Both Mac Studio and Studio Display were introduced as the final major announcements at Apple’s “Peak Performance” event. Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook, presented them as part of a completely new category of Mac products, designed with powerful new displays for creative professionals.
The Mac Studio was placed between the Mac mini and the Mac Pro. The initial model featured the M1 Max or the recently introduced M1 Ultra chip, offering the best performance of any Mac at the time. The base M1 Max model started at $1,999, while the M1 Ultra variant began at $3,999. When fully configured, the M1 Ultra model could cost over $8,000. Many considered the Mac Studio and Studio Display as the spiritual successors to the 27-inch iMac, which was discontinued on the same day Mac Studio was launched.
In June 2023, during the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), Apple introduced M2 Max and M2 Ultra chip options for the Mac Studio. These upgrades included support for up to six 6K monitors and better connectivity options like Bluetooth 5.3 and Wi-Fi 6E. Earlier this week, Apple unveiled the latest version of the Mac Studio, which now comes with M4 Max and M3 Ultra chips. The M4 Max features a 16-core CPU and up to a 40-core GPU, starting with 36GB of RAM, while the M3 Ultra comes with a 32-core CPU and up to an 80-core GPU, with up to 512GB of RAM. Both models feature Thunderbolt 5 ports.
The Studio Display marked Apple’s return to the consumer display market after more than a decade. Before its release, Apple had only offered the 2019 Pro Display XDR, a high-end professional monitor priced at $4,999 without a stand, targeting a specific audience. The Studio Display offered a more accessible option for users seeking a high-quality, premium external monitor that works well with Apple devices.
Rumors suggest that Apple is developing a new Studio Display model with mini-LED backlighting, expected to be released by the end of 2025 or the beginning of 2026.
