Lining up with many of the last-minute rumors, Apple’s “Peek Performance” event revealed that we’ll have a new compact Mac machine to look forward to. As you might expect, the new Mac Studio can be equipped with either the M1 Max or the new M1 Ultra CPU. The Mac Studio also boasts an impressive number of connectivity options, in addition to Apple’s latest proprietary chip.
The Mac Studio bears a striking resemblance to the 2020 version of the Mac Mini. According to our review by Chris Welch, this model of the Mac Mini offered an “appealing price for the power it offers.” And thanks in part to the M1 CPU, provided “blazing performance.”
On the other end of the spectrum is the Mac Pro, which debuted in 2019 and was reviewed by The Verge’s own Nilay Patel. That incredibly expensive desktop brought a curious, yet distinctive appearance, one marketed toward power users who can effectively harness the power it brings to the table.
For a more comprehensive breakdown of the three machines and their various models, we’ve included a chart below that shows how the new M1 Max and M1 Ultra configurations of the Mac Studio stack up against the M1 model of the Mac Mini and the monolithic Mac Pro.
Mac Studio vs. M1 Mac Mini vs. Mac Pro
| M1 Mac Mini 2020 | Mac Studio with M1 Max | Mac Studio with M1 Ultra | Mac Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| M1 Mac Mini 2020 | Mac Studio with M1 Max | Mac Studio with M1 Ultra | Mac Pro |
| Apple M1 CPU | Apple M1 Max CPU | Apple M1 Ultra CPU | Intel Xeon CPU 8-core, 12-core, 16-core, 24-core, 28-core |
| 8-core | 24-core, 32-core | 48-core, 64-core | Radeon GPU with 8GB, 16GB, 32GB, 64GB |
| 8GB, 16GB | 32GB, 64GB | 64GB, 128GB | 32GB, 48GB, 96GB, 192GB, 384GB, 768GB, 1.5 |
| 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB | 512GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, 8TB | 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, 8TB | 512GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, 8TB |
| 2 x Thunderbolt 3, 1 x HDMI 2.0, 2 x USB-A, 1 x Ethernet, 1 x 3.5mm | 4 x Thunderbolt 4, 2x Thunderbolt 4 (Front), 1 x HDMI 2.0, 2 x USB-A, 1 x Ethernet, 1 x 3.5mm, 1 x SDXC Card slot (front) | 4 x Thunderbolt 4, 2x Thunderbolt 4 (Front), 1 x HDMI 2.0, 2 x USB-A, 1 x Ethernet, 1 x 3.5mm, 1 x SDXC Card slot (front) | 2 x Thunderbolt 3, 2 x Thunderbolt 3 (top), 2 x USB-A, 2 x Ethernet, (some GPU configurations offer additional USB-C ports) |
| 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0 | 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0 | 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0 | 802.11ac Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0 |
| 1.4 x 7.7 x 7.7 | 3.7 x 7.7 x 7.7 | 3.7 x 7.7 x 7.7 | 20.8 x 8.6 x 17.7 |
| 2.6 | 5.9 | 7.9 | 39.7 |
| Starts at $699.00 | Starts at $1,999.00 | Starts at $3,999.00 | Starts at $5,999.00 |
While the announcement of the Mac Studio and the M1 Ultra processor clearly stole the show, Apple also announced a new display, as well as a new version of the iPhone SE and iPad Air. We’ve also put together a summary of the event if you’re just curious about the highlights.
