Mac Studio (M4 Max) evaluate

Worth When Reviewed

$1,999

Greatest Costs Right this moment: Apple Mac Studio (M4 Max, 2025)

$1999

With its most up-to-date replace, Apple’s quickest Mac is the Mac Studio, palms down. The Mac Professional lurking within the background may cost a little extra and look extra highly effective, however it nonetheless has a chip that was launched practically three years in the past, and that chip isn’t the quickest anymore.

So, the highlight focuses on the Mac Studio. That’s not by chance. Apple has been trending in the direction of compact designs with its merchandise, so the corporate’s choice for the Mac Studio as its prime performer suits the invoice. And the Mac Studio is as much as the duty–compact doesn’t imply a sacrifice in efficiency. It’s a imply machine splendid for probably the most hectic of manufacturing environments.

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M4 Max Mac Studio: Our mannequin’s specs

Apple presents two customary configurations of the Mac Studio: A $1,999 mannequin with an M4 Max chip, and a $3,999 mannequin with an M3 Extremely. Every configuration could be custom-made with extra reminiscence and SSD, in addition to variations on the chip’s CPU and GPU cores.

This evaluate focuses on the M4 Max Mac Studio, and our evaluate unit has a chip improve from the usual configuration, in addition to extra RAM and a bigger SSD. Listed below are the specs of our evaluate unit:

• CPU: M4 Max with 16 cores (12 efficiency cores, 4 effectivity cores), 16-core Neural Engine
• GPU: 40 cores
• Reminiscence: 128GB unified reminiscence (819GBps reminiscence 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 kilos (2.74 kg)
• Dimensions: 3.7 x 7.7 x 7.7 inches (9.5 x 19.7 x 19.7 cm)
• Worth (as examined): $3,699/£3,799/CA$5,249/AU$6,049

M4 Max Mac Studio: Efficiency

Apple did one thing…totally different with the Mac Studio. It presents it with each Max and Extremely variations of its M-series chips, because it has at all times completed. However this time, the chips will not be from the identical era; as an alternative, there’s an M4 Max and an M3 Extremely. When requested by Ars Technica why an M3 Extremely as an alternative of an M4 Extremely, Apple flatly stated each chip era wouldn’t have an Extremely chip in its lineup. In keeping with Numerama, the M4 Max chip doesn’t have the UltraFusion know-how Apple makes use of to create an Extremely chip. So this’ll presumably be the top-of-the-line chip till the M5 Extremely comes alongside.

The M4 Max Mac Studio comes customary with a 14-core CPU (10 efficiency cores, 4 effectivity cores), a 32-core GPU, 36GB of unified reminiscence, and a 512GB SSD. This evaluate appears on the M4 Max possibility with a 16-core CPU (two extra efficiency cores), a 40-core GPU, 128GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD, which all add $1,700 the worth of the Mac Studio.

The M4 Max’s 76 % enhance over the M2 Max is spectacular, even contemplating the two-generation bump. The M4 Max can also be 25 % sooner than the M2 Extremely, which was Apple’s quickest chip even after the M3 Max arrived.

The enhance of the M4 Max over the M2 Max (12-core CPU) is gigantic, however there’s virtually no distinction between the M2 Extremely and the M4 Max. You probably have an M2 Extremely Mac Studio and thought perhaps you might save just a little bit of cash by upgrading to the M4 Max as an alternative, it’s most likely not value it for the CPU.

Mac Studio customers usually tend to be utilizing professional apps as an alternative of consumer-based software program like iMovie, however the file exports may give a way of the efficiency achieve, regardless. The 24 % enhance with ProRes exports is a big period of time for artistic professionals.

Handbrake 1.9.2 video encode

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On this take a look at, we transcoded the 4K Tears of Metal video to H.265 utilizing HandBrake, a video converter app. Some enormous good points are seen right here, both when utilizing the Mac’s {hardware} encoders or when not.

