Mac Studio with M5 Max and M5 Ultra: Faster CPUs, Higher Entry Prices
Apple will start selling the Mac Studio with M5 Max and M5 Ultra on September 22, 2026, replacing last year's M4 Max and M3 Ultra options. Review units of the M5 Ultra configuration are now with testers ahead of availability. Red Shark News
The range starts at $2,499 for the M5 Max Mac Studio, with an 18-core CPU, the main processor, a 32-core GPU, the graphics processor, 36GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. The M5 Ultra Mac Studio starts at $5,499 with 30 CPU cores, 64 GPU cores, 96GB of memory and 1TB of storage. The Verge
Those starting prices are higher than the last generation. Engadget reports the M5 Max base moving from $2,000 to $2,500 and the M5 Ultra base moving from $4,000 to $5,500, using rounded figures. Engadget
At the chip level, the M5 Ultra joins two M5 Max chips together. It scales to a 36-core CPU, an 80-core GPU and a 32-core neural engine, the part built for AI tasks. CPU core count is up from 32 cores in the prior generation, while GPU and neural engine core counts are unchanged. Engadget
Apple lists the full M5 Ultra CPU as 12 super cores and 24 performance cores, two types of core tuned for different work. The M5 Max tops out at an 18-core CPU, 40-core GPU and 16-core neural engine. Apple
CPU and GPU deltas
The Verge tested a $12,299 M5 Ultra configuration with a 36-core CPU and 80-core GPU, 256GB of RAM and 4TB of storage. Engadget tested a separate $11,299 configuration with a 36-core processor, 256GB of RAM and 2TB of storage. The Verge
In Geekbench 6 CPU Single, which tests one core, The Verge's M5 Ultra scored 4310 against 3246 for the M3 Ultra Mac Studio. In Geekbench 6 CPU Multi, which tests all cores together, it scored 37870 against 28376 for the M3 Ultra. That is a roughly one-third uplift in both single-threaded and multi-threaded CPU throughput on that synthetic test.
GPU movement is narrower. In Geekbench 6 GPU (Metal), Apple's system for graphics work, the M5 Ultra scored 233865 versus 214488 for the M3 Ultra. In Cinebench 2026 Multi, it scored 17960 versus 12240 for the M3 Ultra.
Application tests show the same split. The M5 Ultra completed the Blender classroom test in 11 seconds versus 15 seconds for the M3 Ultra. A Premiere 4K export finished in 40 seconds versus 50 seconds for the M3 Ultra.
For engineers sizing build farms, render nodes, or transcode pipelines, the pattern is consistent. Work limited mainly by the CPU sees large generational gains. Work accelerated by the GPU through Metal improves, but by a smaller margin.
Memory capacity and configuration ladder
Unified memory, a single shared pool used by processor, graphics and AI hardware, is the second half of this machine. The M5 Ultra Mac Studio is available with 96GB or 256GB of unified memory, with a 512GB option coming next month. The chassis supports up to 512GB of unified memory. Engadget
The M5 Max memory ceiling is lower, topping out at 128GB. A top-end M5 Max configuration with 2TB of storage costs $5,899. For reference, a Mac Studio M3 Ultra with a 32-core chip, 256GB of RAM and 2TB of storage cost $7,499.
That pricing structure puts large-memory Apple silicon in a specific bracket. A 256GB M5 Ultra system now costs well into five figures once storage is added, but it keeps the full memory pool addressable by CPU, GPU and neural engine without PCIe transfers or tiered VRAM, two slower ways of moving data found on many PCs.
For local inference, fine-tuning, and large-context iteration, meaning running AI models on the machine, adjusting them, and working with long documents, that matters more than raw FLOPS, a raw speed measure. Practitioners who need 200GB-plus resident weights and KV cache, the model data that must stay in memory, have few quiet desktop alternatives.
Enclosure and I/O
The enclosure is unchanged. The aluminum body measures 3.7 inches tall and 7.7 inches long and wide. The front carries two Thunderbolt 5 USB-C ports and a memory card slot. Engadget
The rear is identical across M5 Max and M5 Ultra models. Both have four Thunderbolt 5 USB-C ports, two USB-A ports up to 5Gb/s, an HDMI 2.1 port, 10Gb Ethernet and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Thunderbolt 5 delivers speeds up to 120 Gbps.
That continuity simplifies fleet refreshes. Docks, storage arrays, cabling and rack trays carry over. Performance per watt and memory headroom change, physical integration does not.
The broader context here is price segmentation around memory and cores rather than a new form factor. Apple is holding the Studio as a dense, low-noise compute block and charging more for entry while pushing the ceiling to 512GB. In my view, the buyers who feel the uplift most will be those running sustained multithreaded compiles, 3D, grading and local model work where unified capacity removes a bottleneck. Buyers primarily bound by single-app GPU raster or short-burst exports will see less return per dollar.
For procurement planning, it is worth flagging the staggered memory option. If a workflow truly needs 512GB resident, the system available on day one tops out at 256GB, with the larger tier following next month. That argues for waiting on quotes if maximum capacity is the requirement rather than maximum CPU clocks.
