It really feels like foolish to buy a Mac Studio M2 Max/Ultra right now. An M2 Max system comes to $3800…and slower than the M3 14” MBP spec’ed above.
my guess would be the M3 studio line shows up when they can actually get the chip supply. the "missed opportunity" likely caused by the chips not being available in quantity yet. and something had to come out first.
Yesterday's announcement feels more like the death knell for the Studio. It always was a short-term product to cover up the lack of a Mac Pro. Now that an M3 Max can be put in a MacBook, it can be put in the Mini. The Studio should always have been Mini-sized. Only the top end Studio configurations justified the extra size and heat sinking - the lower-end Studios never did. The M3 range of Mac Minis will be coming out in a few months. They will embarrass the current Studio models, which I would expect to be quietly dropped.
Not a death knell at all. The Ultra chip has always lagged behind the rest. The Mac Studio is the replacement to the iMac Pro and is a much better deal. The Mac Studio was updated this summer so it's not really due for an update yet anyways. I would bet early Spring 2024 w/M3 Max and M3 Ultra.
Oh well, that's A$4199 down the tube. I really wanted a Max, but can't really afford it at the current prices. So, I got the upper Pro model. Should be plenty for home defence.
Plus Space Black, I mean, I couldn't not.
Now watch Windows laptops copy Apple and start making black laptops. Oh, wait...
Sure, they make black laptops, but do they make Space Black laptops?
Yeah, sure I could have bought a Windows laptop that was black, but most of them are plastic. Plus they run Windows.
Based upon the the memory differentials between the M2 series and released M3 series , I would expect that the M3 Ultra will have 256GB of ram unless they cripple the Studio so that the Tower gets the most memory to justify the $3k differential. My M1 Ultra Studio has 128GB of ram and the M2 Ultra Studio has 192GB of ram.
Based upon the the memory differentials between the M2 series and released M3 series , I would expect that the M3 Ultra will have 256GB of ram unless they cripple the Studio so that the Tower gets the most memory to justify the $3k differential. My M1 Ultra Studio has 128GB of ram and the M2 Ultra Studio has 192GB of ram.
Yup. The Mac Studio with M3 Max will have 128 GB RAM and with the M3 Ultra will have 256 GB RAM. There is something Apple could do to give the Mac Studio a little kick though.
The M3 SoCs used LPPDR5 at 6400 MT/s. LPDDR5X at 8500 MT/s is available. If they use this type of memory, it would give an M3 Max and M3 Ultra 5300 and 10600 GB/s memory bandwidth. Probably not. They are probably saving it for the M4 generation next Fall.
Still looking forward to the Extreme model. 4 Maxes with a silicon bridge. Perhaps dynamic caching will allow them to scale GPU performance better and make an M3 Extreme worth it.
I wish I had a job, or a hobby, that would justify spending $4,000 to get the high end Max and take advantage of all that speed.
Ha. If you had a job, your employer would buy it for you; or you'd need it to do it for yourself. And of course if you had a hobby for it...why be in a rush? Besides...$4k on a hobby is peanuts. Hobbies make you happy, and that has no price at all. Unless of course, your hobby is...collecting Apple gear.
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Yeah, sure I could have bought a Windows laptop that was black, but most of them are plastic. Plus they run Windows.
The M3 SoCs used LPPDR5 at 6400 MT/s. LPDDR5X at 8500 MT/s is available. If they use this type of memory, it would give an M3 Max and M3 Ultra 5300 and 10600 GB/s memory bandwidth. Probably not. They are probably saving it for the M4 generation next Fall.
Still looking forward to the Extreme model. 4 Maxes with a silicon bridge. Perhaps dynamic caching will allow them to scale GPU performance better and make an M3 Extreme worth it.