FAQ | Is Apple’s Mac Studio Worth It? Or Should I Wait for the Next Mac Pro?

During its Peek Performance keynote, Apple introduced a brand new Mac called the Mac Studio. And even though we were already waiting for it, it still took us by surprise thanks to the new design and crazy powerful new M1 Ultra chip. 

Not only that, but Apple also revealed a new Studio Display that supports 5K, Spatial Audio, and even comes with an A13 Bionic chip that allows features like Center Stage. Plus, it comes with its own basic stand at no extra cost. 

However, with all the hype for the new Mac Studio, Apple did hint at an upcoming Mac Pro. It was such a small hint that we really have no official news about it other than it’s coming.

Does that mean the Mac Pro is closer than we expected? And if so, should you buy the Mac Studio right now or wait a little longer and get Apple’s greatest, most powerful Mac computer? It’s a bit hard to decide, but here’s everything you need to know. 

Mac Studio – The Most Powerful and Expensive M1 Mac (Yet)

There were already a lot of rumors about the new Mac Studio even before Apple announced it during its keynote. Still, the new Mac stole the show thanks to its small design, the introduction of a new Apple Silicon processor, and a price that’s not for everyone. 

Alongside the new Mac Studio, Apple revealed a brand new Apple Silicon chip called the M1 Ultra. As of right now, this processor is exclusive to the higher-end Mac Studio, and it makes the small Mac Apple’s fastest computer. How is that possible?

To put it simply, the M1 Ultra is pretty much two M1 Max chips put together to create a chip with a 20-core CPU, divided into 16 high-performance cores and four efficiency cores.

Thanks to the M1 Ultra chip on the Mac Studio, the GPU performance on the Mac Studio is up to 80% faster than the highest-end Mac Pro, which is something crazy to think about. Plus, with the help of other features like 128GB Unified Memory and up to 8TB of storage, the Mac Studio is clearly meant to help all professionals around the world. 

In simple terms, this computer is a beast, and it’s one of, if not the best on the market. But of course, that comes with a price. The powerful Mac Studio starts at $1,999 for the base model with an M1 Max chip. 

But if you want to take it to the next level, you can spend $3,999 to get the highest-end Mac Studio with the M1 Ultra Chip.

Not only that, but if you want the Studio Display to match your new computer, you’d have to spend at least an extra $1,500 to get the Studio Display with its basic stand. 

I know what you’re thinking; this is far from a budget computer. But, even if you go decide to upgrade your Mac Studio with more storage, a better GPU, or more unified memory, you might still pay less than the most basic Mac Pro.

What’s the Future of the Mac Pro?

As we mentioned before, Apple didn’t reveal anything about the Mac Pro, and the company just said that it’s a “story for another day.” But, you know the internet; there are already a bunch of rumors and speculations about the upcoming Mac Pro. 

First things first, we’re expecting Apple to release the first-ever Apple Silicon Mac Pro in 2022. Even though there isn’t a specific date, the company may release the new Mac Pro around December, when the current and last generation Mac Pros were released. 

The upcoming Mac Pro won’t feature many design changes, according to the rumors. Instead, Apple will focus on the internals of the machine. As you can already guess, Apple will switch from the current Intel-based processor to a new Apple Silicon chip. But which one is Apple going to use?

Many reports talked about a new 20-core chip, which is pretty much the same as the now-known M1 Ultra chip, so it’s highly likely that Apple will use it for this Mac.

It’s possible that Apple will do the same as it did with the Mac Studio and offer two different models. A base model with an M1 Max chip and a more expensive, higher-end model that’d feature an M1 Ultra processor.

There are other rumors that suggest Apple might use an entirely new chip altogether, which would likely be the M2 Ultra chip, albeit other sources suggest this chip has been delayed for next year, so don’t get your hopes up. 

We don’t know much about other technical specs like RAM or storage, but we expect the new Mac Pro to support up to at least 8TB of storage and start with at least 32GB of RAM like the current model.

We’re also expecting the Mac Pro to be modular, so you’d be able to upgrade internal parts easily and without going to the Apple Store. 

Whether all these rumors are true or not, there’s one thing for sure: it’s going to be the most powerful desktop computer you can get your hands on. And it’s going to be pretty expensive as well. Based on the current Mac Pro, it’s possible the new Apple Silicon Mac Pro would start at around $6,000, and its price could go up to a little over $50,000. 

That’s not to mention the fact that you’d also need to get a display. Hopefully, if Apple also decides to release a new XDR display, this time will at least come with its own stand.

Is It Actually Worth Waiting for the Apple Silicon Mac Pro?

There’s no doubt that when it comes out, the Mac Pro will be a performance beast. And there’s no doubt that you already know if you’d be able to use the Mac Pro to its full potential. If you’re a professional who needs the latest and greatest for editing, 3D modeling, or whatever you do, of course, you can afford it; the Mac Pro would be a great tool that’ll take your workflow to the next level.

However, it’s highly likely that you’d need to pay a lot of extra money to get the more powerful M1 Ultra chip on the Mac Pro, which would make the Mac Studio a little more enticing. 

For almost half the price of the current Mac Pro, you can get a Mac Studio with the new, more powerful M1 Ultra chip, giving you better performance and wattage usage than any other computer available. Plus, you’d have more than enough power to do pretty much any demanding task without breaking a sweat. Overall it’s the best bang for your buck when it comes to high-end Mac desktops.

Plus, you can spend a little more and get the newer Studio Display, albeit it’s not that necessary if you already have a good enough display. 

Don’t get me wrong, both Macs are really expensive, and not a lot of people will be able to afford them. But if you have around $6,000 to invest in a new computer, you’d be better off with the Mac Studio and the Studio Display now than waiting for a new Mac Pro that may not even come out this year. 

The good news is that there are no wrong answers. Whichever route you choose, you can rest assured you’ll get one of the best desktop computers in the world, and you’ll be able to work on pretty much anything without hiccups. 

[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.]