Is it worth Apple Mac Studio M2 Max in 2024?

[MayaUser]

At this point if you still didnt bought it...the difference between M2 Max to M4 Max will be big and worth the wait
But if everyday you make money with it...then buy the current model now and buy the M4 Max next year since all the rumours suggests mid 2025. So dont lose money by waiting almost another year, otherwise, wait

 

[HoxtonBridge]

Hello, i need an advise. it is worth Apple Mac Studio M2 MAx in the middle 2024? or i should wait to the end of 2024 and buy maybe an Apple Mac Studio M4 Max?
I dont understand the Roundups section when i see now about the Apple Mac Studio M2 MAx Caution Approaching End of Cycle.
What is your opinion?
Thanks in advance.

No. Apple has undermined any current purchase of this machine by leaking/or making known, the upgrade path... Nobody, unless they desperately need one now, should consider a studio purchase.

 

[HoxtonBridge]

Unless you need raytracing, the M3 will be 4x faster.

According to..?

 

[Melbourne Park]

No. Apple has undermined any current purchase of this machine by leaking/or making known, the upgrade path... Nobody, unless they desperately need one now, should consider a studio purchase.

Well, I'd like to know if the next Studio will have Thunderbolt 5. External speeds from Sabrent's T5 test units show over 6,000 read and over 5,000 MB/s write. Half that with T-4/3. But I have not heard of that technology being leaked, but it's got to be coming. The next Studio would surely have T-5. I guess to the next Macbooks. Apple used to have early technology such as Thunderbolt and Firewire.

 

[splifingate]

Hello, i need an advise. it is worth Apple Mac Studio M2 MAx in the middle 2024? or i should wait to the end of 2024 and buy maybe an Apple Mac Studio M4 Max?
I dont understand the Roundups section when i see now about the Apple Mac Studio M2 MAx Caution Approaching End of Cycle.
What is your opinion?
Thanks in advance.

My opinion is that--if you find the need, and have the funds to spare--definitely get yourself a Mac Studio.

There's always New just around the corner....

 

[Melbourne Park]

My opinion is that--if you find the need, and have the funds to spare--definitely get yourself a Mac Studio.

There's always New just around the corner....

And I'd add, since the new ones are very close - buy a used one.

 

[mac57mac57]

In some senses, this question and the answers it elicits, are as old as computing time itself. I remember discussions like this when Apple was phasing out PPC in favor of Intel. There will ALWAYS be newer, faster and "better" machines soon to be available in the near future... but when that future arrives, and the machine you have been holding out for finally arrives, guess what, there will already be newer, faster and better machines in the offing.

Get what you need, now. I have an M1 Max MacStudio, which is older, slower and "technically obsolete". Even so, the machine is a screamer. You just can't go wrong with the MacStudio, no matter which one you get, so get what you need, now.

This will always be the answer to this timeless question.

 

[Melbourne Park]

In some senses, this question and the answers it elicits, are as old as computing time itself. I remember discussions like this when Apple was phasing out PPC in favor of Intel. There will ALWAYS be newer, faster and "better" machines soon to be available in the near future... ....

Get what you need, now. I have an M1 Max MacStudio, which is older, slower and "technically obsolete". Even so, the machine is a screamer. You just can't go wrong with the MacStudio, no matter which one you get, so get what you need, now.

This will always be the answer to this timeless question.

However, this is not a "timeless question". Because circumstances have changed from computers Apple makes now, to those of even a decade ago. Namely, you cannot upgrade the technology now. You have to decide on expensive RAM and Drive capacity, before you buy. Previously you could upgrade those key elements easily. Now they appear set in stone.

The exception to that being the potential for Thunderbolt 5. If Apple includes it, then there will be little need to do much of the work on the Studio. Disk caching from lack of RAM is also issue due to RAM constraints. And SSDs have a very finite life. More RAM likely extends the life of the SSD, as will Thunderbolt 5 if Apple includes it.

Macrumoour's Buyer's Guide says about Macs:
Neutral - 13" MacBook Air
Buy Now - 15" MacBook Air
Caution - 14" & 16" MacBook Pro
Neutral - iMac
Caution - Mac Mini (despite a new small M4 version coming this year)
Don't Buy - Mac Studio
Neutral - Mac Pro

A large benefit of a desktop is that it lasts longer. Because it has less shocks, better cooling, and less moving parts (no keyboard, track pad, hinges, connections via hinges) and there's no battery either. A desktop should last much longer. Which is one reason why Apple doesn't upgrade them as often.

So buying a Mac Studio is for a longer haul. Buying one right now - the price better be good. Because IMO T-5 will lengthen the life of a Studio, because external drives will lower the internal SSD usage. For some, current machines lack some things that might be needed, such as Ray Tracing. Plus Apple Apps might get much better when AI becomes productive, and M2 won't support AI the way the new M4 Studios will. Inside software AI could be very productive.

