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Looking for the best desktop computer for photo editing? This guide is here to help you to decide what is right for your photography - and find you the best prices.
While the best photo-editing laptops (opens in new tab) offer the ability to edit photos while maintaining on-the-go portability, a good-old desktop computer is still the preferred option for many who work in a home office. Picking the best desktop computer will give you the ability to add your own monitor; with typical sizes ranging from around 21 inches to well over 30 inches means, if you've got the desk space, you can work from home far more comfortably than if you were squinting at a laptop screen. Adding a full-size keyboard and comfy mouse further ups the ergonomic benefits over a laptop keyboard and trackpad.

Many of the best desktop computers on this page offer a level of power and performance that laptops can't match, and if you don't mind opening them up and tinkering with them, they can be upgraded down the line with more powerful components, which makes them far more future-proof than standard laptops.

If you're not too keen on the idea of upgrading a PC yourself, many of the best desktop computers for photo editing can be easily customized when you buy them, so you can pick a level of performance (and price) that best suits your needs.

The best desktop computers: What to look for

The size of a desktop computer also means manufacturers can fit in more powerful components than you'd usually find in a laptop. That means if you want to, you can get a desktop computer with a discrete graphics card (rather than one integrated into the central processor), which is useful if you're doing very intensive editing - including video editing.

Desktop computers with lots of RAM and a multi-core processor are great for multitasking. If you like to have multiple apps open at once, then keep an eye out for 4, 6 or 8 core processors.

Of course, you can always build your own desktop PC tower, but while that offers you more flexibility when it comes to power and price (as you source the components yourself), if you don't have the inclination or know-how to build your own PC, then buying one of the pre-built desktop computers on this list is the way to go.

Many desktop computer manufacturers offer a range of customization options anyway, which means you can tweak things such as processor power, graphics cards and storage space at the point of purchase to suit your needs.

Should I pick an all-in-one computer?

As well as traditional tower desktop computers, there are also all-in-one computers available. These have all the components built into a screen - the Apple iMac being a great example - and there are a number of advantages to this. First of all, they are stylish and space saving, as you do not need to have a big box sitting on your desk - just the screen, a mouse and a keyboard.

As the computer is built into the screen, it means you don't need to buy a monitor separately either, which can save money. Plus, with computer components getting thinner and more powerful than ever, all-in-one computers can be just as accomplished at photo editing as traditional computers.

There are a few downsides you need to consider with all-in-ones, however. First, all-in-one computers can't be easily upgraded like traditional PCs, as the components are usually specially designed to be fitted behind the screen - much like a laptop. They can also be more expensive, and you'll have to consider the screen quality as part of your purchase, rather than being able to take your pick from the best monitors for photographers (opens in new tab). Still, they are worth considering, so we've included a few all-in-ones in this list.

The best desktop computer in 2023:

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The best all-round desktop computer for photographers

Reasons to buy

Positioned between the latest M1 Mac Mini (opens in new tab) and Intel Mac Pro tower in terms of power and price point, the Mac Studio has been esigned as an under-screen desktop workstation. It's portable enough to carry between locations when needed, but powerful enough to be your main system for almost any activity, driving up to 4x 6k XDR displays and 1x 4k display at the same time. You get a choice of the very latest Apple M1 Max or M1 Ultra System-On-A-Chip (SoC) hardware - with their ultra high speed processors, unified memory, GPUs and video engines. While the Mac Studio itself does not ship with a keyboard and mouse as standard, Apple's Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and Magic Mouse (available to add-on to an order) are designed to match its aesthetic perfectly. Factor the decent selection of ports, built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, plus the rip-roaring speed this thing is capable of, and it makes the ideal desktop computer for pretty much anyone!

