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Apple’s new Mac Studio has officially arrived on the scene as the most powerful computer powered by its in-house Apple silicon chips yet — including the new M1 Ultra processor the company announced alongside the new desktop computer. But the Mac Studio’s power doesn’t come cheap: while it starts at $1,999 for the entry model (powered by an M1 Max chip) and $3,999 for the cheapest M1 Ultra version, getting a fully specced-out machine will set you back an eye-watering $7,999.
You’re getting some serious bang for your buck, at least (which it had better, given that it costs more than a 2011 Honda Accord): an M1 Ultra processor with the full 20-core CPU and 64-core GPU configuration (instead of the 48-core GPU on the “base” M1 Ultra), 128GB of memory, and an 8TB SSD.
Starting from the $3,999 base price for the M1 Ultra-equipped Mac Studio, here’s how those add-ons shake out: adding more GPU cores adds $1,000 to the price, and doubling RAM from 64GB to 128GB is an extra $800. The bulk of the added price tag comes from SSD storage, though, which starts at 1TB for the base model but rises fast with the 2TB ($400 more), 4TB ($1,000 more), or 8TB ($2,200 more) options.
Add in everything, and you’ll get the maximum $7,999 price — more expensive than the top-specced MacBook Pro, for instance, which costs $6,099 for an M1 Max chip, 64GB of RAM, and a similar 8TB SSD.
That price still doesn’t factor in software (like Final Cut Pro or Logic Pro, which Apple will bundle in for $299.99 or $199.99, respectively) or accessories (like a mouse, keyboard, or a monitor).
For argument’s sake, let’s say you want the complete Apple hardware package, though. That adds $199 for a Magic Keyboard with Touch ID, $149 for a Magic Trackpad, and $1,599 for a matching Studio Display (which Apple announced alongside the Mac Studio), putting our total at $9,947.
Except the Mac Studio can support up to four Studio Displays at one time, so you’ll probably want to add in another three monitors (which are, again, $1,599 each), which makes our new tally $14,744. (That doesn’t factor in the optional, height- and tilt-adjustable stands for those monitors, either, which cost $400 a pop, or the nano-coated texture for $300 each.) You could also add a fifth display to connect through HDMI, although Apple doesn’t make one of those, so you’ll have to turn to a different company for that.
That said, you’re still coming out way ahead of Apple’s 2019 Mac Pro model, which costs $53,799 for a fully specced model (not counting Apple’s absurdly expensive $4,999 Pro Display XDR and its $1,000 stand). Although with Apple already promising news of an Apple silicon-powered Mac Pro coming in the near future, it’s possible we’ll get a new champion for an even more expensive Mac computer soon.
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