Apple has updated its Mac Studio with new chipsets, but the M4 version isn't the most powerful

Alongside its MacBook Air M4 launch today, Apple unveiled an update to its Apple Studio. And it's a little confusing.

There are two models, powered by a strange mix of chip generations: the M4 Max for the "base" and the M3 Ultra for the "if money's no object" tier.

If you're a serious professional, Apple seems to be telling you that it expects you to pay for the top-tier silicon.

The M4 Max appears to be a decent upgrade. Apple's boasting about a 3.5x speed boost over the previous generation, and the specs are solid. But it's the M3 Ultra that's the real money.

This is a machine built for the cutting edge. For people like AI devs, 8K video editors, or anyone else pushing their machine to the limits.

The M3 Ultra is a monster, with up to 32 CPU cores and 80 GPU cores. Technically speaking, you can cram in half a terabyte of RAM.

It's ridiculous, and it's clearly designed highlight that Apple's silicon is king, and if you want to wear the crown, then you're going to pay for it.

What kind of performance are we talking about?

It's hard to explain just what the new Mac Studio models can do without visually showing you the types of stuff that really challenge the machine.

But helpfully, Apple has shared some big numbers, so let's take a look:

• M4 Max:
  • Apple is claiming up to 3.5x faster performance than the M1 Max.
  • For video editors, Apple is talking about a 1.6x improvement in Photoshop and a 2.1x bump in Xcode. If you're compiling code or editing images, you'll feel it.
  • ProRes transcoding is up 1.2x, and video processing in Topaz Video AI is up 1.6x compared to the M1 Max.
• M3 Ultra:
  • This is where things get wild. Nearly 2x faster than the M4 Max in heavy workloads.
  • For AI folks, Apple says it's 16.9x faster token generation using LLMs. That's not a typo.
  • 3D renderers get a 2.6x boost in Maxon Redshift.
  • Video rendering in Final Cut Pro is up 1.4x compared to the M1 Ultra.

These numbers are impressive, no doubt. But you're only going to see these gains if you're pushing the machine to its limits.

If you're just browsing the web and checking email, you're not going to notice a difference.

Pricing and Availability

The new Mac Studio is available for pre-order starting today, March 6th. It will begin shipping to customers and will be available in Apple Store locations and Apple Authorised Resellers starting March 12th.

• Mac Studio with M4 Max: Starts at $3,499
• Mac Studio with M3 Ultra: Starts at $6,999
• Configure-to-order options are available, with the top-tier M3 Ultra configuration reaching over $22,000