Should I upgrade? The new Mac Studio has Thunderbolt 5, up to 512GB of RAM (shared with the GPU, for AI!) and 16TB of storage. It's big in every respect but the size of the case (a mere 3.7 liters). The "M4 Max or M3 Ultra" option seems an odd meeting of Apple's minimal branding and maximal segmentation —they must be reserving the M4 Ultra for Mac Pro.
Mac Studio is a powerhouse for AI, capable of running large language models (LLMs) with over 600 billion parameters entirely in memory, thanks to its advanced GPU and up to 512GB of unified memory with M3 Ultra — the most ever in a personal computer. It's also built for Apple Intelligence, the personal intelligence system that transforms how users work, communicate, and express themselves, while protecting their privacy. The new Mac Studio is available to pre-order today, with availability beginning March 12.
I made the mistake of getting only 512GB of storage with my current Mac Studio, a relative slowpoke with its M2 chip. So today is a day of self-discipline.
Previously:
• Apple Studio reviews are in
• A Mac Mini M4 USB dock that matches the machine
• On the 'triumphant return' of old-timey USB ports to the Mac
