Apple has launched its Mac Studio desktop and Studio Display that are designed to significantly speed up workflow for creatives, including photographers and videographers. 

The Mac Studio desktop is powered by either M1 Max or M1 Ultra.

M1 Max is said to offer up to 2.5x faster CPU performance, up to 3.4x faster GPU performance and up to 2.2x faster machine learning. With M1 Max, Mac Studio is overall said to be up to 7.5x faster than the fastest 27-inch iMac with a 10-core processor.

With M1 Ultra, Mac Studio is said to offer up to 3.8x faster CPU performance than the fastest 27-inch iMac with 10-core processor. It also operates up to 4.5x faster graphics performance than the 27-inch iMac. For transcoding video it operates and up to 12x faster than the 27-inch iMac, and up to 5.6x faster than 28-core Mac Pro.

Mac Studio is powered by macOS Monterey, the latest version of ‘the world’s most advanced desktop operating system’.

The Studio Display features a 27-inch 5K screen, advanced 12MP camera and high-fidelity audio.

With Mac Studio and Studio Display photographers can sort through thousands of images quickly and precisely, composite massive images with hundreds of layers, and export final images for publishing ‘in a flash’.

Videographers can edit multi-camera projects and more streams (18) of ProRes video than before, add more colour corrections to projects while maintaining fluid playback, and encode video for final delivery ‘faster than ever’.

Availability & price

Orders are being taken for Mac Studio and Studio Display, with shipments set to arrive with customers from 18 March 2022.

Mac Studio starts at £1999 (£1798.80 for education), whilst Studio Display is £1499 (£1348.80 for education).

Photo editing with Apple Mac Studio and Studio Display

Photo editing with Apple Mac Studio and Studio Display

Here is the full press release from Apple:

Apple unveils all-new Mac Studio and Studio Display

Mac Studio with M1 Max and the new M1 Ultra delivers unprecedented performance and extensive connectivity in an incredibly compact design

Studio Display features an expansive 27-inch 5K Retina screen, an advanced camera with Centre Stage, and amazing high-fidelity audio

March 8, 2022, CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA – Apple today introduced Mac Studio and Studio Display, an entirely new Mac desktop and display designed to give users everything they need to build the studio of their dreams.

A breakthrough in personal computing, Mac Studio is powered by M1 Max and the new M1 Ultra, the world’s most powerful chip for a personal computer. It is the first computer to deliver an unprecedented level of performance, an extensive array of connectivity, and completely new capabilities in an unbelievably compact design that sits within arm’s reach on the desk.

With Mac Studio, users can do things that are not possible on any other desktop, such as rendering massive 3D environments and playing back 18 streams of ProRes video.1 Studio Display, the perfect complement to Mac Studio, also pairs beautifully with any Mac. It features an expansive 27-inch 5K Retina display, a 12MP Ultra Wide camera with Centre Stage, and a high-fidelity six-speaker sound system with spatial audio. Together, Mac Studio and Studio Display transform any workspace into a creative powerhouse. They join Apple’s strongest, most powerful Mac lineup ever, and are available to order today, arriving to customers beginning Friday, March 18.

“We couldn’t be more excited to introduce an entirely new Mac desktop and display with Mac Studio and Studio Display,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “Mac Studio ushers in a new era for the desktop with unbelievable performance powered by M1 Max and M1 Ultra, an array of connectivity, and a compact design that puts everything users need within easy reach. And Studio Display — with its stunning 5K Retina screen, along with the best combination of camera and audio ever in a desktop display — is in a class of its own.”

Mac Studio

Mac Studio delivers even more capability to users who are looking to push the limits of their creativity — with breakthrough performance, a wide range of connectivity for peripherals, and a modular system to create the perfect setup.

Revolutionary Desktop Design Enabled by Apple Silicon

With the power and efficiency of Apple silicon, Mac Studio completely reimagines what a high-performance desktop looks like. Every element inside Mac Studio was designed to optimise the performance of M1 Max and M1 Ultra, producing an unprecedented amount of power and capability in a form factor that can live right on a desk.

