With its latest update, Apple’s fastest Mac is now the Mac Studio. While the Mac Pro may have a higher price tag and seem more powerful, it still uses a chip released nearly three years ago, which is no longer the fastest. Therefore, the spotlight is on the Mac Studio, and it’s no coincidence.
Apple has been trending towards more compact designs with its products, and prioritizing Mac Studio as its top performer aligns with that direction. And the Mac Studio is up to the task — being compact doesn’t mean it compromises on performance. It’s an excellent machine ideal for the most demanding production environments.
Our Model Specifications
Apple offers two standard configurations for the Mac Studio: a $1,999 model with the M4 Max chip and a $3,999 model with the M3 Ultra chip. Each configuration can be customized with more memory, SSD, and variations in CPU and GPU cores of the chip.
This review focuses on the M4 Max Mac Studio, and our review unit has an upgraded chip from the standard configuration, with additional RAM and a larger SSD. Here are the specifications for our review unit:
• CPU: M4 Max with 16 cores (12 performance cores, 4 efficiency cores), 16-core Neural Engine
• GPU: 40 cores
• Memory: 128GB unified memory (819GBps memory bandwidth)
• Storage: 1TB SSD
• Ports: 4 Thunderbolt 5/USB-C; 10Gb Ethernet; 2 USB-A (USB 3); HDMI 2.1; 3.5mm audio; 2 USB-C; SDXC card slot
• Networking: Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax); Bluetooth 5.3; Gigabit Ethernet
• Weight: 6.1 pounds (2.74 kg)
• Dimensions: 3.7 x 7.7 x 7.7 inches (9.5 x 19.7 x 19.7 cm)
• Price (Tested): $3,699/£3,799/CA$5,249/AU$6,049
Performance
Apple has done something different with the Mac Studio. It still offers both the M-series chip’s Max and Ultra versions as before, but this time, the chips are not from the same generation; instead, we have an M4 Max and an M3 Ultra. When Ars Technica asked why M4 Max instead of M4 Ultra, Apple clarified that not every chip generation would have an Ultra version. As Numerama notes, the M4 Max chip apparently lacks the UltraFusion technology used by Apple in the making of Ultra chips-and it seems like this will remain the top chip until M5 Ultra comes about.
The M4 Max Mac Studio comes standard with a pro-performance 14-core CPU (10 performance cores, 4 efficiency cores), a 32-core GPU, 36GB unified memory, and a 512GB SSD. This review focuses on the M4 Max variant with a 16-core CPU (two additional performance cores), a 40-core GPU, 128GB RAM, and a 1TB SSD, which adds $1,700 to the price of the Mac Studio.
Geekbench 6
Results are expressed as Geekbench scores. Higher scores/longer bars indicate faster performance.
The 76% improvement of the M4 Max over the M2 Max is impressive, even considering the two-generation gap. The M4 Max is 25% faster than the M2 Ultra, which was Apple’s fastest chip before the M3 Max.
Cinebench 2024
Results are expressed as Cinebench scores. Higher scores/longer bars indicate faster performance.
The boost of M4 Max over M2 Max (12-core CPU) is significant, but there’s practically no difference between the M2 Ultra and M4 Max. If you already own an M2 Ultra Mac Studio and were thinking about upgrading to the M4 Max for a little savings, it might not be worth it for CPU performance alone.
iMovie Video Export
Results are in seconds. Lower time/shorter bars indicate faster performance.
Mac Studio users are more likely to use professional apps rather than consumer-based software like iMovie, but the file export performance benefits are still noticeable. The 24% increase in ProRes export time is a significant gain for creative professionals.
HandBrake 1.9.2 Video Encode
Results are in seconds. Lower time/shorter bars indicate faster performance.
We used the HandBrake, as the software used for transconding the 4K resolution video of “Tears of Steel” content to the new format called H.265. There were some substantial gains, either when using the Mac’s hardware encoder or when not.
Blackmagic Disk Test
Results are in megabytes per second. Higher rates/longer bars indicate faster performance.
These scores are generally flat across the board. While performance is good, it seems that some new innovation is required to see significant changes in SSD performance.
Geekbench 6.4 Compute
Results are expressed as Geekbench scores. Higher scores/longer bars indicate faster performance.
In our review, the M4 Max has a 40-core GPU, which is two more than the M2 Mac Studio, so with any new optimizations present in the M4 Max, there’s a 25% improvement in Metal performance. Geekbench Compute tests graphics using OpenCL or Metal APIs, with Metal being Apple’s proprietary one.
Thunderbolt 5 Ports
A second major upgrade with the new Mac Studio is that the Thunderbolt ports now support Thunderbolt 5. This results in a significant increase in bandwidth from 40Gbps with Thunderbolt 4 to 80Gbps, which can go up to 120Gbps for video. This is a big deal for production usage, but to take advantage of the speed, you’ll need to use Thunderbolt 5 devices, which are still rare and somewhat expensive.
This also improves external display support on the M4 Max Mac Studio. It can now handle up to five displays: four via Thunderbolt at 6K/60Hz and one via HDMI 2.1 at 4K/144Hz (HDMI was previously limited to 4K/60Hz). Other display connections have remained unchanged: two displays via Thunderbolt at 6K/60Hz, and one display via HDMI at 8K/60Hz or 4K at 240Hz.
The Status Quo
With the 2025 Mac Studio, there are two major changes: the chip upgrade and Thunderbolt 5 implementation. Apple hasn’t changed much else. However, for the sake of completeness, here’s a summary of those unchanged aspects:
• Design: The impressively compact square shape hasn’t changed since its debut in 2022.
• Ports: The Mac Studio still provides plenty of ports, but, as mentioned, Thunderbolt has been upgraded to version 5.
• Keyboard, Mouse, and Monitor: As usual, you’ll need to provide your own. Apple’s Magic Mouse, Trackpad, and Keyboard got a USB-C update last November, while the 27-inch Studio Display still uses its first-generation release from 2022.
One thing that hasn’t changed, which I wish would, is how the Mac Studio initiates the setup process for the Magic Keyboard. It involves pressing the Mac Studio’s power button twice, and as before, I had to try multiple times to get the double press rhythm right. Last time it took me 13 attempts, but this time it was 8 — still seven too many.
Should You Buy the M4 Max Mac Studio?
When you need maximum processing power, the Mac Studio is your only choice right now. Fortunately, it delivers plenty of processing power, whether you get the M4 Max or the M3 Ultra.
If you’ve bought any previous version of the Mac Studio, you’ll never be satisfied with speed and will always need faster performance. The improved performance is definitely worth the price, but remember, you’ll also get Thunderbolt 5, which can make your experience even better, provided you use Thunderbolt 5 devices.
Apple’s other workstation, the Mac Pro, now only serves one purpose: catering to users who need expansion slots. It hasn’t been updated and still uses the M2 Ultra chip, which is now slower than the M4 Pro. If you want the fastest Mac, the Mac Pro isn’t your choice. Speaking of the M4 Pro, the current M2 Pro Mac Mini starts at $1,399, but if you upgrade it to a 14-core M4 Pro CPU ($200) and 48GB RAM ($400), you’ll end up at the same price as the entry-level M4 Max Mac Studio, which is a better deal. You won’t get as much RAM, but you’ll get more GPU power, more ports, and stronger display support.
