Apple launches the M5 Ultra, a top-tier Mac Studio successor, built for extreme performance with a 36-core CPU and 80-core GPU, neural accelerators on each GPU core, 1.2 TB/s memory bandwidth, up to 512 GB unified memory, and a starting price of $5,499 aimed at VFX, scientific computing, and large-scale AI tasks.

The M5 Ultra delivers its edge by fusing two M5 Max chips via UltraFusion, enabling up to 512 GB unified memory and 1.2 TB/s bandwidth, with clear gains in AI workloads and memory-intensive tasks over prior generations.

The M5 Max, meanwhile, features an 18-core CPU and 40-core GPU with neural accelerators, 614 GB/s memory bandwidth, up to 128 GB unified memory, starting at $2,499 for video editing, design, and software development.

Reporting includes details from 9to5Mac video coverage and Geeky Gadgets, with affiliate disclosures.

Apple positions the Mac Studio as the company’s most powerful consumer-level computer, intended for professionals needing extreme performance, and contrasts it with the M6 Mac Mini serving a less demanding audience.

FAQs clarify practical considerations: external GPUs aren’t supported, Ultra can run local AI models up to roughly 400 billion parameters, and macOS 27 Golden Gate enhances AI features with newer chips for full capability.

Key performance highlights include support for up to 33 simultaneous 8K ProRes streams, up to eight external displays, Thunderbolt 5 connectivity, and workflow speedups of 3–4x versus prior models in certain tasks.

Apple refreshed Mac Studio with the M5 Max and M5 Ultra, preserving the same compact chassis while delivering major internal upgrades and maintaining Thunderbolt 5 and Wi‑Fi 7 connectivity.

The launch marks a major upgrade in professional desktop computing, with these new chips and AI-enabled features highlighted in Apple's introduction.

Both models share the same chassis and support multiple displays—M5 Max up to 5 displays and M5 Ultra up to 8—while using PCIe Gen 6 SSDs that double the speed of previous generations, with display and connectivity features broadly similar.

Advanced connectivity includes Thunderbolt 5, Wi‑Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and support for up to four 5K Studio Display XDRs at 120 Hz, with UltraFusion improving CPU-GPU communication to reduce latency.

The M5 Ultra introduces a Neural Accelerator enabling on-device AI inference for large models without cloud dependency, enhancing macOS 27 Golden Gate’s AI features for sensitive data workflows.