M5 Ultra Mac Studio review: Local AI power meets steep price hikes
Apple’s new M5 Ultra Mac Studio offers significant performance gains for local AI workloads but comes with substantial price increases due to memory shortages.
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M5 Ultra
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Apple Preps Fresh Mac Mini and Studio Launch With M6 and M5 Chips
Apple’s updated Mac mini (with M6 and M5 Pro) and Mac Studio (M5 Max/Ultra) are set to launch tomorrow, delivering performance bumps with no major design changes; pre-orders began August 25.
Mac Studio M5 Ultra blasts through benchmarks, reshaping expectations for AI workstations
Apple’s $12,299 Mac Studio with an M5 Ultra (36-core CPU, 80-core GPU, 256GB RAM, 4TB) rockets past last year’s M3 Ultra—about 30% faster in CPU and GPU tests, ~30% uplift in Geekbench OpenCL, and a 63% jump in Cinebench—though Verge notes its strengths lie with AI developers and demanding 3D workloads rather than everyday tasks, and they plan further AI-focused testing as they push the system’s limits.
Mac Studio M5 Ultra: Frontier AI power comes at a price
Engadget’s review hails the Mac Studio M5 Ultra as Apple’s most powerful desktop yet, packing a 36‑core CPU, 80‑core GPU, 32‑core neural engine and up to 512GB unified memory with 1.2TB/s bandwidth. In the tested config (2TB storage, 256GB RAM) it costs $11,299 and delivers standout CPU/GPU/AI performance, plus features like four Thunderbolt 5 ports and the ability to cluster multiple units for AI workloads. However, the price premium over the M5 Max is steep for most buyers, making it worth it mainly for hardcore power users or AI developers; for others, the M5 Max (or M3 Ultra) offers far better value.
Apple M5 Ultra GPU Leaks Show 41% Performance Jump
A leaked Geekbench 7 GPU score for Apple's M5 Ultra suggests a roughly 41% GPU performance gain over prior models, with the M5 Ultra GPU scoring 360,019 vs the M3 Ultra's 255,009 and rivaling the RTX 5080 in some creative workloads. Apple had announced the M5 Ultra alongside the Mac Studio, which starts at $6,799 and ships around Sept. 22, with the new GPU highlighting AI and GPU-accelerated workflow improvements.
M5 Ultra Mac Studio Benchmarks Signal Major Leap in Apple Silicon Performance
Geekbench results for a 36-core M5 Ultra Mac Studio (256GB RAM) show 3,774 single-core and 52,516 multi-core, indicating a big leap over the M6 (4,071/22,783) and roughly six times better multi-core than the M1; Geekbench is a general reference, not real-world performance. The M5 Ultra starts at $5,499 (tested configuration $10,799), with shipments highly constrained and delivery windows from November 9 to January.
M5 Ultra Benchmark Leaks: Apple's Fastest Silicon Yet Shows Notable Gains
A Geekbench 7 entry for Apple’s M5 Ultra (36-core CPU) shows single-core 3,774 and multi-core 52,516, indicating the fastest Apple chip to date with roughly 30% higher single-core and 35% higher multi-core performance than the M3 Ultra. The Mac Studio with M5 Ultra starts at $6,799 and launches Sept. 22, with GPU results still pending as more benchmark data emerges.
Apple M5 Ultra Tops 96-Core Threadripper in Geekbench 7 With Fewer Cores
Apple's M5 Ultra, a 36-core Apple Silicon SoC (12 performance cores), tops AMD's Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9995WX in Geekbench 7, delivering about 46% higher single-core score (3,774 vs 2,578) and roughly 11% higher multi-core performance despite far fewer cores; AMD still leads in heavily parallel tasks like Ray Tracer and Clang, while M5 Ultra's unified memory architecture boosts workloads such as Photo Editor, HDR, and Photo Library, making it a strong option for compact Macs (Mac Studio) versus the Threadripper's larger cooling needs.
Mac Studio M5 Max vs M5 Ultra: Choosing the Right Power for Your Work
Apple introduced two Mac Studio models: the M5 Max starting at $2,499 and the M5 Ultra starting at $5,499. The Ultra offers more CPU/GPU cores, higher memory bandwidth, more ProRes engines, and expanded display support, but its base memory is 96GB (less than the Max’s 128GB), so the Ultra shines at higher memory tiers (up to 512GB RAM and 16TB storage) while the Max remains the better value for most workflows. Memory and storage upgrades are expensive, making the price gap smaller when configuring the Max. Both models support Thunderbolt 5, RDMA, and up to eight 4K/6K displays (Ultra supports more), with Ultra weighing 3.6 kg versus 2.7 kg for the Max. Availability begins September 22; the 512GB RAM configuration is expected to push well past $10,000. Apple also notes a cheaper Mac mini option with M5 Pro starting at $1,699 for those who don’t need Studio-class power.
