Mac Studio: technical sheet, reviews and price of the new Apple computer

March 2022: for the first time in almost fifteen years (the MacBook Air was launched in 2008), Apple presents a completely new range of computers to the public. This is Mac Studio. Between the Mac mini andthe imposing Mac Pro, so let’s see what the machine offers us and what its technical characteristics are…

A well-wrapped design

At first glance, it's hard not to notice: the Mac Studio looks like a Mac mini, with a certain amount of weight. In fact, its dimensions are the same except for the height: it is a cube with a side of 19.7 cm and a thickness of 9.5 cm. For the weight, on the other hand, we will return: count 2.7 or 3.62 kg depending on the processor chosen. So don't expect to take it everywhere with you, even if there are A4 size external monitors on the market.

Moreover, the Mac Studio is an example of what is best at Apple: clean lines and a silver aluminum cabin as we are used to. Sockets are placed at the front and back for greater practicality, and a ventilation grille ventilates everything just below. An apple-shaped logo completes the look, on top. But unfortunately there is only one version of Mac Studio: it is impossible to customize the color.

Mac Studio: performance

For its Mac Studio, Apple has reserved decidedly high-end technical characteristics for us. So let's take a look at the different rooms to find out what's going on.

Processor

Mac Studio users have several different chips to choose from. The first is the M1 Max, with a ten-core CPU and a twenty-four-core GPU. The graphics card can, however, be upgraded to thirty-two cores, for an additional investment. With this, a Neural Engine further improves calculation speed thanks to artificial intelligence printed on sixteen cores. As for the memory bandwidth, it reaches no less than 400 GB per second.

If, despite everything, this isn't enough, those with a sweet tooth can opt for even more impressive features. We are talking here about the M1 Ultra chip, offering a CPU with twenty cores and a GPU with up to sixty-four cores on Mac Studio 2022. Not counting the AI, which reaches thirty-two subdivisions.

RAM

The Mac Studio is configurable with 32, 64 or 128 GB of memory. Be careful though, because the best-provided option is only offered if the computer is equipped with an M1 Max chip.

Storage

Basically, the Mac Studio is limited to a 512 GB SSD. Advantage of this technology: reading and writing files are faster than on a traditional hard drive, and apps run faster.

For an additional 230 euros, it is possible to increase the storage space to 1 TB. Three other capacities are offered by Apple: 2 TB for 690 euros, 4 TB for 1,390 euros or 8 TB for 2,760 euros.

Screens, wireless and connectivity

Audio: technical characteristics

Mac Studio has a built-in speaker and a jack (3.5mm) for calls and music. High-impedance headphones are supported, and the HDMI port on the back of the computer supports multi-channel audio output. No problem, therefore, connecting your favorite pair of speakers.

Mac Studio Takes

In addition to the sound, the official technical specifications of the Mac Studio also mention two USB-C plugs on the front with a maximum speed of 10 Gbit per second. An SD card reader is also included for photographers and other drone pilots. On the version with M1 Ultra chip, the front universal sockets are Thunderbolt 4 compatible and reach 40 Gbit/s.

On the back, the Mac Studio 2022 also offers four other Thunderbolt 4 ports with the same results, regardless of the model chosen. Added to this is a 10 Gbit Ethernet output, two USB-A sockets, the power button and the power supply.

Imaging

You can connect up to five screens at the same time to Mac Studio. Apple offers a maximum of four Pro Display XDR in 6K, capable of reading a billion colors, with a 4K monitor to complete. But everyone will go there in their own way, depending on their needs.

Wireless connectivity on Mac Studio

• Wi-Fi 6 802.11ax compatible 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
• Bluetooth 5.0 Low Energy
• AirPlay
• AirDrop

Operating system

You probably won't be surprised to learn that Mac Studio is powered by macOS, proprietary software also designed by Apple. Included is a complete suite of programs dedicated to both entertainment and office automation. When it comes to productivity, for example, Cupertino offers a Microsoft Office equivalent with Pages (word processing), Numbers (spreadsheet) and Keynote (presentations). To communicate, an address book is called Contacts and it is possible to make vision calls with FaceTime. Messages, on the other hand, is a platform that synchronizes with SMS messages sent from the iPhone.

This is also one of the key strengths of Mac Studio: its ability to work hand in hand with the entire Apple ecosystem, whether mobile or iPad. Most apps are therefore available on each device, such as Music, TV and Podcasts for content. With these media libraries, Handoff offers the possibility of starting content on iPhone then continuing it on your Mac Studio in the blink of an eye and without missing a beat.

Another example: Universal Control, which turns your tablet into a secondary screen with its own OS to control with the same mouse that controls your Mac Studio. On the security side, Time Machine is responsible for performing automatic disk backups to prevent glitches or possible piracy. Finally, let us point out that if the Mac Studio comes standard with macOS Monterey, it will be eligible for subsequent updates for a few years. Probably at least five, maybe seven.

The price you have to pay to buy a Mac Studio depends above all on its technical characteristics. For example, count on 2,299 euros for the most affordable model, with 32 GB of RAM and a 52 GB SSD with M1 Max chip. For the M1 Ultra with 64 GB of RAM and 1 TB of storage, the amount is 4,599 euros. As for the most expensive Mac Studio, it costs 9,199 euros (8 TB SSD, 128 GB of RAM, M1 Ultra with 20-core CPU, 32-core Neural Engine and 64-core GPU).

The best choice for a desktop Mac? Our opinion

In 2022, the Mac Studio is an excellent choice for professionals looking for a machine almost as powerful as the Mac Pro but much more compact. What's more, this is Apple's very first desktop computer to feature the M1 Max and M1 Ultra chips (the M1 Max is also available on MacBook Pro).

Unfortunately, the price of the Mac Studio may put off more than one person. Especially since you have to add to this sum potentially a few hundred euros to connect a screen to the central unit. Individuals will instead turn tothe iMac M1 released a little earlier. But if you're a content creator, whether it's music or video, then Mac Studio might be for you!