Apple unveils a Mac Studio with M5 Max and M5 Ultra, up to 4.3x faster AI performance, up to 1.8x faster graphics, and up to 512GB of unified memory for $2,499+

Apple announced the new Mac Studio, featuring M5 Max and the all-new M5 Ultra, delivering a monumental leap in AI performance and even faster graphics.

Apple 2026-08-25

Context & Ripple Effects

The Mac Studio line has followed a steady cadence since its 2022 debut at $1,999 and the 2023 M2 Ultra update that completed Apple's silicon transition; last year's M4 Max and M3 Ultra refresh kept the same $1,999/$3,999 tiers. Today's M5 Max/M5 Ultra version breaks that pattern twice: the floor rises to $2,499 and the Ultra tier jumps to $5,499+, a $200 increase announced the same day.

The timing is notable — analysts like Neil Cybart flagged it as a surprise drop weeks before Apple's biggest product event of the year — and it lands alongside a Mac mini refresh with M6 and M5 Pro. The pitch across coverage is explicitly AI-first: 4.3x faster AI performance and up to 512GB of unified memory, which commenters like @svpino called 'the dream' for running local models.

First-order effects

Buyers of high-end Macs get a new memory ceiling — 512GB of unified memory in a silent desktop — while paying more for it: the entry price climbs from $1,999 to $2,499 and the Ultra configuration to $5,499+.
Apple's own reviewers' constraint carries over unchanged: Tom's Hardware found last year's Studio offered no user-upgradeable memory or SSD, so every buyer is locked into Apple's fixed configurations at purchase time.

Second-order effects

The Studio now competes directly with dedicated local-AI boxes on memory bandwidth — one widely shared reaction pegged its bandwidth at roughly 4.5x NVIDIA's DGX Spark — pushing NVIDIA and PC workstation makers to answer on capacity-per-dollar rather than raw GPU compute.
The simultaneous price hikes on both Studio and Mac mini signal Apple testing how much headroom pro-desktop buyers will absorb, which sets the pricing template for the rest of the M5-generation Mac lineup.

Third-order effects

If local inference keeps scaling into ever-larger models, unified-memory capacity rather than GPU count becomes the spec buyers optimize for — favoring Apple's architecture but concentrating upgrade power entirely in its SKU ladder.
A desk capable of serving serious AI workloads without a cloud round-trip nudges the developer-tooling market toward hybrid local/cloud workflows, with Apple positioning its pro Macs as the on-prem layer of an AI stack.

The trend: Desktop hardware competition is reorganizing around unified memory capacity for local AI inference, with Apple using annualized silicon drops and rising prices to stake out the high end before rivals consolidate there.

