Mac Studio · Apple Silicon · 2026
Mac Studio (M5 Max / M5 Ultra)
The compact pro desktop moves to M5 Max and M5 Ultra, with up to 512 GB of unified memory, 16 TB of storage, Thunderbolt 5, Wi-Fi 7 and support for eight displays — Apple pitching it squarely as a local-AI powerhouse.
Brought the Ultra tier to the M5 generation, with up to a 36-core CPU, 80-core GPU and 512 GB of unified memory.
Mac Studio (M5 Max / M5 Ultra): key facts
When was the Mac Studio (M5 Max / M5 Ultra) released?
The Mac Studio (M5 Max / M5 Ultra) arrived on September 22, 2026.
How much did the Mac Studio (M5 Max / M5 Ultra) cost?
The Mac Studio (M5 Max / M5 Ultra) launched at $2,499 in 2026, about $2,524 in today’s money (approximate, US CPI).
What specs stand out?
Key specs: Apple M5 Max / M5 Ultra at 4.60 GHz, 36 GB RAM, 512 GB storage, External display display.
Why does the Mac Studio (M5 Max / M5 Ultra) matter?
Brought the Ultra tier to the M5 generation, with up to a 36-core CPU, 80-core GPU and 512 GB of unified memory.
Full specifications
| CPU | Apple M5 Max / M5 Ultra · 4.60 GHz |
|---|---|
| Cores | 36 |
| Memory (RAM) | 36 GB (up to 512 GB) |
| Storage | 512 GB |
| Display | External display |
| GPU | Apple up to 80-core GPU |
| Ports | Thunderbolt 5, 10GbE, USB-A, HDMI 2.1, SDXC |
| Weight | 3.6 kg |
| Dimensions | 19.7×19.7×9.5 cm |
| Operating system | macOS |
| Released | September 22, 2026 |
| Discontinued | — |
| Launch price | $2,499 |
How the Mac Studio (M5 Max / M5 Ultra) compares to today
A 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro has about 0.4× more memory than this device shipped with.
At 4.60 GHz, the clock is roughly 0.7× slower than a single performance core of a 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro, and that is before counting cores, width and IPC.
This held about 131,000 modern phone photos, a respectable library even today.
Launched at $2,499 in 2026, about $2,524 in today’s money (approx., US CPI).
Method note: clock comparisons use frequency only; price conversions use US CPI.
Sources
Specs checked against Apple Mac Studio technical specifications, Apple technical specifications archive, EveryMac, Mactracker.
Did you know?
Announced August 25, 2026; configurations with 512 GB of memory shipped later than the rest of the line.
Open the Mac Studio (M5 Max / M5 Ultra) in the interactive archive →
Last updated: 2026-08-28