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If you’re buying a new Apple desktop, choose a Mac Studio: Apple’s current models are M5 Max and M5 Ultra, while Mac Pro is no longer offered by Apple. Start with M5 Max for most professional creative and engineering work; choose M5 Ultra when your software can use its substantially higher GPU and unified-memory capacity. A used Mac Pro makes sense only if you specifically need its expansion workflow and have checked the machine, software compatibility, and total cost.
What’s available now?
Apple announced the M5 Max and M5 Ultra Mac Studio on August 25, 2026, and said the desktops would be available starting September 22. Apple’s September 22 update confirms availability. The U.S. launch starting prices were $2,499 for M5 Max and $5,499 for M5 Ultra; prices and configurations vary by market, so check your local Apple Store for current pricing. Apple’s announcement and availability update provide the launch details.
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Apple’s Mac Pro product URL now redirects to its general Mac page. Tom’s Guide reported on March 27, 2026, that Apple confirmed it would no longer offer Mac Pro and had no plans for new models. The 2023 Mac Pro with M2 Ultra may still appear in resale listings, but it is not a current Apple purchase option. A redirect alone should not be taken as proof of Apple’s product plans. Tom’s Guide’s report covers the confirmation.
How the current Mac Studio configurations compare
These are Apple’s published specifications. Maximums apply to selected configurations, not every system.
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| Specification | Mac Studio M5 Max | Mac Studio M5 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | 18 cores | 30 cores, configurable to 36 cores |
| GPU | 32 cores, configurable to 40 cores | 64 cores, configurable to 80 cores |
| Neural Engine | 16 cores | 32 cores |
| Memory bandwidth | 460GB/s; 614GB/s with the 40-core GPU configuration | 1.2TB/s |
| Unified memory | 36GB to 128GB; 128GB is available with the 40-core GPU configuration | Starts at 96GB; 256GB and 512GB are available with the 36-core CPU / 80-core GPU configuration |
| Internal SSD | 512GB to 8TB | 1TB to 16TB |
| External displays | Up to five | Up to eight |
| Front ports | Two USB-C ports, up to 10Gb/s | Two Thunderbolt 5 ports |
| Rear ports | Thunderbolt 5, HDMI 2.1, USB-A, 10Gb Ethernet, headphone jack | Thunderbolt 5, HDMI 2.1, USB-A, 10Gb Ethernet, headphone jack |
| U.S. starting price at launch | $2,499 | $5,499 |
Apple’s Mac Studio technical specifications list display combinations’ resolution and refresh-rate limits; check the supported configuration against your monitors before buying.
Choose M5 Max for demanding work that fits its ceiling
M5 Max is the sensible starting point for a new professional desktop unless you can identify a specific workload that needs the Ultra’s added capacity. Apple positions Mac Studio for musicians, photographers, software engineers, designers, real-time 3D, motion graphics, and AI workflows. Those are manufacturer use cases, not a guarantee of performance in every application.
Rank #2
- BRILLLLLLIANT — iMac is the ultimate all-in-one desktop computer, powered by the M4 chip and built for Apple Intelligence.* With a stunning 24-inch Retina display, iMac gives you the space you need in an iconic, colorful design that livens up any room.
- FITS PERFECTLY IN YOUR SPACE — The all-in-one desktop design is strikingly thin, comes in seven vibrant colors, and elevates any space with style.
- BUILT FOR APPLE INTELLIGENCE — Apple Intelligence is the personal intelligence system that helps you write, express yourself, and get things done effortlessly. With groundbreaking privacy protections, it gives you peace of mind that no one else can access your data — not even Apple.*
- SUPERCHARGED BY M4 — Get more done faster with the Apple M4 chip. From editing photos to creating presentations to gaming, you’ll fly through work and play.
- IMMERSIVE DISPLAY — The industry-leading 24-inch 4.5K Retina display features 500 nits of brightness and supports up to 1 billion colors.*
When Max is likely the right tier
- Your usual projects run comfortably within 128GB of unified memory and a 40-core GPU.
- Your software benefits from a powerful workstation but does not require the Ultra’s larger GPU or memory ceiling.
- You need a high-end desktop for development, design, photography, music, or video work, and the extra cost of Ultra has no clear workload-based payoff.
Memory is selected when you configure the Mac Studio. Estimate the needs of your largest realistic projects—not only your current average—and include the apps and files you keep open together. Since memory is unified and not an upgrade to plan on later, choose enough at purchase without treating the maximum as a target by default.
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M5 Ultra raises the available ceiling to an 80-core GPU and, in the specified high-end configuration, 512GB of unified memory. Its 1.2TB/s memory bandwidth and larger GPU may matter for especially demanding graphics and media work or large local AI models, provided the software actually uses those resources.
Rank #3
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Apple says M5 Ultra offers up to 1.3× higher multithreaded performance and up to 4.3× peak AI compute performance versus M3 Ultra, and up to 1.8× faster graphics than the prior generation. These are Apple’s comparisons, not independent test results; they compare specific generations and should not be read as a direct Max-versus-Ultra result or a promise for every app. Apple’s launch announcement presents the claims.