Discussion

@zephyr_z9 @zephyr_z9 on x
I love this. U can run a lot of great models at crazy speeds with this config
@neilcybart Neil Cybart on x
Following today's Mac Studio update, the most powerful Mac can be purchased for $18,299. - Mac Studio w/ M5 Ultra. - 256GB unified memory. - 16TB storage.
@tugot17 Piotr Mazurek on x
1200GB/s of memory bandwidth - 4.5x the bandwidth of DGX Spark 🍏🫡
@svpino @svpino on x
Oh boy, the new Mac Studio M5 ULTRA with 256GB of RAM is out now. This is the dream for people who want to run local models.
@neilcybart Neil Cybart on x
In a surprise move a few weeks ahead of its biggest product event of the year, Apple just unveiled updates to the Mac mini and Mac Studio. At a very high level: - Apple is going all-out positioning the Mac mini and Mac Studio for on-device AI and agentic computing workflows.
@stevesi Steven Sinofsky on x
Now that's a Mac.
@markgurman Mark Gurman on x
It's the most Tim Cook thing ever to have his final product launch be a Mac chip refresh and then let his successor be the one to introduce the biggest new iPhone ever just two weeks later.
@aaronp613 Aaron on x
Here is the more “traditional” Apple event style video for the new Mac mini and Mac Studio, which Apple posted on Instagram
@bengeskin Ben Geskin on x
Apple has unveiled the new Mac Studio with M5 Max and M5 Ultra. The most powerful Mac ever, designed for extreme professional workloads and running enormous AI models locally. The compact design remains largely unchanged, but the performance inside has taken a massive leap. Mac
@stalman Tyler Stalman on x
Did not expect new Macs today! Especially not the M6 in the Mac Mini or (most exciting) the M5 Ultra Mac Studio. 512GB memory model coming in October https://www.apple.com/...
@parkerortolani Parker Ortolani on x
I think Apple dropping these new Macs out of the blue now isn't just about meeting demand, it's them also getting more serious about staying on top of AI developments. They know they've got a huge leg up and now they're flexing. No point in waiting until an October Mac event like
@aaronp613 Aaron on x
Here is Apple's launch video for the new Mac Studio with M5 Max and M5 Ultra
@samifathi Sami Fathi on x
No #AppleEvent for the new M6 and M5 Ultra Mac mini and Mac Studio, but we do have this cool video from Apple on Instagram featuring the new VP of Hardware Engineering, Shelly Goldberg.
@brandonbutch Brandon Butch on x
Apple just announced the M6 Mac mini and M5 Ultra Mac Studio! M6: - 12-core CPU complex with the world's fastest CPU core - 12-core GPU - Dual 16-core Neural Engine - Up to 170GB/s unified memory - Starts at $899 M5 Ultra: - Up to 36-core CPU - 80-core GPU - 1.2TB/s of
@stephenrobles Stephen Robles on x
Woah new Mac mini and Mac Studio just released! Mac Studio can be configured M5 Max up to 128GB Memory (that config wasn't available yesterday). M5 Ultra goes up to 256GB Memory and 16TB SSD! That costs $18,299 or $400 / month lease Mac mini M6 / M5 Pro up to 64GB Mem / 8TB
@viticci Federico Viticci on x
The 512GB RAM option for M5 Ultra Mac Studio is coming in “late October” Right now, a fully-specced M5 Ultra Mac Studio with 256GB RAM and and 16TB of storage (!) is... $18,299.00 💀
@aaronp613 Aaron on x
Apple introduces new Mac Studio with M5 Max and M5 Ultra — the ultimate desktop for on-device AI and the most extreme pro workflows
@viticci Federico Viticci on x
M6 Mac mini and M5 Ultra Mac Studio! https://www.apple.com/... On M5 Ultra memory: “...up to 512GB, and delivers a staggering 1.2TB/s of unified memory bandwidth that is 50 percent higher than M3 Ultra” More details on @macstoriesnet shortly.
r/hardware r on reddit
Apple introduces new Mac Studio with M5 Max and M5 Ultra
r/LocalLLaMA r on reddit
Apple introduces new Mac Studio with M5 Max and M5 Ultra - up to 512GB of unified memory
r/apple r on reddit
Apple introduces new Mac Studio with M5 Max and M5 Ultra
@highyieldyt @highyieldyt on x
Apple just announced the new M6 SoC in TSMCs N2 and there are some interesting changes. The M5 has 4 S-cores and 6 E-cores while the M6 will only have 2 S-cores, but 4 new M-cores and the same 6 E-cores. So 2 more cores in total, but also 2 less S-cores.
@kimmonismus @kimmonismus on x
Huge upgrade for local AI: Apple introduces M6 and M5 Ultra for a “big leap in performance and AI compute.” Capable of running even quantized 70B-class models locally The new M6 model offers (tl;dr): - Up to 4.8x faster LLM prompt processing than M4 - 42% more memory bandwidth
@vadimyuryev Vadim Yuryev on x