If a Studio is a steal - OK. But I don't want to reward Apple's lack of upgrades of the Studio, by buying one 6 months before a far superior model is available. And then have to watch for years as Thunderbolt 5 products increase the viability and usefulness of the Studio. And M1 and M2 Studios will depreciate a lot IMO. Apple won't give them a decent trade in either. A notebook can also be a good buy, they do much the same as a Studio, with the M3 Max outperforming even an Ultra M2 in most cases. If one is desperate, then an M3 notebook make more sense right now IMO than a Studio.

 

[Noctilux.95]

I'm in the same boat. Looking to upgrade my 2020 iMac Retina 27" to a more powerful modern machine. Unfortunately the Mac Studio is no longer an option for me as I don't want to wait for an M4 version for another year. I plan on getting a supped up Mac Mini M4 this fall.

 

[Melbourne Park]

An M4 Pro would be interesting. I'm unsure if that will arrive this year though. I wonder if thunderbolt 5 will arrive with the new Mini soon to be announced. And whether one can get more than 32 GB RAM. A 48 or 64 GB thunderbolt 5 Mini - whatever the shape and size - might tick lots of boxes.

 

[Seoras]

I need a new desktop, it's getting desperate.
I write apps for a living and I'm stuck on the previous version of Xcode because my iMac isn't supported as of this year.
I almost pulled the trigger and got a Studio M2 Ultra 64G/1TB that was refurbished.
Seemed like a good deal. However...
Looking at the MacBook Pro M3 Max (16core/64G/1TB) and comparing it's geekbench stats to the M2 Ultra Studio there's not much in it, either in performance or price!
With the MBP I get a screen, keyboard and track pad that I don't get with the Studio.
I think, in the current lineup, the MBP M3 Max is making the Studio obsolete.
So go compare the Studio you are contemplating with a similar spec and priced MBP and then decide.

 

[Melbourne Park]

Best value of the MacBook M3 Max is IMO the 96/2TB reduced processor version. For most 96 does the job, and that much ram reduces the load on the drive. Nonetheless I am not comfortable with less than 2 TB. I may have bought a refurb myself but there was no 2 TB version available. The other negative for me is the potential for thunderbolt 5, which will extend the life of these ram and drive locked computers. Downside is reduced speed, but to what extent that is a factor would depend on lots of things.

Apple's price for a 16" 2TB Max 40 core (compared to 30 core) which has 64 GB RAM, is exactly the same as Apple's price for a 16" 2TB M3 Max 30 core which has 96 GB RAM. For me, the RAM is a big safety factor. To buy the 40 core with more than 64 GB RAM, one has to buy 128 GB, which results in a 40 core processor which costs 15% more. And refurbs on 2 TB MacBooks are rare from what I have seen, especially with lots of RAM. One then faces buying a 4 TB 128 for a refurb and the penalty on the 4TB drive is punitive.

 

[Seoras]

Best value of the MacBook M3 Max is IMO the 96/2TB reduced processor version. For most 96 does the job, and that much ram reduces the load on the drive. Nonetheless I am not comfortable with less than 2 TB. I may have bought a refurb myself but there was no 2 TB version available. The other negative for me is the potential for thunderbolt 5, which will extend the life of these ram and drive locked computers. Downside is reduced speed, but to what extent that is a factor would depend on lots of things.

Apple's price for a 16" 2TB Max 40 core (compared to 30 core) which has 64 GB RAM, is exactly the same as Apple's price for a 16" 2TB M3 Max 30 core which has 96 GB RAM. For me, the RAM is a big safety factor. To buy the 40 core with more than 64 GB RAM, one has to buy 128 GB, which results in a 40 core processor which costs 15% more. And refurbs on 2 TB MacBooks are rare from what I have seen, especially with lots of RAM.

I'm with you on this but the OP asked "it is worth Apple Mac Studio M2 MAx in the middle 2024?"
I don't think the Studio is.

I won't buy a MBP laptop as a desktop, even at the 15% off refurb price, for the simple reason that I'm fed up with the fan noise from my iMac and promised myself that the replacement would be quiet(er).
That's the downside to the laptops, smaller space so more likely to spin up fans and make noise.
The studio is however, by reviewer accounts, silent.
Also there are more things that can break and go wrong with laptops.
Compare Apple Care+ prices between Studio & MBP. Says it all.

What put me off upgrading to a Studio was compiling an App in Xcode on my MacBook Air M2 which wife uses. According to the clang multiprocessor score on geekbench it should be only twice as fast as my top spec 2017 iMac.
It isn't. It's something ridiculous like almost 5x faster. My largest app takes almost 2.5minutes to compile on the i7 iMac but only 30->40s on my that M2 with 16G of ram.
So I was left asking myself why I need a whopping big Studio when I don't edit video files if a base line M2 is that good?

