THE CRUNCH
Apple has retired the Mac Pro, leaving the Mac Studio as its top-tier desktop. The new M5 Ultra model is a compact powerhouse designed for heavy workloads like running language models locally. The system starts at $2,499 and can reach $12,299 for the top configuration with 256GB of unified memory. This makes it a serious contender for enterprise-grade AI tasks in a quiet, small form factor.
The M5 Ultra chip combines a 36-core CPU and an 80-core GPU, offering performance that rivals traditional data centres for specific workloads. This setup is particularly well-suited for AI developers and 3D visual effects houses. The system's unified memory architecture allows for efficient data sharing between the CPU and GPU, which is crucial for running large language models locally.
While the Mac Studio is incredibly powerful, it is not a cheap machine. The starting price of $2,499 is already high, and the top-end configuration at $12,299 places it firmly in the enterprise territory. The lack of upgradeability, a common trait of Apple Silicon systems, means buyers must commit to their choices at purchase. Despite the high cost, the machine's quiet operation and compact design make it an attractive option for professionals who need powerful computing without the noise and bulk of a traditional rack-mounted server.