WHATTTTtttTtT!!!??! Most random Apple Mac launch in the past decade! And both M5 Ultra and new 2nm base M6 RIGHT before A20 Pro on 2nm?
@cartidise Noah Cat on x
Apple unveils M6 Mac Mini > Powered by M6, Apple's first 2nm chip > New 12-core CPU complex (2 more cores than M5): 2 super cores, 4 performance cores, 6 efficiency cores > New 12-core GPU (2 more cores than M5), with a Neural Accelerator in each core > Nearly 30% increase in
@mweinbach Max Weinbach on x
I really like the ultra chips but part of me is more interested in the M6 over M5 Ultra New GPU, new CPU, new ANE, 2nm chip...
@wallstengine @wallstengine on x
Really interesting to note: M6 delivers up to 13.5x faster LLM prompt processing vs. M1 and 4.8x vs. M4, while M5 Pro reaches up to 4x the LLM performance of M4 Pro. Thunderbolt 5 can now cluster multiple Mac minis together to run larger AI models entirely on-device.
@lanceulanoff Lance Ulanoff on x
Heads up: Apple just launched new Macs and Apple Silicon! Apple's new Mac mini looks the same, but the M6 inside brings a major performance boost https://www.techradar.com/...
@mweinbach Max Weinbach on x
512GB M5 Ultra will be in late October This is the one I'm waiting for but also 256GB because I just want M5 Ultra
@mweinbach Max Weinbach on x
M6 Mac mini with 16GB memory and 256GB storage is $899 Available Sept. 22, interesting very iPhoney week if you ask me...
@mweinbach Max Weinbach on x
M6 in the Mac mini now has support for fp8 ops on the matrix cores in the GPU But even cooler it has 2 neural engines. There are a total of neural-engine cores with two 16-core neural engines, then can work in tandem for a single operation or work on two simultaniously
@mweinbach Max Weinbach on x
Apple just announced M6 and M5 Ultra M5 Ultra is 2x M5 Max. It still has support for 512GB of memory, a new Ultra Fusion architecture with 4.4 TB/s of chiplet bandwidth, and 1.2Tb/s of memory bandwidth M6 is a fully new chip in Mac mini, with new CPU/GPU
@aaronp613 Aaron on x
Apple introduces M6 and M5 Ultra for a big leap in performance and AI compute
r/mac r on reddit
Apple introduces M6 and M5 Ultra for a big leap in performance and AI compute
r/hardware r on reddit
Apple introduces M6 and M5 Ultra for a big leap in performance and AI compute
r/StableDiffusion r on reddit
It's here! Apple introduces M6 and M5 Ultra for a big leap in performance and AI compute
r/LocalLLaMA r on reddit
Apple releases M5 ultra at 1.2TB/s bandwith
r/apple r on reddit
Apple introduces M6 and M5 Ultra for a big leap in performance and AI compute
@joshelman Josh Elman on x
The Mac Mini is a beast. And it is going to be even more powerful with Siri AI and the new macOS27 What an update! https://www.apple.com/...
@markgurman Mark Gurman on x
It's the most exciting time I could ever remember in the Mac universe and Apple is firing on all cylinders. More more to come soon: - M6 MacBook Pro 14-inch - M6 iMac - M5 Pro and M5 Max touch-screen MacBooks - More next year in my article from July https://www.bloomberg.com/...
@mkbhd Marques Brownlee on x
M6 just dropped M6 Mac Mini starts at $899 now 😮 https://www.apple.com/...
@avstorm Andreas Storm on x
Apple has introduced new Mac mini
@markgurman Mark Gurman on x
Apple officially launches the M6 M5 Pro Mac mini, plus the M5 Ultra Mac Studio.
r/macmini r on reddit
Apple unveils a more powerful Mac mini featuring the all-new M6 and M5 Pro
r/LocalLLM r on reddit
New Mac Mini M6 and M5 Pro announced
r/apple r on reddit
Apple unveils a more powerful Mac mini featuring the all-new M6 and M5 Pro
@aschilling Andreas Schilling on x
The M5 Ultra uses UltraFusion to connect two dual-die M5 Max chips. Where are the stylized die shots that Apple usually posts? That would be especially interesting with the quad-die design!
@julianharris Julian Harris on x
M5 Ultra 512GB 1.2TB/s Memory bandwidth still only 60% of a 4090
@alexocheema Alex Cheema on x
The 512GB M5 Ultra will ship in October with a massive 1.2TB/s memory bandwidth. 50% more memory bandwidth than M3 Ultra, 4.4x more than DGX Spark and M4 Pro. Stacking 4 x M5 Ultra, I expect you'll be able to run Kimi K3 / GLM 5.3 faster than the API (>100 tok/sec).
@hesamation @hesamation on x
Apple's new M5 Ultra is a local AI powerhouse. > 512GB unified memory > 1.2TB/s memory bandwidth > 4.5x peak AI compute vs M3 Ultra > can run hundreds of billions of param LLMs The catch: it starts at $5,499, 37.5% more than the M3 Ultra.
@elliotarledge Elliot Arledge on x
M5 Ultra and M6 unveiled today: M5 Ultra is 1.2TB/s unified memory bandwidth. (link below)
@mkbhd Marques Brownlee on x
