Apple upgraded the Mac Studio with its latest M2 Ultra chipsets alongside the new Mac Pro. The 2023 Mac Studio comes in two variants with an M2 Max and M2 Ultra chip for varying use cases. The machines will begin arriving for customers starting tomorrow, and now, the reviews are finally here. For better insights on the desktops, check out the review roundup below.
M2 Ultra and M2 Max Mac Studio review roundup details better performance with a silent design
In terms of design and form factor, the new Mac Studio is pretty much identical to the previous model. It houses the faster WiFi 6E conjoined with Bluetooth 5.3 and much more. It also comes with an HDMI 2.1 port with 8K external display support and much more. If you are making up your mind to get one, the M2 Max Mac Studio is priced at $1,999, while the M2 Ultra variant is priced at $3,999.
PCMag
PCMag's Joe Osborne praises the expanded external display support on the M2 Ultra Mac Studio. The device is capable of supporting eight displays from five using the Thunderbolt 4 port. Each display can individually run at 4K resolution. The refresh rate of the displays can also go up to 240Hz at 4K if you use the HDMI port.
All of this helps widen the breadth of display support for the Mac Studio using M2 Ultra, increasing the maximum number of displays that can be connected at one time from five to eight—all at 4K resolution and a 60Hz refresh rate over DisplayPort via Thunderbolt 4. If you bring the display count down to six, then the panels can go up to 6K resolution at 60Hz. If you halve the connected displays from there, to three, they can all output up to 8K resolution at 60Hz.
If you need a faster refresh rate, you’ll need to use the included HDMI port, which can support up to 240Hz at 4K resolution. This connection also supports variable refresh rate, HDR, and multichannel audio.
Ars Technica
Andrew Cunningham from Ars Technica states in his review that the Mac Studio is dead silent. Furthermore, the design of the machine is unique as Apple added ports on the front for easier access. He also states that the M2 Max Mac Studio is a great option if you are upgrading from an Intel Mac.
I liked the Mac Studio a lot last year, and I still like it a lot. It performs well, it's dead silent, it will fit just about anywhere, and it's the rare Apple computer to put ports on the front, where they can actually be accessed. If you're eyeing an upgrade from an Intel Mac, the M2 Max version is a great step (at least performance-wise) for anyone used to a 27-inch iMac's performance level. The M2 Ultra can run circles around the Intel Mac Pro and should perfectly match the Apple Silicon Mac Pro, as it uses the same chip.
Engadget
Engadget's Devindra Hardawer states that the Mac Studio is the ideal desktop for power users. He suggests that The machine is best for video editors as it comes with upgraded internals and can handle anything you throw at it.
That leaves the $1,999 Mac Studio as the ideal machine for Apple power users. It'll be enough for video editing work, and it also comes standard with 32GB of RAM (it could use more than 512GB of storage, though). Step up to the $3,999 model with an M2 Ultra chip, and you've got a system that can destroy just about any task you put in front of it. The few professional users who need PCIe expansion can now opt for the M2 Ultra-equipped Mac Pro, which starts at an eye-watering $6,999.
Video Reviews
Video reviews of the new M2 Max and M2 Ultra Mac Studio are also out.
Mathew Moniz
The Tech Chap
Christopher Lawley
iPhonedo
Tiff in Tech
The new Mac Studio features the same design as the previous model, but the internals offer a performance boost that power users crave for. In terms of performance, the M2 Ultra chip comes with a 24-core CPU and a 76-core GPU coupled with a 32-core Neural Engine with support for 192GB of unified memory. In comparison to the previous model, the new Mac Studio is approximately 20 percent more powerful. We will share more details on the performance of the machine, so be sure to stick around.
About the author: Ali Salman is a technology reporter for Wccftech mobile section with a specialized focus on Apple and the intellectual property that drives mobile innovation. He has cultivated a unique expertise in analyzing and deconstructing complex technology patents, translating dense legal and technical documents into clear, insightful reports on future products.
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