A cheaper - and almost as compelling - alternative to the Mac Studio

The Mac Mini may now look a bit second-rate compared to the all-powerful Mac Studio, but it's still a great desktop computer in its own right, not to mention significantly cheaper. Like the Mac Studio, you'll still need to add your own monitor, but the computer itself is tiny at 197 x 197 x 36mm, so should fit on any desk. This latest Mac Mini M1 differs from previous Minis by using Apple's own processor designed for computers. It's a similar construction to an iPhone/iPad processor, but beefed up for desktop computing. And boy, has Apple done a good job. The ultra-efficient M1 processor can outperform many current high-end Intel Core-series processors, while 16GB RAM is enough for serious image editing - just avoid the base 8GB model, as it's not really enough memory to ensure you're future-proofed. The only drawback compared to older Intel-powered Mac Mini's is you can't spec any more memory than 16GB, so ultra-intensive image or video editing may run into slowdowns.

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A desktop computer that's stunning in -almost- every way

At the heart of the 24-inch iMac is Apple's superb M1 System on a Chip, which combines pretty much all the core aspects of a computer onto a single chip, much like a phone or tablet. It's supremely fast and efficient, and has given traditional computer processor manufacturers like Intel and AMD a big worry.

The iMac M1 has the same 8-core processor as its MacBook cousins, but pairs it with a 23.5-inch Retina screen boasting a huge 4.5K (4480 x 2520) resolution and an eye-popping 500-nit brightness. Factor the DCI-P3 color space coverage, plus Apple's excellent True Tone technology, and this display is sure to be a huge hit with creatives wanting the best possible viewing experience.

While users who need seriously potent performance for hardcore image or video editing are still best advised to go for the Intel-based 27-inch iMac and its extra RAM capacity, the new 24-inch iMac packs enough power to satisfy the vast majority of image or video editing requirements. And it does so at a very fair price when you consider the stunning screen that you're getting as part of the product.

If that's too expensive, then consider a desktop PC specced with 32GB RAM, like the HP Pavilion Gaming Desktop (opens in new tab) .

Read more: Apple iMac M1 24-inch review (opens in new tab)

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If you're looking for a cheap desktop PC for working on your photographs, then the Acer TC is a great budget pick. It's available in several spec configurations, and all are very well priced, though that does mean you'll have to make do with only 8GB of RAM, which is really the bare minimum for photo editing these days. The Aspire TC comes in a slimline case that won't dominate your desk space. You can still open it up and upgrade it when needed (it supports up to 32GB of RAM, for example), and it even features a built-in SD memory card reader. A 1TB SSD is included in some models for fast and spacious storage - great if you're working with high-res raw files or 1080p video. Although it's worth bearing in mind internal storage can also be easily upgraded, or there's always our pick of the best external hard drives (opens in new tab).

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The HP Pavilion Gaming Desktop PC is another affordable desktop computer with a gaming theme, but it's also great for photographers. It does a superb job of balancing price and features, with plenty of configurations available to suit your performance and budget requirements. It's also possible to spec a discreet graphics card to accelerate video editing and transcoding, but be careful, as its easy to get carried away and spend big bucks. The only upgrade you really need is to spec up the RAM from the standard 8GB to a more healthy 16GB, as this can remove a major potential performance bottleneck. The Pavilion Gaming PC also comes with a multi-card memory card reader, which makes it quick and easy to get your photos off your camera.

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Fancy an iMac with a bit more screen real estate than the 24-inch M1 iMac (above)? The 27-inch version has you covered... correction: had. Apple has now discontinued the 27-inch iMac, but you can still find the most recent (2020) version available at some retailers. And it's still worth hunting out, as its 10th-generation Intel processors, powerful discrete graphics and plenty of RAM give it plenty of image and video-editing fire-power. You also get a decent number of storage options - though the higher capacity SSD choices are very pricey. But best of all, the built-in screen is simply stunning with a Retina 5K (5,120 x 2,880) resolution and Apple's True Tone technology for accurate color. Apple is very popular with creatives for a good reason, and its macOS software is compatible with the biggest names in photo editing.

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Want the comfort and big-screen viewing experience of a desktop PC, but not the bulk of a computer tower? Samsung's Smart Monitor could be for you. Think of it a little like an all-in-one computer like an iMac, but pared right down to the bare essentials, and costing far less as a result.

Rather than using full-fat processing hardware from Intel or AMD to run Windows, the Smart Monitor runs Samsung's own Tizen operating system, similar to Samsung smart TVs. This, combined with the monitor's built-in Wi-Fi, gives you access to streaming services like Netflix, Apple TV and YouTube. Alexa, Google Assistant and Bixby voice assistant support is also present, as is casting via AirPlay 2.

