Expert review Apple Mac Studio
Apple Mac Studio M2 Ultra
- With the Apple M2 chip, you can easily render 8K videos and multitask with the most demanding programs without the Apple Mac Studio becoming hot.
- Your Mac Studio won't slow down thanks to the 64GB RAM, even when you use many demanding programs.
- You can store all your photos, videos, music, and documents on the 1TB SSD.
- For the optimal user-friendliness, you should choose the Apple Studio Display.
- A keyboard, mouse, and monitor aren't included.
First impression of the Mac Studio (2023)
The Mac Studio is securely packaged in a sturdy square box. In addition to the Mac Studio, the box contains a power cord and the standard warranty conditions. You'll also find the usual sticker with the Apple logo. The Mac Studio weighs about 2.5kg and is 19.7cm wide. The many connectors stand out right away. The Mac Studio is a desktop computer, so it doesn't have a screen. I can connect it to my own monitor and connect it to my own mouse and keyboard wirelessly.
Many connectors
The Mac Studio model that I'll test has the M2 Max chip. We can recognize this chip form the Mac Mini and MacBook Pro models form 2023. At the back are 4 Thunderbolt 4 connectors, 2 USB-A ports, an HDMI port, a mini jack connector and a 10Gb Ethernet connection. At the front, this model has 2 USB-C ports and a connector for an SDXC memory card. Even when you connect the maximum of 5 compatible monitors, you still have connectors for accessories.
Professional performances
Apple seems to mainly aim the Mac studio at users that use demanding programs. With the chips and the rest of the configuration, the Mac Studio is suitable for demanding tasks. I want to know how far I can go. As a test, I open 4 Google Chrome windows on my desktop, and I play 4K YouTube video in each window. Via Spotify, I stream music and I add video effects in DaVinci Resolve. In the background, I convert a video. I do this all on a 27-inch 4K monitor. the system doesn't slow down even once, the Mac Studio doesn't make noise, and it doesn't feel warm.
Different models
Apple released 2 different Mac Studio models. The model I test is the model with the M2 Max chip. the performances are more than enough for me. But it could be faster. The more elaborate model works with an M2 Ultra chip and it replaces the 2 USB-C ports at the front with 2 Thunderbolt 4 connectors. Simply put, the M2 Ultra chip consists of 2 connected M2 Max chips. Programs and demanding graphic processes are performed faster up to 2 times. It depends on your own situation if the time you save with the M2 Ultra model is worth the investment.
Apple Mac Studio M2 Max
- Thanks to the Apple M2 Max chip, you can easily work with demanding programs without the Apple Mac Studio becoming hot.
- With the 32GB RAM, you Mac Studio won't slow down if you use several programs at the same time.
- You can connect up to 5 screens to divide all your work.
- We recommend 1TB of storage if you store a lot of photos, videos, and programs.
- For the optimal user-friendliness, you should choose the Apple Studio Display.
Conclusion
Are you a creative professional, software developer, or does your usage situation require maximum processing power for a different reason? The Mac Studio is something for you. Thanks to the many connectors, you can easily connect extra peripherals. As an everyday user, the more affordable Mac Mini, MacBook, or iMac is a good choice for you.