Built from a single aluminium extrusion with a square footprint of just 7.7 inches and a height of only 3.7 inches, Mac Studio takes up very little space and fits perfectly under most displays. Mac Studio also features an innovative thermal design that enables an extraordinary amount of performance. The unique system of double-sided blowers, precisely placed airflow channels, and over 4,000 perforations on the back and bottom of the enclosure guide air through the internal components and help cool the high-performance chips. And because of the efficiency of Apple silicon, Mac Studio remains incredibly quiet, even under the heaviest workloads.

The front of Apple Mac Studio - it has a square footprint of 7.7 inches and is 3.7 inches high

The front of Apple Mac Studio – it has a square footprint of 7.7 inches and is 3.7 inches high

Game-Changing Performance with M1 Max and M1 Ultra

Powered by either M1 Max or M1 Ultra, Mac Studio delivers extraordinary CPU and GPU performance, more unified memory than any other Mac, and new capabilities that no other desktop can achieve. With M1 Max, users can take their creative workflows to new levels, and for those requiring even more computing power, M1 Ultra is the next giant leap for Apple silicon, delivering breathtaking performance to Mac Studio. M1 Ultra builds on M1 Max and features the all-new UltraFusion architecture that interconnects the die of two M1 Max chips, creating a system on a chip (SoC) with unprecedented levels of performance and capabilities, and consisting of 114 billion transistors, the most ever in a personal computer chip.

Mac Studio Powered by M1 Max Enables:2

  • Up to 2.5x faster CPU performance than the fastest 27-inch iMac with 10-core processor.
  • Up to 50 percent faster CPU performance than Mac Pro with a 16-core Xeon processor.
  • Up to 3.4x faster graphics performance than the 27-inch iMac, and over 3x faster than Mac Pro with its most popular graphics card.
  • Up to 7.5x faster than the 27-inch iMac, and up to 3.7x faster than 16-core Mac Pro when transcoding video.

Mac Studio Powered by M1 Ultra Enables:3

  • Up to 3.8x faster CPU performance than the fastest 27-inch iMac with 10-core processor.
  • Up to 90 percent faster CPU performance than Mac Pro with 16-core Xeon processor.
  • Up to 60 percent faster CPU performance than 28-core Mac Pro.
  • Up to 4.5x faster graphics performance than the 27-inch iMac, and up to 80 percent faster than the fastest Mac graphics card available today.
  • Up to 12x faster than the 27-inch iMac, and up to 5.6x faster than 28-core Mac Pro when transcoding video.

With its ultra-powerful media engine, Mac Studio with M1 Ultra can play back 18 streams of 8K ProRes 422 video, which no other computer in the world can do. Mac Studio also shatters the limits of graphics memory on a desktop, featuring up to 64GB of unified memory on systems with M1 Max and up to 128GB of unified memory on systems with M1 Ultra. Since the most powerful workstation graphics card available today only offers 48GB of video memory, having this massive amount of memory is game changing for pro workloads. And the SSD in Mac Studio delivers up to 7.4GB/s of performance and a capacity of up to 8TB, allowing users to work on massive projects with incredible speed and performance.4

Connectivity within Easy Reach

The compact design of Mac Studio puts an extensive array of essential connectivity within easy reach. On the back, Mac Studio includes four Thunderbolt 4 ports to connect displays and high-performance devices, a 10Gb Ethernet port, two USB-A ports, an HDMI port, and a pro audio jack for high-impedance headphones or external amplified speakers. Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 are built in as well.

And because users frequently connect and disconnect devices, like portable storage, Mac Studio includes ports on the front for more convenient access. There are two USB-C ports, which on M1 Max supports 10Gb/s USB 3, and on M1 Ultra supports 40Gb/s Thunderbolt 4. There is also an SD card slot on the front to easily import photos and video. And Mac Studio provides extensive display support — up to four Pro Display XDRs, plus a 4K TV — driving nearly 90 million pixels.

The rear of Apple Mac Studio with its array of ports and pro audio jack

The rear of Apple Mac Studio with its array of ports and pro audio jack

Studio Display

The all-new Studio Display perfectly complements Mac Studio and also beautifully pairs with any Mac. In a class of its own, it features a gorgeous 27-inch 5K Retina screen, plus sensational camera and audio, delivering that integrated experience Mac users love.