When playtime is over and it's time to get some work done, you can connect a keyboard and mouse to the Smart Monitor via Bluetooth 4.2 and then use Microsoft Office 365 for its productivity apps. If you've got a Samsung S8 or newer phone, Samsung's DeX utility will enable it to power a desktop-like PC experience on the monitor.

The Smart Monitor is available in 24, 27, 32 and 43-inch sizes, with the latter making sense if you want a sofa-based computing experience. For traditional desk use, we'd go for either the 24-inch Full HD model (larger 27-inch options don't give you any extra resolution), or this, the 32-inch 4K (3840 x 2160) M70A model for its superior screen clarity.

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8. Microsoft Surface Studio 2+

A great - if expensive - Windows alternative to the iMac

If you like the idea of a stylish and powerful all-in-one PC, but you don't want to use an Apple product like the iMac, then the Microsoft Surface Studio 2+ is a brilliant choice. This second iteration of the Surface Studio is stylishly designed and comes with some excellent components that make it a great bit of hardware for photographers. Its screen is touch-capable, which gives you more options for interacting with it, and thanks to the special hinge that connects it to the base, the screen can pivot down almost flat so it can be used like a drawing board. However, the Surface Studio 2+ is expensive. Very expensive.

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9. Intel Frost Canyon NUC

A tiny PC that's brilliant for photo editing

Next on our list of the best computers for photographers is the Intel Frost Canyon NUC. Intel's NUC devices are small yet powerful PCs that pack enough power to edit photos on, while also being tiny enough to hide away and not take up too much space on a desk. Part of their appeal is that they are barebones machines, which means you need to add RAM and a hard drive yourself. This makes them flexible (you can add the amount of storage space and memory you need) and affordable (you can shop around for the best prices for those components). You'll need to install Windows 10 separately, and while installing the RAM and hard drive is pretty straightforward, it might be a bit too fiddly for some people.

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Lenovo's IdeaCentre AIO (all-in-one) range pf PCs prove you don't have to buy an Apple iMac if you want a stylish and powerful all-in-one desktop computer for photo editing. While it doesn't come with the most cutting-edge components, it still offers more than enough power for running Adobe Photoshop and other photo editing applications. It's a particularly good PC for photo editing thanks to its screen (several sizes are available - our size/price preference is the 24in version), which though 'only' 1080p resolution (some newer models can be found with a 2560 x 1440 display), uses IPS display tech for excellent contrast accuracy and viewing angles. Best of all, it's way more affordable than Apple's pricey iMac machines.
Read more:

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The best desktop computer for photo editing - PCs and Macs for photographers

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Looking for the best desktop computer for photo editing? This guide is here to help you to decide what is right for your photography - and find you the best prices. While the best photo-editing laptops (opens in new tab) offer the ability to edit photos while maintaining on-the-go portability, a good-old desktop computer is still the preferred option for many who work in a home office.

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The Mac Studio is an entirely new product line in Apple's Mac lineup. It's targeted at professionals in a studio environment and provides flexibility that content creators can appreciate.

Like the Mac mini, the Mac Studio is a compact computer that packs stellar performance for its price, and there are many reasons to consider it as your next computer.

1. The Modular Design

The Mac Studio features a modular design, meaning you will have to supply your own display, keyboard, camera, and mouse. This allows you to customize your setup to your liking.

The Mac Studio can connect to just about any external monitor with an HDMI or Thunderbolt port, but Apple's own Studio Display is the perfect 5K display for this machine.

Its compact form factor is a huge selling point for this computer, as it allows you to easily transport it from one location to another. Apple has designed it in a way that doesn't take up much space on your desk-the machine looks like two Mac minis stacked on top of each other.

2. Packs Apple's Most Powerful Chips

The Mac Studio features two chips to choose from: The M1 Max and the M1 Ultra. The M1 Ultra is essentially two M1 Max chips fused together to deliver unprecedented performance without facing the limitations that come with increasing the die size.