Before paying for Ultra, confirm your application’s memory requirements, GPU support, and ability to benefit from more compute. A higher specification ceiling is useful only if your work can reach it.
Rank #4
- BRILLLLLLIANT — iMac is the ultimate all-in-one desktop computer, powered by the M4 chip and built for Apple Intelligence.* With a stunning 24-inch Retina display, iMac gives you the space you need in an iconic, colorful design that livens up any room.
- FITS PERFECTLY IN YOUR SPACE — The all-in-one desktop design is strikingly thin, comes in seven vibrant colors, and elevates any space with style.
- BUILT FOR APPLE INTELLIGENCE — Apple Intelligence is the personal intelligence system that helps you write, express yourself, and get things done effortlessly. With groundbreaking privacy protections, it gives you peace of mind that no one else can access your data — not even Apple.*
- SUPERCHARGED BY M4 — Get more done faster with the Apple M4 chip. From editing photos to creating presentations to gaming, you’ll fly through work and play.
- IMMERSIVE DISPLAY — The industry-leading 24-inch 4.5K Retina display features 500 nits of brightness and supports up to 1 billion colors.*
Check displays, ports, storage, and total setup
Displays and connections
Both Mac Studio models have rear Thunderbolt 5, HDMI 2.1, USB-A, 10Gb Ethernet, and a headphone jack. M5 Max supports up to five external displays; M5 Ultra supports up to eight. Verify each monitor’s resolution, refresh rate, and connection method against Apple’s supported combinations. If you use USB-C devices at the front, note that Max’s front USB-C ports are specified at up to 10Gb/s; Ultra has two front Thunderbolt 5 ports.
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Internal and external storage
M5 Max offers internal SSD options from 512GB to 8TB, while M5 Ultra ranges from 1TB to 16TB. Apple also points to Thunderbolt 5 external storage as an option. Decide how much active project data you need locally and whether a suitable external drive fits your workflow; do not pay for a large internal SSD simply because it is available.
Best Value
- BRAWN OF A NEW AGE — Mac Studio is a tremendously powerful pro desktop. The M5 Max chip enables remarkable on-device AI compute. Blast through creative projects and professional workflows with the advanced graphics architecture and faster memory and storage.
- M5 MAX CHIP — Tap into breakthrough performance with a next-generation CPU, a more powerful GPU with third-generation ray tracing, and a Neural Accelerator built into each GPU core. Mac Studio gets a boost with more power to generate real-time media and accelerate complex workflows.
- MEMORY AND STORAGE — Get up to 128GB unified memory and up to 614GB/s memory bandwidth for more speed when processing massive datasets, complex 3D scenes, and inference in AI workflows. And up to 2x faster storage* expedites tasks like file transfers and loading large projects.
- A POWERFUL PLATFORM FOR AI — Apple silicon, and every major component that powers it, is designed to run demanding AI workflows like running huge LLMs, directly on device. And Apple Intelligence* helps you write, express yourself, and get things done effortlessly, while Siri AI* is your profoundly capable assistant — all with groundbreaking privacy protections.
- A POWERFUL PLATFORM FOR AI — Apple silicon, and every major component that powers it, is designed to run demanding AI workflows like running huge LLMs, directly on device.
Budget beyond the computer
A display, external storage, and optional coverage affect the full setup cost. Apple references Studio Display and Studio Display XDR, but neither is required to use Mac Studio; compare monitor resolution, refresh rate, inputs, and budget for your actual setup. AppleCare+ is another optional ownership consideration; coverage, service terms, and availability depend on market and plan. Apple’s Mac Studio page identifies accessories and coverage options.
When does a used Mac Pro make sense?
Consider a used Mac Pro only when a specific expansion requirement makes it a better fit than Mac Studio—for example, an established workflow that depends on particular PCIe or legacy hardware. The Mac Pro is a legacy-market choice, not an alternative new model from Apple.
Evaluate the exact model and configuration, the condition of the computer and any expansion cards, whether your applications and peripherals support that system, and the full cost of bringing it into service. Compare that with a new Mac Studio configured for the same work. If the expansion need is vague or the software fit is uncertain, the used machine’s purchase price alone is not enough to make the case.
Quick Recap
A quick decision checklist
- List the applications you use and identify which benefit from CPU, GPU, or memory capacity.
- Size the configuration around your largest expected projects and simultaneous workloads; remember that unified memory is chosen at purchase.
- Count your displays and check their resolution, refresh rate, and connection requirements against Apple’s per-model limits.
- Account for internal or external storage, displays, and any optional coverage when comparing total setup costs.
- Choose M5 Max unless you can point to a workload that needs M5 Ultra’s higher GPU or memory ceiling.
- For a used Mac Pro, verify the expansion dependency, condition, software compatibility, and complete ownership cost before committing.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
