Following the world-shattering announcement of a new version of the Apple iPad Air (okay, maybe not world-shattering, but big news as is the case with any Apple launches these days), Apple is also unveiling not one, but two new generations of the Apple Mac Studio.
The Apple Mac Studio will see a new M4 Max version as the new base model for Mac Studio, while an M3 Ultra will be the new upgraded model. They will cost $1,999 for the M4 Max and $3,999 for the M3 Ultra, and they’re both set to be available next week on March 12th.
Both are also going to offer some major speed and performance improvements over the original M1 Max version and should be much more capable video editing, rendering, and exporting machines. And while video performance is always a priority for Apple, most of the marketing is again touting Apple Intelligence as the chief calling card for these new devices.
Let’s look at both versions and see which might be right for you and your video editing workflows.
New Apple Mac Studio Models
According to Apple, the M4 Max Mac Studio is going to be over three times faster than the original M1 Max version, thanks to its 14 to 16-core CPU and 32 to 40-GPU options. Similar to the improvements found in the M4 Max MacBook Pro models, the Mac Studio base model will come with 36GB of RAM and can be bought with up to 128GB—a pretty significant bump from the previous 96GB top offering for the M2 Max Studio. Interested Mac users can also go with anywhere from 512GB of SSD storage to up to 8TB.
The more advanced M3 Ultra chip Mac Studio is going to be much faster, too, as it is set to feature 32 cores, with 24 of these being performance cores, which will be absolutely blistering. The GPU will also feature a base 60-core design that can allow up to 80 cores and will feature a 32-core Neural Engine to help power all of your machine learning and AI-powered applications.
The M3 Ultra Mac Studio will also feature a base model with 96GB of RAM but can be upgraded to 512GB of RAM, while storage starts at 1TB internal to up to 16TB. All killer specs for those looking to use the M3 Ultra Mac Studio for their high-end video editing workflows.
Cool and Quiet
As is the case with previous Mac Studio models, Apple is touting these compact computers as cool and quiet options for those looking for more discreet desktop setups. Within these 7.7-inch-square Mac Studio models lies a new thermal system designed to let both M4 max and M3 Ultra models fly through intensive tasks at lightning speeds.
Yet, even with the power enhancements, Apple reports that these Mac Studio models will stay quiet and should never interfere with your workflows. These Mac Studio models will also offer an abundance of ports despite the compact form factors, as users can unlock up to eight displays with M3 Ultra or up to five displays with M4 Max.
These Mac Studio models are also designed to make the best use of Apple silicon and macOS. Interested editors will be able to choose from tens of thousands of apps optimized for the incredible graphics, memory, and machine learning capabilities of Apple silicon — including powerful AI-ready and pro apps like Final Cut Pro, DaVinci Resolve Studio, and Adobe Photoshop.
Apple Mac Studio
Credit: Apple
Price and Availability
Both new versions of the Mac Studio are available for preorder on Apple’s website here, with units expected to start shipping on March 12th.