Mac Studio 2026: M5 Max and M5 Ultra Bring Bigger Cores, Faster Memory, and AI Acceleration
Apple’s 2026 Mac Studio refresh introduces the M5 Max and M5 Ultra, keeping the chassis but upgrading internals with an 18‑core CPU baseline on the M5 Max (expandable to 36 cores on the Ultra), faster GPUs up to 80 cores, higher memory bandwidth (up to 1.2TB/s on the Ultra), PCIe Gen 6 SSDs, and Wi‑Fi 7/Bluetooth 6 via the N1 chip. The 2025 models used the M4 Max and M3 Ultra and are now discontinued. Memory options have shifted (up to 128GB on the Max, up to 512GB on the Ultra, with some mid‑2026 withdrawals), and Neural Accelerators boost AI‑heavy tasks. Upgrades are most compelling for AI/ML and demanding graphics work; for many users, older stock or refurbished 2025 units may offer better value, while pre‑orders place all but the top configs on longer ship times.
Mac Studio gets M5 Ultra, Apple claims it’s the most powerful chip ever
Apple updates the Mac Studio with an M5 Max and a new M5 Ultra, unifying the lineup under one generation; the M5 Ultra uses UltraFusion to merge two M5 Max dies into a quad-die chip, delivering up to 1.2TB/s memory bandwidth, a 36-core CPU and 80-core GPU, and up to 4.3x faster AI compute; prices start at $2,499 for the M5 Max (36GB RAM/512GB) and $5,499 for the M5 Ultra (96GB RAM/1TB); macOS 27 Golden Gate arrives Sept 22, with the top 512GB RAM config landing in late October; RAMageddon pricing persists and the Mac Pro line is sunset, with support for up to four 5K Studio Displays.
Apple Unveils Mac Studio Upgrades With M5 Ultra and M5 Max
Apple today announced upgraded Mac Studio models powered by the M5 Ultra and M5 Max. The M5 Ultra is a dual‑die chip built with UltraFusion, offering up to a 36‑core CPU, up to 80 GPU cores, a 32‑core Neural Engine, and up to 512GB of unified memory with up to 1.2TB/s bandwidth, plus an enhanced media engine and 4‑way die‑to‑die scalability that enables clustering four Mac Studios for faster AI inference. The M5 Max is a single‑die option with up to 18 CPU cores, up to 40 GPU cores, up to 128GB of memory, and up to 614GB/s bandwidth. Both models use PCIe Gen 6 SSDs, Thunderbolt 5 (120Gb/s), Wi‑Fi 7, and Bluetooth 6, support genlock over USB‑C, and can drive up to eight displays. Availability starts September 22, with the 512GB RAM option arriving in late October; pre‑orders are live.
Apple Overhauls Mac Mini and Studio with M6 and M5 Ultra, Boosting AI and Pro Power
Apple unveils a refreshed Mac mini with an M6 12-core 2nm CPU, 32 Neural Engine cores, and base 256GB storage (upgradable to 32GB RAM) starting at $899, while the Mac Studio adopts M5 Max and the new M5 Ultra—up to 36 CPU cores, 80 GPU cores, PCIe Gen 6 SSDs, two Thunderbolt 5 ports, and support for up to four 5K displays, with the Ultra model starting at $5,499; Apple touts AI and graphics gains, but prices have risen.
Apple Targets 2026 Mac Studio Refresh with 768GB RAM and M5 Ultra
Bloomberg reports Apple plans a 2026 Mac Studio refresh with an M5 Ultra offering around 36 CPU cores and 80 GPU cores and support for up to 768GB of unified memory, though supply constraints could limit that option; the update—delayed by memory shortages and price hikes—could arrive around October 2026, and even the 768GB variant would likely be extremely expensive, potentially well over $10,000, following price increases that pushed the current 96GB M3 Ultra Mac Studio to $5,299 after a $1,300 rise.
Apple readies M5 Ultra Mac Studio and M5 Pro Mini for WWDC 2026
Leaks suggest Apple will unveil the M5 Ultra Mac Studio and M5 Pro Mac Mini at WWDC 2026, featuring MLX AI accelerators, PCIe 5.0 storage, and up to 512GB unified memory. The Ultra model reportedly ships with an 80-core GPU, while the M5 Pro Mini offers up to an 18-core CPU and up to 20 GPU cores (about 23% faster). The lineup also includes faster RAM and PCIe 5.0 SSDs (14,000–16,000 MB/s), base storage bumps (512GB on the Mac Mini) and modest price increases as Apple phases out older models, with a potential June launch.