You can configure the M1 Max variant with a 24-core or a 32-core GPU. As for the M1 Ultra configurations, you can get the Mac Studio with either a 48-core or 64-core GPU depending on your power requirements.

When it comes to memory and storage configurations, you can spec the Mac Studio with up to 128GB of unified memory and up to 8TB of storage. However, if you need 128GB of RAM, you need to get the M1 Ultra chip since a single M1 Max chip only supports up to 64GB of memory.

The M1 Max and M1 Ultra chips provide incredible performance that can handle demanding workflows. To put the power of the M1 Ultra chip into context, the M1 Ultra in the Mac Studio outperforms the 28-core Xeon chip in the Mac Pro, according to Geekbench. You get a more powerful chip for significantly less money.

3. The Price Is Compelling

The Mac Studio comes in at a surprisingly reasonable starting price of $1,999. That model comes with the M1 Max chip, 32GB of memory, and 512GB of storage. The Mac Studio's M1 Ultra configuration starts at $3,999 and packs 64GB of unified memory and 1TB of storage.

The Mac Studio sits above the M1 iMac and Mac mini, but it is significantly less expensive than the Mac Pro's $5,999 starting price. For the price of either the base model or high-end model, you get stellar performance that can handle demanding workflows such as 4K video editing, photo editing, app development, music creation, and more.

However, one should only consider purchasing the M1 Ultra version if their workflow can benefit from the performance.

4. Versatile I/O

The Mac Studio offers a generous amount of ports. The desktop comes with four Thunderbolt 4-enabled USB-C ports on the back and two regular USB-C ports on the front.

However, if you get the Mac Studio with the M1 Ultra, the two USB-C ports on the front are Thunderbolt 4-enabled as well. The Mac Studio also features an SDXC card slot on the front that should please all content creators.

In addition to those ports, the Mac Studio also features 10 Gigabit Ethernet, two USB-A ports, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and an HDMI port. The headphone jack supports high-impedance headphones like the M1 Pro MacBook Pros and M2 MacBook Air.

As you can tell by now, the port selection on the Mac Studio won't be a limiting factor at all, as it offers multiple forms of connectivity for peripherals such as displays, storage devices, and more.

A High-End Desktop Mac for Professional Use

The Mac Studio is a computer aimed at professionals who want a compact, capable machine that they can easily move around in a studio or workspace. Even the base model provides incredible performance at a compelling price-it's like a Mac mini on steroids.

So, if you need the most powerful Apple silicon Mac available, the Mac Studio is it-at least until Apple refreshes the Mac Pro. However, if you're looking to purchase the Mac Studio and Studio Display as a replacement for your iMac, you may want to reconsider.

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The Mac Studio is an entirely new product line in Apple's Mac lineup. It's targeted at professionals in a studio environment and provides flexibility that content creators can appreciate. Like the Mac mini, the Mac Studio is a compact computer that packs stellar performance for its price, and there are many reasons to consider it as your next computer.

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At a Glance

The Mac Studio is a pro-oriented desktop Mac that's a hybrid between a Mac mini and a Mac Pro. Equipped with an M1 Max or M1 Ultra chip, tons of ports, and new thermal design.

Features

M1 Max/M1 Ultra chips

20-core CPU, up to 64-core GPU

$1,999 starting price

Up to 128GB Unified Memory

Up to 8TB SSD

Up to 6 Thunderbolt 4 ports

Should You Buy the Mac Studio?

The Mac Studio is Apple's most powerful custom silicon-based Mac, offering extreme performance and a wide range of ports in a modular, desktop form factor. The Mac Studio starts at $1,999, and was released alongside the $1,599 Studio Display.

The Mac Studio is Likely fairly early in its product cycle. Since it is an entirely new Mac product line and there have been no previous models, we have no indication of how long Apple usually waits to update it. Rumors suggest the Mac Studio won't be updated with M2 chips, so now is still a good time to buy the Mac Studio.

While the Mac Studio is now Apple's most powerful Mac, for an Intel-based desktop machine with an interchangeable, modular design with more ports, there is the Mac Pro, which starts at $5,999. On the other hand, if the Mac Studio is out of your price range but you still want a similar Apple silicon-based desktop Mac, there is the entry-level Mac mini with the M2 chip, which starts at just $599.

