Apple has reduced the possibilities for upgrading a Mac Studio, but although this simplifies the decision, there are still pricey alternatives to consider that might determine whether or not this is the Mac for you.
It used to be that if you needed a Mac Pro, you knew it - and you certainly knew if you had the funds to acquire one. After that, things became more difficult with CPU selection, RAM selection, selecting the appropriate graphics card, and so on.
But it was straightforward at first. High performance at a high cost; you knew whether it was a good fit for you or not.
The new Mac Studio isn't exactly cheap, but it's a lot cheaper than the Mac Pro for a lot more people. If you know you require high-end performance, you can still buy a Mac Studio instead of a Mac Pro. At least, until Apple releases a new Mac Pro.
However, it also implies that there is a grey area in which the Mac Studio may or may not be the perfect computer for you. And it's a murky region made considerably murkier by the fact that a Mac Studio should be expected to survive for many years. You should consider about future demands as much as possible.
Start with now
If you're never in one spot, or if you have to work on the go all the time, skip the Mac Studio and go for a MacBook Pro instead. The Mac Studio is approximately as portable as the Mac mini, but it can only be used at your destination, not while travelling.
The bulk of Mac Studio purchasers will very certainly be those who already own a Mac desktop. There may be new consumers transferring from Windows, but Mac mini and Mac Pro users are likely to be first in line.
In terms of performance, that's the low and high end of the Mac market, both centred around this new machine. They'll all have distinct worries and requirements.
Mac mini users
Whatever you do, if you have an Intel Mac mini, it's time to upgrade. You'd see a difference if you looked at the Apple Silicon Mac mini, although even that may struggle with applications like video editing.
So, if you're thinking about upgrading from a Mac mini, the M1 Max Mac Studio will most likely address all of your difficulties.
Mac Pro users
For the existing Mac Pro customer, there is one concern regarding the performance they require, and another about whether they will be able to return any of the significant investment they invested in this system.
Hopefully they've gotten a couple of years of steady usage out of the Mac Pro, and unlike the Mac mini, the Mac Pro is less likely to be suffering with a workload. However, it is only for the time being, and customers who want Mac Pro machines often require as much power as they can obtain.
Yes, they may have spent a lot of money on the Mac Pro, but if the Mac Studio is quicker, they need it. In addition, the Mac Studio is speedier.
In terms of recouping investment, Apple does not provide a particular trade-in option for the Mac Studio, as it does for the iPhone - there is no question on the order page asking whether you have a Mac to sell in.
However, Apple does have a trade-in programme, and it will presently pay up to $2,720 for a Mac Pro. Just make sure to uninstall any third-party upgrades first.
Bring Your Own Keyboard, Mouse and Display
Users of the Mac Pro and Mac mini have an advantage in that their accessories will simply transfer over to the Mac Studio. As a result, for them, the decision is based on the primary components of the Mac itself.
Because you can't upgrade the key components of the Mac Mac, with the exception of the Mac Pro, the best option at the moment of purchase is to get the most of everything. The realistic option is to get the most out of whatever you can afford.
Making you pick components provides you options, but it also allows Apple to publish a base price for the Mac that may or may not be near to what you actually have to pay. Mac Pro consumers needed versatility, and they got it with a plethora of alternatives to choose from.
The standard model of the Mac Studio comes with 12 options. It's only 8 with the new Mac Studio's high end.
Simple choices first
Apple, as usual, provides two Mac Studio computers on its website, but they're actually the same system with two separate, suggested configurations. Typically, Apple presents three settings, indicating or explicitly saying that they represent Good, Better, and Best alternatives.
In this situation, there are just two options, and depending on your requirements, you may begin with the standard $1,999 edition and work your way through the Build to Order options to find the best option for you.
The standard configuration includes an Apple M1 Max with a 10-core CPU, 24-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine. It also has 32GB of unified memory and a 512GB SSD.
But those are the two simplest things you have to make. Debatably, 32GB of RAM may be plenty, but you'll want more - and more storage space.
True, 32GB of unified memory does more than 32GB of normal RAM, but it's still a matter of the more, the better. In terms of storage, whether you work with photographs, music, or video, it's more easier and faster to keep them on the machine's own disc as you work.
After all, a Thunderbolt drive attached directly to a computer will only transfer roughly 3 gigabytes per second. Internal storage on the Mac Studio can surpass 7 gigabytes per second, although it's unclear which combinations are required for that maximum performance vs a slower one.
Fast external SSDs are available, and you may be in a studio with a WAN and networked storage. However, the more working space you have on your Mac, the better.
