Apple introduced a new desktop computer during its spring event – the Mac Studio. Having the looks of a Mac Mini, but with slightly bigger dimensions, it’s a pure monster on the inside thanks to the M1 Max and the new and even more powerful M1 Ultra chipset it comes with. Apple is claiming it to be the most powerful desktop processor ever made, something that should justify the Peak Performance tagline Apple used for the event.
Apple said the M1 Ultra is powerful enough to support a max of 128 GB of memory. It features 20 cores of which 16 are high performance cores while another four are efficiency cores. Plus, there is a 64-core GPU as well as a 32-core neural engine. Apple said all of this makes the chip about eight times faster than the M1 chip that is there on the new Mac Mini. Imagine all of it packed inside a chassis that is just 3.7-inch tall and 7.7-inch wide.
The Mac Studio powered by the new M1 Max has 50 percent faster CPU performance compared to the Mac Pro that comes with the 16 core Xeon processor. Further, the M1 Ultra boasts of 2.5 times better CPU performance than the Core i9 powered 27-inch iMac device. The Mac Studio powered by the M1 Ultra takes things to a new level and is 3.8 times faster than the 27-inch iMac. The difference in performance is perhaps the widest with the 16-core Mac Pro with a 90 percent performance advantage for the M1 Ultra.
Coming to ports, the Mac Studio offers four Thunderbolt 4 ports along with a pair of USB-A ports. Then, there is the HDMI slot and an audio jack as well, as is a 10Gb Ethernet port. Plus, there is a pair of USB Type-C ports on the front that is rated at 10 Gbps on devices with the M1 Max chipset or 40 Gbps per Thunderbolt 4 rating on systems with the M1 Ultra processor. Apple said the Mac Studio is capable of supporting a max of four Pro Display XDRs as well as a 4K TV. These apart, there is a front accessible SD card slot as well.
Apple meanwhile also took the opportunity to launch the new 27-inch Studio Display. The external monitor offers 5K resolution and has a max brightness of 600 nits. The display comes with its own set of ports, which includes three USB-C ports and a Thunderbolt 4 port. The monitor also comes with a 12 MP ultra wide angle camera as well.
As for the price, the Mac Studio powered by the M1 Max starts at $1,999 while the models with M1 Ultra inside start at $3,999. All of the models are currently available on pre-order and will ship starting March 18.
With a keen interest in tech, I make it a point to keep myself updated on the latest developments in technology and gadgets. That includes smartphones or tablet devices but stretches to even AI and self-driven automobiles, the latter being my latest fad. Besides writing, I like watching videos, reading, listening to music, or experimenting with different recipes. The motion picture is another aspect that interests me a lot, and I'll likely make a film sometime in the future.