Everything You Need to Know About Mac Studio

The Mac Studio is Apple's newest Mac product line, positioned as a cross between a Mac mini and a Mac Pro, as well as a potential replacement for the now-discontinued 27-inch iMac. Designed to look like a taller version of a Mac mini, the Mac Studio is aimed at "studio" professionals, as the name suggests, and it uses Apple's most powerful M-series chips.

Apple says the Mac Studio is meant to provide "outrageous performance, extensive connectivity, and new capabilities" in a super compact form, transforming any space into a "studio."

Priced starting at $1,999, the more affordable entry-level version of the Mac Studio is equipped with an Apple M1 Max chip that features a 10-core CPU, 24-core GPU (upgradeable to 32-core), 16-core Neural Engine, Media Engine, 400GB/s memory bandwidth, and up to 64GB Unified Memory. The more expensive $3,999 model is equipped with an all-new M1 Ultra chip.

The M1 Ultra chip is essentially two M1 Max chips connected together on a single die and able to perform as one chip, which Apple calls UltraFusion architecture. It features a 20-core CPU and a 48-core GPU (upgradeable to 64-core), along with a 32-core Neural Engine, 800GB/s memory bandwidth, up to 128GB Unified Memory, and a Media Engine that's twice as fast.

According to Apple, the M1 Ultra's CPU is up to 3.8x faster than the highest-end Intel Core i9 iMac (which has now been discontinued), and up to 60 percent faster than the 28-core Mac Pro with Intel Xeon W processor. As for the GPU, the M1 Ultra is 4.5x faster than the 27-inch iMac and 80 percent faster than the highest-end Mac Pro with AMD Radeon Pro W6900X graphics.

The M1 Ultra supports playback of up to 18 streams of 8K ProRes 422 video, which Apple says no other personal computer in the world is able to do, plus it offers performance on par with top-of-the-line PC chips and graphics cards at a fraction of the power.

Designed to look like a taller version of the Mac mini, the Mac Studio features a square-shaped 7.7-inch all-aluminum enclosure that's 3.7-inches high. The size is meant to allow it to fit "perfectly" under most displays on the market.

The Mac Studio is designed for quiet operation, with a unique thermal architecture that pulls air in through the airflow channels on the bottom using double-sided blowers and pushes it out through additional perforations on the back of the chassis.

There are four Thunderbolt 4 ports at the back of the Mac Studio, along with a 10Gb Ethernet port, two USB-A ports, an HDMI port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack with support for high-impedance headphones. At the front, the M1 Max Mac Studio has an additional two USB-C ports and an SDXC card slot, while the M1 Ultra has two Thunderbolt 4 ports and the same card slot.

The Mac Studio supports up to four 6K Pro Display XDRs along with one 4K display over HDMI. The M1 Max version comes with a 512GB SSD and the M1 Ultra model comes with a 1TB SSD, but both are configurable with up to 8TB of SSD storage space with read speeds up to 7.4GB/s.

As for wireless connectivity, the Mac Studio has Wi-Fi 6 for the fastest Wi-Fi speeds, and it supports Bluetooth 5.0.

The Mac Studio is designed to be paired with Apple's matching $1,599 Studio Display, a 27-inch 5K resolution display that has a built-in 12-megapixel camera with Center Stage support, as well as high-quality microphone and speaker arrays.

Apple has the Mac Studio available for purchase now, although supplies are tight following the March 18 launch.
Note: See an error in this roundup or want to offer feedback? Send us an email here.

How to Buy

Issues

Some Mac Studio owners have noticed that their machines are making a high-pitched "whining" sound that appears to be coming from the fan. There are pages of complaints on the MacRumors forums about the issue, and it seems to be affecting a number of users.

Most of the complaints are coming from Mac Studio owners who opted for the M1 Max Mac Studio rather than the Ultra version, which is not a surprise as the two machines have different thermal setups.

