WWDC 2023 | Apple Mac Studio gets highly-anticipated M2 Ultra and M2 Max refresh

Earlier leaks suggested the Mac Studio would not get a hardware refresh this time due to the new Mac Pro. However, Apple decided to go ahead with the refresh, allowing users to pick between the newly-announced M2 Ultra and M2 Max. It keeps the same Mac Mini form factor, with the only significant change being the hardware.

Once again, Apple takes potshots at Intel by claiming the Mac Studio is up to 4x faster than the 27-inch iMac. Similarly, it is up to 50% faster than the first-generation Mac Studio in DaVinci Resolve and up to 3x faster in Octane. Whether or not the results translate to real-world performance remains to be seen, more so when competing offerings from Nvidia and AMD have gotten significantly faster.

The Mac Studio, with its M2 Ultra chip, can output video at 8K 240 Hz or up to six Pro Display XDRs. Other I/O includes Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, four Thunderbolt ports, 10 Gbps Ethernet, two USB Type-C ports and an SD card reader at the front. One can configure it with up to 8 TB of storage (non-upgradable) and 192 GB of memory.

One can purchase the new Mac Studio starting at US$1,999. However, the M2 Ultra-powered version could end up costing a whole lot more. Pre-orders are open now, and the Mac Studio will hit shelves on June 13.