Slim Aluminium Design

Studio Display brings a stunning all-screen design with narrow borders and a refined, all-aluminium enclosure that houses an advanced set of features in a slim profile. Its built-in stand allows the user to tilt the display up to 30 degrees. To meet the needs of a variety of workspaces, Studio Display also offers a tilt- and height-adjustable stand option with a counterbalancing arm that makes the display feel weightless as it is adjusted. A VESA mount adapter option is also available, and supports landscape or portrait orientation for even more flexibility.

Immersive 27-inch 5K Retina Display

Studio Display features a 27-inch 5K Retina screen with over 14.7 million pixels. With 600 nits of brightness, P3 wide colour, and support for over one billion colours, images come to life with spectacular detail. True Tone technology automatically adjusts the display’s colour temperature as the environment changes for a more natural viewing experience. An industry-leading anti-reflective coating enables incredibly low reflectivity for better comfort and readability. And for workspaces with bright light sources, including sunlight, Studio Display offers an innovative nano-texture glass option. Nano-texture glass, first introduced on Pro Display XDR, scatters light to further minimise glare while delivering outstanding image quality.

Sensational Camera and Audio System

Featuring the A13 Bionic chip, Studio Display delivers amazing experiences with its highly advanced camera and audio system. The ultimate video conferencing display, it includes a 12MP Ultra Wide camera with Centre Stage, a feature that automatically keeps users centred in the frame as they move around for even more engaging video calls.

Studio Display also includes a studio-quality, three-microphone array with an especially low noise floor for crystal-clear calls and voice recordings. It also features a high-fidelity six-speaker sound system, the best ever created for Mac, delivering an unbelievable listening experience. Four force-cancelling woofers minimise distortion and produce bold, articulate bass, and two high-performance tweeters create accurate mids and crisp highs. The speakers also support spatial audio for music and video with Dolby Atmos, creating a truly cinematic viewing experience. Altogether, Studio Display has the best combination of camera and audio ever in a desktop display. 

Apple Studio Display has a 27-inch, 5K Retina screen with over 14.7 million pixels

Apple Studio Display has a 27-inch, 5K Retina screen with over 14.7 million pixels

Seamless Connectivity

Studio Display has three USB-C ports that deliver speeds up to 10Gb/s to connect high-speed peripherals, storage, and networking right into the display. A Thunderbolt port enables users to connect Studio Display and any connected peripherals to their Mac with a single cable. The same cable also delivers 96W of power to a Mac notebook, allowing Studio Display to even fast-charge a 14-inch MacBook Pro. And up to three Studio Displays can be connected to MacBook Pro, creating a powerful edit bay or animation workspace.

To complement the design of Studio Display, there’s a new silver-and-black colour option for Magic Keyboard with Touch ID, Magic Trackpad, and Magic Mouse that customers can purchase separately.

The Ultimate Studio Setup

Mac Studio and Studio Display will provide creative pros the flexibility to build the studio of their dreams and take their creativity to new levels.

  • Musicians and producers can work on the most complex compositions with hundreds of tracks, plug-ins, and virtual instruments, all played in real time.
  • 3D artists can work with more extreme geometry, edit massive environments that were previously impossible to render, and run complex particle simulations in a fraction of the time.
  • App developers can build new versions of code with incredible speed, and run more automated integration and testing than ever.
  • Photographers can sort through thousands of images with speed and precision, composite massive images with hundreds of layers, and export final images for publish in a flash.
  • Videographers can edit multi-camera projects and more streams of 8K video than ever before, add more colour corrections to projects while maintaining fluid playback, and encode video for final delivery faster than ever.

macOS Monterey

Mac Studio is powered by macOS Monterey, the latest version of the world’s most advanced desktop operating system. The combination of macOS Monterey with M1 Max or the powerful new M1 Ultra delivers breakthrough performance, security, and productivity for users. FaceTime includes audio and video features that make calls feel more natural and lifelike, and SharePlay enables Mac users to have shared experiences through FaceTime. Live Text and Visual Lookup are intelligence features that surface useful information, Safari includes powerful tab organisation with Tab Groups, and Shortcuts bring the ease of automation to the Mac. Continuity tools like AirPlay to Mac enable Apple devices to work even better together, and with next week’s release of macOS Monterey 12.3 and iPadOS 15.4, Universal Control will make it easy for users to work effortlessly across Mac and iPad for unparalleled productivity.5

Mac Studio, Studio Display, and the Environment

Mac Studio and Studio Display were designed to minimise their environmental impact. Mac Studio uses far less energy than competitors to deliver its extraordinary performance. For example, over the course of a year, Mac Studio will use up to 1,000 kilowatt-hours less energy than a high-end PC desktop.6 Both Mac Studio and Studio Display use 100 percent recycled rare earth elements in all magnets and recycled tin in the solder of the main logic board — as well as recycled aluminium and plastic in various components. Both products also meet Apple’s high standards for energy efficiency, are free of numerous harmful substances, and use wood fiber in the packaging that comes from recycled sources or responsibly managed forests.

