Apple unveils Mac Studio and Studio Display

Apple has unveiled the Mac Studio and the Studio Display at its ‘Peek Performance’ event. The Mac Studio is a smaller yet powerful new desktop, and the Studio Display is a 5K Retina screen from Apple. Apple says both the devices empower users to build the “studio of their dreams.”

The new Mac Studio is compact and looks familiar — it kinda looks like two Mac minis stacked upon each other in an aluminum enclosure. But under the hood, we have a beast with M1 Max or M1 Ultra, depending on your preference. The M1 Ultra, unveiled at the same event, is the most powerful M1 chip, featuring a 20-core CPU, 64-core GPU, and a 32-core Neural Engine.

The Mac Studio with M1 Max has up to 2.5 times faster CPU performance than the fastest 27-inch iMac with a 10-core processor. The same system with M1 Ultra is 3.8 times faster in CPU performance. Furthermore, Apple claims the Mac Studio with M1 Max is 50 percent faster than the Mac Pro with a 16-core Xeon processor in CPU performance. The same comparison for M1 Ultra soars up to a monstrous 90 percent.

The Mac desktop features up to 64GB of unified memory on systems with M1 Max and up to 128GB of unified memory on systems with M1 Ultra. Writing about the SSD in Mac Studio, it delivers up to 7.4GB/s of performance and a storage capacity of up to 8TB. The Studio is a powerful device for professionals working in film, music, design, and development, among other high-performance workflows.

The Mac Studio includes four Thunderbolt 4 ports, a 10Gb Ethernet port, two USB-A ports, an HDMI port, and a pro audio jack for high-impedance headphones or external amplified speakers on the back. On the front (yes the front!), we have an SD card slot and two USB-C ports (Thunderbolt 4 on the M1 Ultra). The device can connect up to four Pro Display XDRs and a 4K TV simultaneously.

Apple’s Studio Display is a 27-inch 5K Retina screen with 14.7 million pixels, P3 wide color, and can reach up to 600 nits of brightness. It comes with a Tilt-adjustable stand or VESA adapter.

There’s a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera with Center Stage on the top, which keeps users in the frame even when they move during video calls. On the audio part, it includes a studio-quality, three-microphone array, and a high-fidelity six-speaker sound system. There’s also support for Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos. Under the hood, there’s an A13 Bionic processor for handling the camera and audio capabilities.

The Mac Studio with M1 Max starts at $1,999 for 32GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. The Studio with M1 Ultra starts at $3,999 for 64GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. The Studio Display, which works with any Mac, costs $1,599 before you add Nano-texture glass ($300) or Tilt- and height-adjustable stand ($400). Pre-orders are open, with availability beginning Friday, March 18.