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Blackmagic Disk Exams

^{Outcomes are megabytes per second. Greater charges/longer bars are sooner.}

These scores are primarily flat throughout the board. The efficiency right here is sweet, however it seems that it’ll take some newfound innovation to see a drastic change in SSD efficiency.

The M4 Max in our evaluate has a 40-core GPU, which is 2 greater than the M2 Mac Studio, in order that, together with any new optimizations the M4 Max has, leads to a 25 % Metallic enchancment. Geekbench Compute assessments graphics with both OpenCL or Metallic APIs, the latter of which is Apple’s.

M4 Max Mac Studio: Thunderbolt 5 ports

The opposite main improve with the brand new Mac Studio is that the Thunderbolt ports now assist Thunderbolt 5. This considerably will increase the bandwidth from 40Gbps in Thunderbolt 4 within the earlier Mac Studio to 80Gbps–for video it will probably go as excessive as 120Gbps. That’s an enormous deal for manufacturing use, however to make the most of the velocity, nevertheless, you have to use Thunderbolt 5 gadgets, that are nonetheless expensive and considerably uncommon.

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This enhances the exterior show assist on the M4 Max Mac Studio just a little. It will possibly nonetheless drive as much as 5 shows, 4 over Thunderbolt at 6K/60Hz, and one linked to the HDMI 2.1 port at 4K/144Hz (HDMI was beforehand restricted to 4K/60Hz). The opposite show connection possibility hasn’t modified: two shows with 6K at 60Hz over Thunderbolt, and one show with 8K at 60Hz or 4K at as much as 240Hz over HDMI.

M4 Max Mac Studio: Established order

The 2 main modifications with the 2025 Mac Studio are the chip upgrades and the Thunderbolt 5 implementation. Apple hasn’t modified the rest. However as a result of we attempt for completeness, right here’s a abstract of these unchanged objects.

• Design: The impressively small sq. kind hasn’t modified since its introduction in 2022. Be taught extra in regards to the Mac Studio’s design.
• Ports: The Mac Studio presents the identical plentiful ports as earlier than, however as I discussed, the Thunderbolt implementation was upgraded to model 5.
• Keyboard, mouse, and monitor: As at all times, you have to present your individual. Apple’s Magic Mouse, Trackpad, and Keyboard acquired a USB-C replace final November, whereas the 27-inch Studio Show continues to be on its 1st-gen launch from 2022.

One factor that hasn’t modified that I want would, is the Mac Studio’s means of initiating the setup course of for the Magic Keyboard. It entails urgent the Mac Studio’s energy button twice, and like earlier than, it took me a number of tries to seek out the rhythm of the double button press. It didn’t take me 13 tries like final time, however it did take me eight makes an attempt, which looks as if seven too many.

Do you have to purchase the M4 Max Mac Studio?

While you want as a lot processing energy as you may get, the Mac Studio is your solely selection proper now. Fortuitously, it supplies a severe quantity of processing energy, whether or not you get an M4 Max or M3 Extremely.

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In the event you purchased any of the previous variations of the Mac Studio, you’re by no means happy with the velocity and at all times want sooner efficiency. You’ll discover the boosted efficiency definitely worth the cash, however keep in mind you additionally get Thunderbolt 5, which might make your expertise even higher, as long as you employ Thunderbolt 5 gadgets.

Apple’s different workstation, the Mac Professional, has the only real goal now of filling a distinct segment: customers who want the growth slots. It wasn’t up to date and nonetheless has an M2 Extremely chip, which is now a slower CPU than the M4 Professional. You’re not shopping for the Mac Professional if you would like the quickest Mac. Talking of the M4 Professional, the present M2 Professional Mac mini begins at $1,399, however for those who improve it to a 14-core M4 Professional CPU ($200) and 48GB of RAM ($400), you find yourself with the identical value because the entry-level M4 Max Mac Studio that’s the higher deal. You don’t get as a lot RAM, however you do get extra GPU energy, extra ports, and extra strong show assist.