The new Mac Studio is the most exciting desktop computer to come from Apple for quite some time and this tiny powerhouse has several different configurations possible. Here's a look at what's available from Apple starting with the entry-level options and finishing up with the top-of-the-line hardware, and what each upgrade costs.
Apple makes some bold claims with its new Mac Studio, stating that its chip is the most powerful ever in a personal computer. Even the combined might of the best PC hardware from Intel and Nvidia is apparently no match for the Mac Studio's amazing performance. That's only true for the very best configurations, however, and that comes at a significant cost. The price isn't too daunting for those that need that much speed and it is certain to be a popular computer since the entry-level price is under $2,000.
Apple offers several different possible configurations for the Mac Studio with varying prices and delivery estimates. The M1 Max has a choice of 24 or 32 GPU cores, while the M1 Ultra offers a 32 and 48-core GPU option. Memory ranges from 32 to 128 gigabytes, depending on the processor that's chosen. 512 gigabytes to 8 terabytes of storage can be configured as well, so there are hardware combinations and pricing that will match almost any budget. Apple currently shows that the M1 Max version ships in 2-3 weeks, matching the March 18, 2022 date given at the 'Peek Performance' event, while the M1 Ultra models currently show a 6-7 week shipping estimate. Of course, these time will change and do vary depending on the exact configuration chosen.
Mac Studio Pricing
The base model comes with an M1 Max chip with a 24-core GPU, 32 gigabytes of memory, and 512 gigabytes of storage for $1,999. For an extra $200, a more powerful 32-core GPU is available with this chip. Doubling the RAM costs $400 and each additional 512 gigabytes of storage adds $200 to the cost, with a maximum of 8 terabytes for $2,400. Stepping up to double the performance, the M1 Ultra Chip starts at $3,999 with a 48-core GPU, 64 gigabytes of memory, and 512 gigabytes of storage. It costs $800 to upgrade the internal RAM to 128 gigabytes, while storage prices and options are the same as the M1 Max.
For the ultimate speed, an M1 Ultra chip with a 64-core GPU starts at $4,999, $1,000 more than the entry-level M1 Ultra system. Fully maxing out the hardware with the best M1 Ultra chip, 128 gigabytes of memory, and 8 terabytes of storage results in a dream machine priced at an eye-watering $7,999. Even at these high prices, the Mac Studio is more than competitive with similarly configured high-end gaming PCs. The same is true at lower configurations as well, with Apple's Mac Studio offering high-performance at a relatively low cost across the board.
Source: Apple