Upgrading from the 512GB minimum to 1TB costs $200 more, and you can go up to 8TB for a total of $2,400 above the base price.
When it comes to RAM, you initially have the option of upgrading to 64GB unified memory for $400.
You may increase the RAM to 128GB, but only if you replace the processor from the base model.
Processor choices
Apple introduced the Mac Studio, which features two processors: the M1 Max and the M1 Ultra. However, there are two variants of each, for a total of four CPU options.
The $1,999 basic model includes an M1 Max. However, for an additional $200, it may be upgraded at the time of purchase to a version with the same 10-core M1 Max, the same 16-core Neural Engine, and a 32-core GPU.
It wouldn't seem worth it if the $200 price difference wasn't so minimal in comparison to any other CPU upgrade choice. Nonetheless, if photography is a little component of your job, the 32-core GPU will make a difference.
Overall, increasing the number of GPU cores must improve performance, thus more GPU cores benefit heavy photographic work, medical and science modelling, or video. If performance is critical, you don't just want extra GPU cores; you want the M1 Ultra.
M1 Ultra is available in two flavours. Both make use of the new 20-core CPU M1 Ultra processor, which has a 32-core Neural Engine. However, one version has a 48-core GPU, while the other has a 64-core GPU.
The difference is comparable to the M1 Max having more GPU cores. You must be undertaking intense image work for it to be worthwhile, however if you are now forced to wait extended periods of time for renders, this power will assist you.
The variant with a 48-core GPU costs $1,400 more than the standard price, putting the total price of a Mac Studio to $3,799. The one with a 64-core GPU costs an extra $2,400 on top of the base price, for a total of $4,799.
Moving to a more powerful processor, on the other hand, provides you the option of increasing RAM to 128GB. Just like it is not feasible to purchase 128GB RAM with the M1 Max, it is also not possible to purchase the M1 Ultra with only 32GB RAM.
With the M1 Ultra, you have an option of 64GB or 128GB RAM for an extra $800. With the lowest-priced M1 Ultra starting at $3,999, a model with 128GB RAM would set you back $4,799.
Choosing what you need, and what you can afford
If you order a Mac Studio with the M1 Max CPU, less than 1TB SSD, and only 32GB RAM, you're doing it to save money. There's certainly nothing wrong with that, and even if there were, you can't buy something you can't afford or justify spending money on.
Some customers may be able to get by with 512GB, but it's actually given mainly so Apple can achieve a pricing threshold. If you have a lot of huge files in your workflow, the ability to work on them locally rather than frequently transferring them to external devices makes 512GB insufficient.
Large files, or massive databases, are the usual for video production, and your Mac Studio may be taking in footage at the start, then putting out exceptionally high-quality video at the conclusion. The processing in the centre is intense, therefore RAM comes in handy.
Going from the standard $1,999 model to one with a 1TB SSD costs $2,199. Going with a 1TB SSD and 64GB RAM costs $2,599.
However, if you conduct the kind of work that would benefit from a Mac Studio, you are also doing the types of work that would profit from the M1 Ultra.
Apple's strange Build to Order choices
Apple's Build to Order options are a quirk. If you go with Apple's suggested starting price of $3,999, you won't be able to obtain a 512GB SSD.
However, if you start with the base $1,999 model, you can increase the CPU and even the RAM to match the higher starting price machine while retaining the 512GB choice.
Then there are no options for the new Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse, or Magic Trackpad on the Mac Studio's Build to Order page. There is no configuration in which you are provided them as you design your Mac Studio choices, therefore you must purchase them individually unless you are coming from a Mac mini or Mac Pro.
Apple's Build to Order options are a quirk. If you go with Apple's suggested starting price of $3,999, you won't be able to obtain a 512GB SSD.
However, if you start with the base $1,999 model, you can increase the CPU and even the RAM to match the higher starting price machine while retaining the 512GB choice.
Then there are no options for the new Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse, or Magic Trackpad on the Mac Studio's Build to Order page. There is no configuration in which you are provided them as you design your Mac Studio choices, therefore you must purchase them individually unless you are coming from a Mac mini or Mac Pro.
They're available at the online Apple Store, but if you purchase any other Mac other than the Mac mini, you'll be offered the keyboard, mouse, and trackpad on the order page.
As a result, if you max out everything on the Mac Studio purchase page, you'll get a total of $7,999 - which is insufficient. Unless you already have all of these peripherals, you'll need to spend an additional $199 for a new keyboard, as well as either $99 for a new mouse or $149 for a trackpad.
Surprisingly, you may save a little money by getting the Magic Keyboard with white keys instead of black ones, but the black version is more elegant for the cost of $20.