Today, Apple is carbon neutral for global corporate operations, and by 2030, plans to have net-zero climate impact across the entire business, which includes manufacturing supply chains and all product life cycles. This means that every Apple device sold, from component manufacturing, assembly, transport, customer use, charging, all the way through recycling and material recovery, will be 100 percent carbon neutral.

 Pricing and Availability

  • The new Mac Studio and Studio Display are available to order today on com/store and in the Apple Store app. They will begin arriving to customers, and will be in select Apple Store locations and Apple Authorised Resellers, beginning Friday, March 18.
  • Mac Studio starts at £1999, and £1798.80 for education. Additional configure-to-order options are available at com/store.
  • Studio Display is £1499, and £1348.80 for education. Additional technical specifications, including nano-texture glass and a choice of stand options, are available at com/store.
  • Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and Numeric Keypad (£199), Magic Trackpad (£149), and Magic Mouse (£99) in the new silver-and-black colour option are available at com/store.
  • With Apple Trade In, customers can trade in their current computer and get credit toward a new Mac Studio. Customers can visit com/shop/trade-in to see what their device is worth.
  1. Testing was conducted by Apple in February 2022 using preproduction Mac Studio systems with Apple M1 Ultra, 20-core CPU and 64-core GPU, and 128GB of RAM, and configured with 8TB SSD. Prerelease Final Cut Pro 10.6.2 was tested using a one-minute picture-in-picture project with 18 streams of Apple ProRes 422 video at 8192×4320 resolution and 30 frames per second, as well as a one-minute picture-in-picture project with nine streams of Apple ProRes 422 video at 8192×4320 resolution and 30 frames per second. Performance tests are conducted using specific computer systems and reflect the approximate performance of Mac Studio.
  2. Results are compared to 3.6GHz 10-core Intel Core i9-based 27-inch iMac systems with Radeon Pro 5700 XT graphics with 16GB of GDDR6, 128GB of RAM, and 8TB SSD; and 3.2GHz 16-core Intel Xeon W-based Mac Pro systems with 192GB of RAM, AMD Radeon Pro W5700X graphics with 16GB of GDDR6, configured with Afterburner and 4TB SSD.
  3. Results are compared to 3.6GHz 10-core Intel Core i9-based 27-inch iMac systems with Radeon Pro 5700 XT graphics with 16GB of GDDR6, 128GB of RAM, and 8TB SSD; 3.2GHz 16-core Intel Xeon W-based Mac Pro systems with 192GB of RAM, AMD Radeon Pro W5700X graphics with 16GB of GDDR6, configured with Afterburner and 4TB SSD; and 2.5GHz 28-core Intel Xeon W-based Mac Pro systems with 384GB of RAM and AMD Radeon Pro W6900X graphics with 32GB of GDDR6, configured with Afterburner and 4TB SSD.5.
  4. Testing was conducted by Apple in February 2022 using preproduction Mac Studio systems with Apple M1 Max, 10-core CPU, 64GB of RAM, and 8TB SSD. The test was conducted with FIO 3.27, 1024KB request size, 150GB test file, and IO depth=8. Performance tests are conducted using specific computer systems and reflect the approximate performance of Mac Studio.
  5. Universal Control will initially be released as a public beta.
  6. Testing was conducted by Apple in February 2022 using preproduction Mac Studio systems with Apple M1 Ultra with 20-core CPU and 64-core GPU. Power was measured using a representative workload in a commercial application. High-end PC desktop data comes from testing Alienware Aurora R13 with Core i9-12900KF and GeForce RTX 3090. Performance tests are conducted using specific computer systems and reflect the approximate performance of Mac Studio.

Related articles:

Apple iPhone 13 Pro Review