Updated @ 13:58 26/8: Local pricing has been confirmed – Mac Studio with M5 Max starts at RM10,999 (RM10,099 for Education); Mac Studio with M5 Ultra starts at RM24,999 (RM23,199 for Education). Original article follows.
Apple has launched the new Mac Studio, featuring the M5 Max and M5 Ultra chips, marking a major advancement in desktop performance for professional users. The updated model is designed for creatives, developers, AI researchers, and data scientists who require high-speed, on-device processing for complex workloads. Both configurations are housed in the compact Mac Studio form factor, delivering extreme performance in a desktop-friendly design.
Mac Studio with M5 Max Delivers High-Performance Power in a Compact Desktop
The Mac Studio with M5 Max features an 18-core CPU with six super cores and twelve performance cores. It includes up to a 40-core GPU with Neural Accelerators in each core, supporting up to 128GB of unified memory and a whopping 614GB/s of memory bandwidth. This setup enables faster rendering, real-time 3D workflows, and improved performance in video editing and AI tasks.
Performance benchmarks show up to 10.7x faster LLM prompt processing in LM Studio compared to Mac Studio with M1 Max, and up to 3.9x faster than M4 Max. Text-to-image generation is up to 3.5x faster, and Magic Mask performance in DaVinci Resolve is up to 3x faster. The Media Engine supports hardware-accelerated H.264, HEVC, ProRes, and AV1 decoding, enabling efficient handling of 8K video workflows.
Mac Studio with M5 Ultra Delivers Unprecedented Power for Extreme Workloads
The Mac Studio with M5 Ultra is Apple’s most powerful desktop to date, built for users handling the most intensive workflows in VFX, scientific research, and large-scale AI inference. The chip uses a quad-die architecture via UltraFusion technology, delivering up to insane 36-core CPU and up to 80-core GPU configurations. It includes Neural Accelerators in every GPU core and supports up to 512GB of unified memory with insanely fast 1.2TB/s of memory bandwidth which is 50 percent higher than M3 Ultra.
The M5 Ultra enables up to 15.4x faster CopyCat ML training in Foundry Nuke, 9.8x faster LLM prompt processing in LM Studio, and up to 8.2x faster text-to-image generation than M1 Ultra. Scene rendering in Maxon Redshift is up to 1.7x faster than M3 Ultra. These improvements make it ideal for running large frontier AI models locally, with complete privacy and no reliance on cloud-based inference.
The Media Engine in M5 Ultra includes twice as many video encode and decode blocks as M5 Max sibling, allowing simultaneous playback of up to 33 streams of 8K ProRes 422 at 30 fps. The chip is optimized for real-time 3D rendering, complex simulations, and large-scale data processing.
Advanced Connectivity and macOS 27 Integration
The new Mac Studio introduces Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 for improved wireless performance and reliability. Thunderbolt 5 ports provide up to 120Gb/s of bandwidth, enabling fast external storage, PCIe expansion chassis, and high-throughput peripherals. The system supports up to eight displays, including up to four Studio Display XDR units at full 5K resolution and 120Hz.
Genlock over USB-C allows synchronized video and camera workflows, including compatibility with iPhone 17 Pro. Storage performance is up to 2x faster than previous models, using a next-generation SSD architecture based on PCIe Gen 6. The Apple-designed N1 chip handles wireless connectivity and system-level optimizations.
macOS 27 includes system-wide improvements. AirDrop transfers are faster, network file browsing is more responsive, and Safari start page content loads quicker. Spotlight’s search foundation has been rebuilt, improving indexing accuracy and real-time updates across Mail, Photos, and system content. Liquid Glass UI updates include edge-to-edge sidebars, uniform toolbars, and enhanced icon detail.
Price and Availability Information
Pre-orders begin on August 25, 2026, with availability starting September 22, 2026. Mac Studio with M5 Max starts at $2,499 USD and $2,299 USD for education. The M5 Ultra model starts at $5,499 USD and $5,099 USD for education. The 512GB unified memory configuration will be available in late October. Malaysian local pricing will be announced later, watch this space.
macOS 27 is available in public beta via beta.apple.com. A free software update will be released this fall. AppleCare and AppleCare+ are available for extended coverage, including accidental damage protection and priority support.
