Image via Apple
Did you buy an Intel-based Mac Pro? Then this one may hurt. While there had been speculation that Apple would do something to update the Mac line, what they did still seemed largely unexpected. On Tuesday, Apple introduced the Mac Studio and the accompanying Studio Display.
“I’m sorry… did you say ‘Ultra’?”
With the new machine comes a new processor. Two flavors of Mac Studio available - one powered by M1 Max and another by the new M1 Ultra.
You know, a few years ago I made light of everybody calling their streaming services “Blank +.” Apple TV+, Disney+, Paramount+ (though that one’s more recent). That was the day I started calling my show, “Mac OS Ken,” “Mac OS Ken Ultra.” I’m not accusing Apple of anything. I will let my attorneys do that for me.
According to the company:
Mac Studio Powered by M1 Max Enables:
Up to 2.5x faster CPU performance than the fastest 27-inch iMac with 10-core processor.
Up to 50 percent faster CPU performance than Mac Pro with a 16-core Xeon processor.
Up to 3.4x faster graphics performance than the 27-inch iMac, and over 3x faster than Mac Pro with its most popular graphics card.
Up to 7.5x faster than the 27-inch iMac, and up to 3.7x faster than 16-core Mac Pro when transcoding video.
Kicking it up a notch, Mac Studio Powered by M1 Ultra Enables:
Up to 3.8x faster CPU performance than the fastest 27-inch iMac with 10-core processor.
Up to 90 percent faster CPU performance than Mac Pro with 16-core Xeon processor.
Up to 60 percent faster CPU performance than 28-core Mac Pro.
Up to 4.5x faster graphics performance than the 27-inch iMac, and up to 80 percent faster than the fastest Mac graphics card available today.
Up to 12x faster than the 27-inch iMac, and up to 5.6x faster than 28-core Mac Pro when transcoding video.
I’m no video transcoder, but that sounds like a lot more times more.
SuperConnected
For folks worried about connectivity, ports aplenty! “On the back,” says Apple:
…Mac Studio includes four Thunderbolt 4 ports to connect displays and high-performance devices, a 10Gb Ethernet port, two USB-A ports, an HDMI port, and a pro audio jack…
The front features two USB-C ports, which are either fast or superfast, depending on which M1 is on play. There’s also an SD card slot on the front, which is kind of convenient. “Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 are built in as well,” according to the company.
Image via Apple
Studio Display
What’s the best way to see what you’re doing on your Mac Studio? Apple would likely say the best way is with a Studio Display. “Studio Display features a 27-inch 5K Retina screen with over 14.7 million pixels,” according to Apple. Of course it has True Tone, automatically adjusting the display’s color temperature to the light around it. The screen is anti-reflective, though you can spend more for the nano-texture option that was first introduced on Pro Display XDR.
The display is powered by Apple’s A13 Bionic chip, as seen in iPhone 11 and the previous iPhone SE. It includes a 12MP Ultra Wide camera with Center Stage (thanks A13). The company says the display:
…also includes a studio-quality, three-microphone array with an especially low noise floor for crystal-clear calls and voice recordings. It also features a high-fidelity six-speaker sound system, (…) Four force-cancelling woofers (…) and two high-performance tweeters… The speakers also support spatial audio for music and video with Dolby Atmos…
Thanks again, A13.
How are you with the patience thing?
Checking on its connectivity, Studio Display has three USB-C ports and a Thunderbolt port. Checking on its availability - gosh I wish you had a time machine. Both Mac Studio and Studio Display went up for order yesterday. Folks who were quick on the draw will get theirs on Friday 18 March. Folks who decided to give it a day will have a lot of time to kick themselves, if they are so inclined. By mid-afternoon on the west coast/early evening back east, 9 to 5 Mac already had a headline saying, “Mac Studio and Studio Display shipping estimates slipping into May hours after launch.” Buying off the rack doesn’t look quite that bad. Checking Tuesday night, an as-is Mac Studio powered by M1 Max shows delivery between 23 March and 30 March. Longer wait for the M1 Ultra version. With no modification, those show delivery between 20 April and 27 April.
The M1 Max machine starts at $1,999.00. Apple is not kidding about the Ultra. That one starts at $3,999.00. Studio Display starts at $1,599, and yes - you heard me correctly, the display has a starting price. I mentioned earlier that you can add Pro Display XDR’s nano-texture glass. A piece from Engadget says that adds $300 to the cost. And while it comes with a tilt-adjustable stand or a wall mount, if you want a stand that is both tilt and height adjustable, you’re dropping another $400. Get both and you’re close to $2,300 for the $1,600 display. While I’ve not done the math myself, a piece from MacRumors says a fully tricked out Apple Studio package, complete with the “highest-end Mac Studio, Studio Display, and accessories” would run buyers close to $11,000.
Free shipping though, so… you’d almost be a fool to not.