Users who are experiencing issues have described the noise as a high-frequency sound that is difficult to ignore, and it is in addition to the standard fan noise. The M1 Max and M1 Ultra have different heatsinks, which explains why one machine is experiencing issues while the other is not. The M1 Ultra is equipped with a much larger copper heatsink, that likely prevents the fan from kicking on as often, and there also appears to be a problem with the M1 Max setup that causes the whine.

It is worth noting that not all M1 Max Mac Studio models appear to be experiencing this problem, as some people have said that they do not hear an unusual sound beyond the standard quiet fan noise. There are also some complaints just about the level of the fan noise alone without the whine, but many of the people who are unhappy with their machines seem to be experiencing the high-pitched sound rather than the typical fan noise.

Mac Studio buyers who are within their two-week return period can get a replacement from Apple, but there are reports that replacement machines have seen the same issue.

Reviews

The first reviews and unboxing videos of the Mac Studio praised the device's performance and connectivity.

Performance

While the Mac Studio resembles a larger Mac mini, it is far more powerful. The computer can be configured with the same M1 Max chip available for the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro, or the new M1 Ultra chip, which features a 20-core CPU, up to a 64-core GPU, and a 32-core Neural Engine. With the M1 Ultra chip, the Mac Studio has faster performance than a 28-core Mac Pro tower released in December 2019.

Specifically, the Mac Studio has earned a multi-core score of around 23,500 to 24,000 in many Geekbench 5 results, compared to an average multi-core score of 19,956 for the Mac Pro with a 28-core Intel Xeon W processor. This is especially impressive given that the Mac Studio with the M1 Ultra chip starts at $3,999, while a Mac Pro tower configured with a 28-core processor is over three times more expensive at $12,999.

The Verge's Monica Chin:

My first stop was Becca Farsace, our video director who edited the entire video review of the Mac Studio and Studio Display (which you should go watch if you haven't already) on our Studio unit. I watched her work in Premiere and Media Encoder for hours, and even to my amateur eyes, it was clear that the Studio was flying. It was miles better than our two-year-old Mac Pro (which Becca uses for most of her work) at basically everything. Becca was able to play 4K, 10-bit 4:2:2 footage from a Sony FX3 at full resolution in Adobe Premiere Pro at 4x speed with no proxies. It was lightning fast. On any other machine, she'd have had to be in half-resolution at most. There was also no lag between hitting the spacebar and stopping playback when playing footage at 2x or 4x speed, something she finds to be a big annoyance on the Mac Pro.

Connectivity

On the back of the Mac Studio, connectivity options include four Thunderbolt 4 ports, two USB-A ports, one HDMI port, one 10-Gigabit Ethernet port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack with support for high-impedance headphones. On the front, there is an SD card slot, along with two USB-C ports for M1 Max configurations or two Thunderbolt 4 ports for M1 Ultra configurations. The computer supports Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0.

Six Colors' Jason Snell:

But that may be the point: this is a computer designed to be used, not to be looked at as a piece of art. When you choose to stick ports on the front of a computer-hey everybody, Apple put ports on the front!!-you are choosing function over form. That's the story of the Mac Studio. Apple hasn't skimped on the Mac Studio when it comes to what a certain portion of its customer base wants-connectivity. I used the SD card on the front of the Mac Studio twice on the very first day I had it connected. I also plugged a keyboard into that front USB port. (My test unit was an M1 Max model, so those front ports were USB-C; on models with the M1 Ultra chip, they're full-fledged Thunderbolt 4.) And then there's the full array of ports on the back: Four Thunderbolt 4, two USB-A, HDMI, a headphone jack, and 10Gb Ethernet. While I didn't fill up all of those ports, I did transfer an array of cables and adapters from the back of my iMac Pro to the Mac Studio and didn't have to dig out a single adapter or find a USB hub to accommodate them.

Design

The Mac Studio takes design cues from both the Mac mini and the Mac Pro with an all-aluminum enclosure and unique thermal design. It uses the same "squircle" shape as the Mac mini, with a square-shaped design that has rounded corners.

It is essentially a much taller version of the Mac mini, measuring in at 3.7 inches tall and 7.7 inches wide at each side. Apple says that it is sized to fit perfectly under most displays, including the Studio Display that is being sold alongside it.