M5 Ultra has also landed - Up to 36-core CPU - Up to 80-core GPU - 1.2TB/s for unified memory (A fully specced-out M5 Ultra Mac Studio with 16TB storage and 256GB of memory now costs $18,299) https://www.apple.com/...
@ashxhart Ash Hart on x
M5 Ultra on the @apple store. 1.2TB/s memory bandwidth and up to 512GB unified memory. 512GB can be ordered in late October, but 256GB is available to pre-order.
@parkerortolani Parker Ortolani on x
with the Mac mini now at what I believe is its highest starting price ever I wonder if they'll consider a ‘Mac Neo’
@brandonbutch Brandon Butch on x
Let the Apple price hikes continue with the new product announcements today. M6 Mac mini = $899 (vs. $599 previous gen) M5 Ultra Mac Studio = $5499 (vs. $3999 previous gen) M5 Pro Mac mini = $1699 (vs. $1399 previous gen)
@chancehmiller Chance Miller on x
Price changes with today's Mac mini and Mac Studio updates: - M6 Mac mini: $899 (+$100) - M5 Pro Mac mini: $1,699 (+$100) - M5 Max Mac Studio: $2,499 (unchanged) - M5 Ultra Mac Studio: $5,499 (+$200) A sign of the times.
@matthewkeyslive Matthew Keys on x
Very clear from the new starting prices of the Mac Mini that Apple has no intention of lowering its computer prices even once the RAM/storage shortage eases up. These prices are here to stay.
@markgurman Mark Gurman on x
Some nice price hikes. Mac mini M6 is $899, M5 Pro is $1,699. Mac Studio M5 Max is $2,499 (no change), while the M5 Ultra starts at a whopping $5,499.
Trece Witte Trece Witte on linkedin
Apple today announced the new Mac mini with the all-new M6 and powerful M5 Pro, delivering a dramatic boost in performance and even more versatility in its supersmall desktop design. …
@fj@mastodon.social @fj@mastodon.social on mastodon
“With the powerful M5 Ultra, Mac Studio scales up to a 36-core CPU, up to an 80-core GPU, and a staggering 512GB of unified memory, enabling users to run enormous LLMs entirely on device” — https://www.apple.com/...
@tim_cook Tim Cook on x
The new Mac mini is here. Small in size. Big on performance. From everyday productivity to all things AI, it can help you do it all.
@chikim@mastodon.social Chi Kim on mastodon
Now it gets really interesting! M5-Ultra has With up to 512GB of unified memory and 1.2TB/s of memory bandwidth. DGX Spark (273 GB/s), Rtx-4090 (1.0TB/s) RTX-5090 (1.8 TB/s) #Apple #Mac would be a decent competition for local LLM machine. #AI #LLM https://www.apple.com/...
@thejoshmeister Josh Long on x
You thought M6 Mac mini was impressive? 😏 Apple released a Mac Studio with a brand new M5 Ultra, “Apple's first quad-die... its most powerful chip ever.” Up to 36 CPU cores, 80 GPU cores, 32-core Neural Engine, 512 GB RAM. NOT priced for consumers. 😅
@mudler_it Ettore Di Giacinto on x
So who's buying to put Linux and make it work for real in there? This hardware it's really good, but OS and closed ecosystem is crap https://www.apple.com/...
@zollotech Aaron Zollo on x
A full spec M5 Ultra Mac Studio is a bit expensive.
@adrianweckler Adrian Weckler on x
New Apple Mac Studio desktop computer, maxed out — €20,779 (M5 Ultra chip, 256GB Ram, 80-core GPU, 16TB storage) When 512GB Ram is available in October, it'll be a higher max price
@thejoshmeister Josh Long on x
Wow, Apple just said, “You know what? Let's release a Mac mini with a brand new M6 chip on a random Tuesday. No big deal.” 😌 Apple's first 2 nm chip. 12-core CPU with the “world's fastest CPU core,
@tgod34748 @tgod34748 on x
Damn, the new Mac Studio has PCIe Gen 6 SSDs? This is the first Mac with Gen 6 SSDs! This thing will be a beast!
@avstorm Andreas Storm on x
Apple's design team clearly had a blast with the new Mac Studio page. https://apple.com/...
@jun_song Jun Song on x
Mac Studio M5 Ultra 256gb vs 2xDGX Spark Price : $10,799 vs $10,000 Prefill : almost tie (expected) Decode : 1,200GB/s vs 273GB/s Mac Studio is definitely more worth the price.
@aaronp613 Aaron on x
The new Mac Studio video is giving the same energy as the “Liquid Ass” oopsie
@matthewmillerai Matthew Miller on x
Apple just dropped the new Mac Studio. M5 Ultra with 256GB unified memory for $9,499. You could run DeepSeek V4 Flash locally on this machine. No API limits. No rate limits. No subscriptions. Just your own inference sitting on your desk. With the compute shortage getting
David Vicuna Polo David Vicuna Polo on linkedin
Apple just leveled up its desktop lineup. — Today Apple announced the new Mac Studio powered by the M5 Max and the all-new M5 Ultra …
r/technology r on reddit
Apple releases new Polishing Cloth for $9
@theahmadosman Ahmad on x
The DGX Sparks got killed today by Apple

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