Apple Mac Studio M1 (2022)

Wide port selection, including easy-to-access ones on the front ; Small and compact design is easy to find a place for ; So quiet ; Plenty of internal options depending on specific needs

Gets expensive quickly ; Mac Mini M2 version a better choice for those who don’t need quite so much power

Fast and small, the Apple Mac Studio is a great Mac for those who need a lot of power and love a wide selection of ports.

Compact ; Powerful ; Plenty of ports ; Essentially silent

Pricey ; Non-upgradable ; Mouse and keyboard not included

Incredibly powerful ; Loads of ports ; SDXC card slot on front for easy access ; Lots of upgrade options

Not upgradable once purchased ; Only available in M1 Max or Ultra options ; Hugely expensive

For most people the Mac Studio is going to be overkill. It's the most powerful Mac we've ever tested. However, if you are dealing with big files - and we mean seriously big files - day in day out then this is going to service those needs... and then some.

It's not here yet and it may never launch, but we think a M1 Pro Mac mini could be the perfect Mac for many Mac users who may be considering the Mac Studio, so we recommend waiting a little longer just in case.

Sleek design

Not upgradeable

Apple sent along two Mac Studio models for testing: one with an M1 Max chip and 64GB of RAM, and another with the M1 Ultra chip and 128GB of RAM. (I can say with certainty there's never been this much RAM on my desk at once.) The M1 Max is pretty much...

Incredible performance from M1 Ultra processor ; Impressive industrial design ; Plenty of ports

Display and accessories sold separately ; Not user-upgradable after purchase

If you want power, the Apple Mac Studio with an M1 Ultra chip brings it in spades, elevating the elegant desktop PC with truly impressive processing and graphics.

Impressive performance from M1 Max processor ; Stunning industrial design ; Lots of ports

Doesn't outperform the M1 Max-based MacBook Pro by much ; No keyboard or mouse included ; Not user-upgradable after purchase

Apple's Mac Studio is a gorgeous, powerful compact desktop for content-crunching professionals. Our test model shows it running close to some MacBook Pros, though, which narrows its potential audience to those dead-set on a desktop plus a big monitor.

Compact design ; Workstation-class performance ; Good connectivity ; Runs cool and quiet

Expensive ; No internal expansion or user upgrades ; Monitor, mouse and keyboard are extra-cost items

Small, compact and quiet ; Powerful new chip, even by default ; Loads of ports ; Speedy SSD

Not upgradable post-purchase ; Eye-watering SSD BTO costs ; M2 Max gets two fewer Thunderbolt ports than Ultra ; Rubbish speaker

A wonderfully compact and powerful Mac for power users. And although it’s spendy, the Mac Studio nonetheless represents solid value.