As for weight, the M1 Max version weighs 5.9 pounds, while the M1 Ultra version weighs 7.9 pounds. The extra weight in the M1 Ultra version is due to a difference in thermal needs. The M1 Max version has an aluminum heatsink while the M1 Ultra version has a larger copper thermal module.

To dissipate heat and allow for quiet operation, the Mac Studio has a series of airflow channels at the back and at the bottom. The machine pulls in air from the bottom and pushes it out through the more than 4,000 perforations at the back and bottom of the chassis to cool the internal components.

Ports

There are a total of 12 ports on the front and back of the Mac Studio. The back features four Thunderbolt 4 ports, a 10Gb Ethernet port, two USB-A ports, one HDMI port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack that supports high-impedance headphones. There is also a built-in speaker to go along with the headphone jack.

The front of the M1 Max Mac Studio features an additional two USB-C ports along with an SDXC card slot, while the front of the M1 Ultra Mac Studio includes two Thunderbolt 4 ports and the SDXC card slot.

Up to four 6K Pro Display XDRs and one 4K TV or 4K display can be connected to the Mac Studio.

M1 Max and M1 Ultra Chips

The Mac Studio can be purchased with either M1 Max or M1 Ultra chips. The M1 Max is the same chip that was first introduced in the MacBook Pro, while the M1 Ultra is essentially two M1 Max chips working together in tandem to form a single chip for double the performance of the M1 Max. Apple uses UltraFusion, a custom-built packaging architecture, for the M1 Ultra.

The M1 Max chip features a 10-core CPU with eight high-performance cores and two high-efficiency cores, while the M1 Ultra chip features a 20-core CPU with 16 high-performance cores and 4 high-efficiency cores. Apple says that the M1 Max offers 2.5x faster performance than the Core i9 chip in the now-discontinued 27-inch iMac, while the M1 Ultra offers 3.8x faster CPU performance.

The M1 Ultra is in fact faster than the 28-core Intel Mac Pro, earning a single-core score of 1793 and a multi-core score of 24055 in a Geekbench 5 benchmark. Comparatively, the highest-end Mac Pro earned a single-core score of 1152 and a multi-core score of 19951.

Apple says the M1 Ultra is able to offer 90 percent higher performance than the fastest 16-core PC CPU within the same power envelope, and it can deliver the PC chip's peak performance using 100W less power.

It offers similar performance to "one of the most popular discrete GPUs" while using 1/3 as much power, and it provides faster performance than the highest-end discrete GPU using 200W less power.

GPU

There are multiple GPU configurations for the M1 Max and M1 Ultra. The base Mac Studio with M1 Max features a 24-core GPU, but can be upgraded to a 32-core GPU.

The base M1 Ultra chip features a 48-core GPU, but it can be upgraded to a 64-core GPU.

Apple's M1 Max chip offers 3.4x faster GPU performance than the 27-inch Core i9 iMac, and the M1 Ultra offers up to 4.5x faster GPU performance.

According to Apple, the M1 Ultra GPU is 80 percent faster than the highest-end Radeon Pro W6900X graphics card used in the Mac Pro.

Unified Memory

The M1 Max Mac Studio can be upgraded to 64GB unified memory and 400GB/s memory bandwidth, while the M1 Ultra Mac Studio supports up to 128GB unified memory and 800GB/s memory bandwidth.

Neural Engine

The M1 Max features a 16-core Neural Engine, and the M1 Ultra has a 32-core Neural Engine. The 32-core Neural Engine can complete up to 22 trillion operations per second for machine learning tasks.

The Media Engine in the M1 Max and M1 Ultra offers dedicated acceleration for the ProRes video codec, along with video encode/decode engines and hardware accelerated support for H.264, HEVC, ProRes, and ProRes RAW.

The M1 Max has a video decode engine, two video encode engines, and two ProRes encode and decode engines, while the M1 Ultra has double that. The M1 Ultra can play up to 18 streams of 8K ProRes 422 video, while the M1 Max supports up to nine.

