Apple ‘Mac Studio’ Design, Ports, Price, Specs, and More | What Our Sources Say

Apple Studio Credit: Ian Zelbo / Twitter
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Apple is allegedly working on something called “Mac Studio.” This device could be described as a mix between the Mac mini and the Mac Pro, both in terms of size and power.

According to 9to5Mac, this new Mac Studio is known by the codename “J375.” Apple has two different prototypes of this device, one features the M1 Max chip, and another features an even more powerful processor. The report doesn’t specify which processor this might be, although 9to5Mac suggests this could be an Apple Silicon chip with 40 CPU cores and 128 GPU cores.

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The report also adds that they believe the smaller Mac Pro Mark Gurman reported on will be the new “Mac Studio,” which would replace the outdated high-end Intel Mac mini that Apple still sells.

Lastly, the report suggests Apple could unveil the “Mac Studio” in June at WWDC.

So What Are Our Sources Saying?

When I first read this report, I was a bit skeptical about it since I hadn’t ever heard “Mac Studio” or “J375,” so I did what I always do. I sent it to some of my sources related to the matter and asked them if they knew anything about it, and surprisingly they did, so let me tell you.

Mac Studio Name, Design, and More

The Mac Studio name isn’t final yet. It’ll probably end up being called that, but Apple has time to change it, and the company hasn’t decided on it for certain.

I can confirm this will indeed look like a mix between the Mac mini and the Mac Pro. Neither small nor big, something average that won’t need a lot of space on a desk. Apple will make it out of aluminum, and the Mac Pro will inspire the design slightly. I just hope it doesn’t need a $699 wheels kit or a $299 feet set.

I’ve been told the final I/O is still being discussed within the company. However, you should definitely expect multiple Thunderbolt 4 ports, an HDMI, one or two Ethernet ports, at least one USB A port, a 3.5mm audio jack, and a power supply port. 

Apple engineers could decide to add more ports, and even an SD card reader, whether they do it or not isn’t something I can tell you now. Still, I’ll definitely keep you updated on this topic, so make sure to follow iDrop News and myself on Twitter so that you don’t miss any updates on this matter.

Mac Studio Production and Release Date

As far as I know, Apple and its partners haven’t started the Mac Studio production yet. As I already mentioned, the Cupertino-based company doesn’t have a final product yet and needs to decide on many things regarding this product still. 

Some of my sources believe Apple could complete its development in a couple of months. If this is the case, I assume Apple will unveil the Mac Studio during the Worldwide Developers Conference in June.

I don’t expect Apple to start mass production until late May or early June; that’s why I believe the Mac Studio won’t be ready to ship right after its unveiling, but later this year. That could be from late August all the way to November; it all depends on whether Apple and its partners manage to avoid significant issues during the mass production.

I don’t want to be that guy, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the company encountered multiple problems. These things happen all the time, especially when the manufacturer has to design new production lines because it is the first time Apple has manufactured a product like this one. Let me explain what I mean by that. 

When Apple tells Hon Hai Precision Industry Company Ltd. (Foxconn) that it wants to manufacture a new Mac mini, Foxconn employees don’t need a lot of training since they have already worked on something similar. The same thing applies to a new iPhone or a MacBook Pro. There might be slight differences, but the changes aren’t significant enough. However, when Apple wants to manufacture a completely different product from anything the company has manufactured in the last five years, Foxconn and other partners need to teach their employees to do something new. That’s something that can lead to more faulty devices than usual and, consequently, a slower production.

We also can’t ignore the current situation between Ukraine and Russia which could cause a shortage of a variety of elements needed to manufacture a computer, resulting in a slower than usual mass production. And also, remember that even if Apple manages to finish mass production on time, the company can always decide to hold a product for as long as it wants. Even if the Mac Studio is ready to be shipped in September, Apple could choose to start accepting orders in November or even in 2023. Apple will release the Mac Studio when the marketing team decides it is the best moment to do so, even if the product is ready to ship months before.

Mac Studio Price

Lastly, I want to talk about the Mac Studio’s price. It’s not decided yet, but after talking with several people related to the matter, I wouldn’t be surprised if the new Mac Studio’s starting price was as low as $1,499. However, these sources tell that’s a very optimistic number.

It all depends on whether Apple markets this as an alternative to the Mac mini or the Mac Pro: If the company goes with the first option, a starting price of $1,499 will make sense to me. However, if Apple chooses the second option, the starting price will be closer to $1,999. We’ll have to wait and see.

No matter the pricing strategy Apple follows with this Mac Studio, it looks like it’ll be an excellent computer that many professionals will buy. And I’m pretty sure it will be worth the money and will be a perfect match for the new display Apple could announce during the March 8 event – more info coming soon.



[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]

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