unified memory. It also supports Apple Intelligence, a set of productivity-focused AI tools designed with privacy in mind.
The new Mac Studio is available for pre-order now, with deliveries starting March 12.
“The new Mac Studio is the most powerful Mac we’ve ever made,” said John Ternus, Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Engineering.
“A complete game-changer for pros around the world — powering both home and pro studios — Mac Studio sits in a class of its own, offering a staggering amount of performance in a compact, quiet design that fits beautifully on your desk. With this new Mac Studio, we’re delivering even more extreme performance with M4 Max and M3 Ultra, support for half a terabyte of unified memory, up to 16TB of superfast storage, and Thunderbolt 5 connectivity. Mac Studio truly is the ultimate pro desktop,” John Ternus added.
Caption – The M4 Max and M3 Ultra chips introduced. (Image credit – Apple)
Apple Mac Studio – Price and Availability
- India Pricing: Starts at ₹2,14,900 (₹1,94,900 for education)
- Pre-orders: Available now on Apple’s store
- Release Date: Available in stores and through resellers from March 12
Mac Studio with M4 Max
The M4 Max-powered Mac Studio is built for professionals like video editors, developers and designers. Apple mentions, “Mac Studio with M4 Max starts at 36GB of unified memory, with support for up to 128GB, so users can do everything from sorting through thousands of images with speed and precision, to producing complex compositions with hundreds of tracks, plug-ins, and virtual instruments, all played in real time. And with the powerful Media Engine in M4 Max, which features two ProRes accelerators, Mac Studio performance is outstanding for videographers who can effortlessly work with multiple streams of 4K ProRes.”
Key features include:
- 16-core CPU
- 40-core GPU
- Faster Neural Engine
- Starts with 36GB RAM, expandable up to 128GB
- Dedicated Media Engine for video processing
Apple claims the M4 Max is 3.5x faster than Mac Studio with M1 Max and 6.1x faster than the Intel-based 27-inch iMac.
Caption – Mac Studio with M4 Max. (Image credit – Apple)
Performance Boosts with M4 Max
Apple claims the M4 Max delivers significant speed improvements over previous models. In Adobe Photoshop, image processing is up to 1.6x faster compared to Mac Studio with M1 Max and 2.9x faster than the Intel-based 27-inch iMac.
Developers using Xcode will see up to 2.1x faster build times compared to M1 Max and 3.1x faster than the Intel iMac. Video professionals benefit as well, with ProRes transcoding in Compressor running 1.2x faster than M1 Max and 2.8x faster than the Intel iMac.
In Topaz Video AI, video processing is 1.6x faster than M1 Max and a massive 5x faster than the Intel iMac, making the M4 Max a powerhouse for creative professionals.
Mac Studio with M3 Ultra – For Demanding Workloads
Apple reveals, “Mac Studio with M3 Ultra starts with 96GB of unified memory, which can be configured up to 512GB — the most unified memory ever in a personal computer — and up to 16TB of ultrafast SSD storage, so content and data can be kept locally.”
The M3 Ultra version takes things to another level with:
- 32-core CPU
- 80-core GPU (the most ever in an Apple chip)
- 32-core Neural Engine
- Up to 512GB RAM and 16TB SSD storage
- Over 800GB/s unified memory bandwidth
Caption – Mac Studio with M3 Ultra. (Image credit – Apple)
Performance Boosts with M3 Ultra
The M3 Ultra takes performance to another level particularly for AI, 3D rendering and video production. Running large language models with hundreds of billions of parameters in LM Studio, it delivers 16.9x faster token generation compared to M1 Ultra.
In Maxon Redshift, scene rendering is 2.6x faster than M1 Ultra and 6.4x faster than the Intel-based Mac Pro with Radeon Pro W5700X. Scientific applications also see major gains, DNA sequencing in Oxford Nanopore MinKNOW is 1.1x faster than M1 Ultra and a staggering 21.1x faster than the Intel Mac Pro.
For video professionals, 8K video rendering in Final Cut Pro is 1.4x faster than M1 Ultra and 4x faster than the Intel Mac Pro, making the M3 Ultra the ultimate choice for high-end creative workflows.
Apple Mac Studio – More Connectivity and Apple Intelligence Features
The new Mac Studio includes Thunderbolt 5 ports supporting speeds up to 120 Gb/s for faster data transfers and external expansions. Other ports include:
- 10Gb Ethernet
- HDMI
- SDXC card slot
- Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
It also integrates Apple Intelligence tools such as Writing Tools, Priority Notifications, Live Transcription in Notes and Siri improvements, making it a powerful AI-powered workstation.
FAQs
Q1. What chips power the latest Mac Studio?
Answer. The latest Mac Studio is powered by the M4 Max and M3 Ultra chips.
Q2. What are the key features of the Mac Studio with M4 Max?
Answer. The M4 Max-powered Mac Studio includes a 16-core CPU, 40-core GPU, faster Neural Engine, starting with 36GB RAM (expandable up to 128GB) and a dedicated Media Engine for video processing.
Q3. How does the M3 Ultra version of Mac Studio differ from the M4 Max version?
Answer. The M3 Ultra version features a 32-core CPU, 80-core GPU, 32-core Neural Engine, up to 512GB RAM and 16TB SSD storage and over 800GB/s unified memory bandwidth.
Q4. What is the starting price of the new Mac Studio in India?
Answer. The Mac Studio starts at ₹2,14,900 (₹1,94,900 for education) in India. It is available for pre-order now, with deliveries starting on March 12.
Q5. What connectivity and ports are included in the new Mac Studio?
Answer. The Mac Studio includes Thunderbolt 5 ports, 10Gb Ethernet, HDMI, an SDXC card slot, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth.
Also Read: Apple’s M4 MacBook Air May Launch by March 2025 – Here’s What to Expect