Other Features

Storage

Both the M1 Max and M1 Ultra Mac Studio machines support up to 8TB of SSD storage with read speeds up to 7.4GB/s. The M1 Max Mac Studio comes with a 512GB SSD by default, while the base M1 Ultra Mac Studio ships with a 1TB SSD.

Connectivity

The Mac Studio models support 802.11ax WiFi 6 connectivity and Bluetooth 5.0, the latest WiFi and Bluetooth protocols. There is no WiFi 6E support, which adds a 6GHz band to the WiFi 6 standard.

Base Models

Base Models

There are two base Mac Studio configurations available from Apple, one with an M1 Max chip and one with an M1 Ultra chip.

$1,999 - M1 Max chip with 10-core CPU, 24-core GPU, and 16-core Neural Engine. 32GB unified memory, 512GB SSD, and two front USB-C ports.

$3,999 - M1 Ultra chip with 20-core CPU, 48-core GPU, and 32-core Neural Engine. 64GB unified memory, 1TB SSD, and two front Thunderbolt 4 ports.

Build-to-Order Upgrades

Base model Mac Studio Upgrade Options
Processor

M1 Max w/ 10-core CPU, 32-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine - +$200

M1 Ultra w/ 20-core CPU, 48-core GPU, 32-core Neural Engine - +$1,400

M1 Ultra w/ 20-core CPU, 64-core GPU, 32-core Neural Engine - +$2,400

Memory

64GB unified memory - +$400
SSD

1TB SSD - +$200

2TB SSD - +$600

4TB SSD - +$1,200

8TB SSD - +$2,400

Higher-end Mac Studio Upgrade Options
Processor

M1 Ultra w/ 20-core CPU, 64-core GPU, 32-core Neural Engine - +$1,000
Memory

128GB unified memory - +$800
SSD

2TB SSD - +$400

4TB SSD - +$1,000

8TB SSD - +$2,200

Studio Display

Apple is selling the Mac Studio alongside the Studio Display, a 27-inch 5K display that's designed to be used with it. The Studio Display is compatible with other Macs and iPads, but it was designed to match the Mac Studio.

The Studio Display features a built-in A13 chip that powers a 12-megapixel Ultra Wide camera with Center Stage and a six-speaker sound system with Spatial Audio, plus it includes a studio-quality three-microphone array and a tilt and height adjustable stand option. More information on the Studio Display can be found in our dedicated roundup.

What's Next for the Mac Studio

Apple is not expected to launch a version of the Mac Studio with the M2 Ultra chip because the machine would be too similar to the M2 Ultra Mac Pro that Apple is planning.

For that reason, the Mac Studio may not see a refresh until M3 or M4 chips are available, which will give Apple time to differentiate the Mac Studio and the Mac Pro. The alternative is that the Mac Studio never gets a refresh at all, with Apple sticking with a Mac mini and Mac Pro lineup.

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Mac Studio: Everything We Know | MacRumors

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The Mac Studio is a pro-oriented desktop Mac that's a hybrid between a Mac mini and a Mac Pro. Equipped with an M1 Max or M1 Ultra chip, tons of ports, and new thermal design.

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How to Replace/Upgrade Mac Studio SSD (2022): EveryMac.com

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Speculation regarding how to replace or upgrade the Mac Studio internal SSD storage (A2615, 2022).

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Mac Studio lets you create the studio of your dreams with an array of 12 high-performance ports, located front and back for convenient access. Easily connect - and disconnect - your camera, external storage, and other devices from the front. See the bigger picture by plugging in up to four Pro Display XDRs and one 4K TV. There's also a headphone jack with advanced support for high-impedance headphones or line out for amplified speakers.

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Mac Studio lets you create the studio of your dreams with an array of 12 high-performance ports, located front and back for convenient access. Easily connect - and disconnect - your camera, external storage, and other devices from the front. See the bigger picture by plugging in up to four Pro Display XDRs and one 4K TV.

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Save up to 15% on a refurbished Mac Studio. Tested and certified by Apple including a 1-year warranty. Free delivery and returns.

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Shop for a variety of components for your Mac and Mac Accessories, including Mac Pro wheels, stands, feet kits and more. Buy now with fast, free shipping.