I need 64G or more of RAM (Android Studio is a memory hungry beast, it's android simulator uses about 5->6G) as I need to run Xcode and Studio at the same time and flick between them.
That an the fan.
Which leaves me in a no mans land limbo right now...
The new Mac mini-mini sounds like it's getting an M4 but only 2 configs of ram, 16G & 32G.
I hope that's wrong and there's a 64G option as it would be an instant buy for me.

So until something changes in the Mac lineup we have two choices for lots of ram. Studio or MBP.

 

[Melbourne Park]

I'm with you on this but the OP asked "it is worth Apple Mac Studio M2 MAx in the middle 2024?"
I don't think the Studio is.

I won't buy a MBP laptop as a desktop, even at the 15% off refurb price, for the simple reason that I'm fed up with the fan noise from my iMac and promised myself that the replacement would be quiet(er).
That's the downside to the laptops, smaller space so more likely to spin up fans and make noise.
The studio is however, by reviewer accounts, silent.
Also there are more things that can break and go wrong with laptops.
Compare Apple Care+ prices between Studio & MBP. Says it all.

What put me off upgrading to a Studio was compiling an App in Xcode on my MacBook Air M2 which wife uses. According to the clang multiprocessor score on geekbench it should be only twice as fast as my top spec 2017 iMac.
It isn't. It's something ridiculous like almost 5x faster. My largest app takes almost 2.5minutes to compile on the i7 iMac but only 30->40s on my that M2 with 16G of ram.
So I was left asking myself why I need a whopping big Studio when I don't edit video files if a base line M2 is that good?

I need 64G or more of RAM (Android Studio is a memory hungry beast, it's android simulator uses about 5->6G) as I need to run Xcode and Studio at the same time and flick between them.
That an the fan.
Which leaves me in a no mans land limbo right now...
The new Mac mini-mini sounds like it's getting an M4 but only 2 configs of ram, 16G & 32G.
I hope that's wrong and there's a 64G option as it would be an instant buy for me.

So until something changes in the Mac lineup we have two choices for lots of ram. Studio or MBP.

I agree with the issues with notebooks being more delicate.

However - those issues happen IMO, when they are used as notebooks. If you just leave it on the desktop, it will not have the connection issues, stresses etc of a normal notebook. Treat it like a desktop and it will last like a desktop is my guesstimate.

On the noise issue - the notebooks maybe noisier, but the 14" is the noisier by far say users.

Interestingly on the 14" 40 core Max, it throttles back under stress testing, before the 30 core does. So a logical conclusion is that the 30 core runs cooler. So a 30 core 16" is a likely quieter box.

And since its being treated as a desktop - you could insulate the sound somehow. However you work that out, it will be more compact than a Mac Pro!!

Or maybe buy a 5,1 case, and put some silent fans inside it, and remove the keyboard and top frame and I guess the screen from the MacBook ... I bet that would be quiet.

Now ... you've made me think. A 5,1 casing with a keyboard removed MacBook Pro inside that had thunderbolt 5, could house some thunderbolt 5 drive arrays very nicely ... turn it sideways I guess ... a rack mounted new Mac Pro, but an old one as well ... just wondering if you can start a MacBook from an external keyboard!!!

https://i.postimg.cc/VNYRfGMb/Macbook-Pro-16-heat-X-Ray.png

 

[Melbourne Park]

Darn, can't seem to post an image of the cooling of a MacbookPro M3 Pro.

While Apple has tied all sorts of the internals to each individual MacBook (like the screen tilt angle and the finger print sensor) and to replace one would therefor have to have it done apparently by Apple (at a high cost), Apple now does supply workshop manuals for their MacBooks, say iFixit. From the Xray photos the CPU is in between the fans, and that MacBook 16" has the Pro CPU rather than the Max (which would be larger). I presume therefor that with a wider and deeper CPU in the Max, the air channel heat exchange would look different.

The cheatest solution might be to put it in a cooler box with a cable aperture installed!! It would run faster in that environment I reckon ...and its insulation would guarantee no noise! Plus room for a beer or two.

 

[Noctilux.95]

How do you guys run a MacBook as a desktop? Is it plugged in the whole time or you run it with its internal battery until it needs charging? If plugged in the whole time, doesn’t that kill your battery at a much faster rate?

 

[Seoras]

How do you guys run a MacBook as a desktop? Is it plugged in the whole time or you run it with its internal battery until it needs charging? If plugged in the whole time, doesn’t that kill your battery at a much faster rate?

I would think that while plugged in the laptop would run, not from the battery, but from the mains power source.
The battery would either charge or remain in maintenance/standby mode.

Can anyone confirm if touch ID on an Apple external bluetooth keyboard works with their laptops which also have touch ID on their keyboard?

 

[Melbourne Park]

I think one can now set the battery charge rate. So for the notebook I think you can set the charge rate at a maximum of 80% charge. This will mean the battery will not degrade much at all. But over 85%, there is degradation. I have investigated all that, I have an ocean racing yacht, which uses batteries for auto pilot. The cruising guys who have a lot of lithium (lithium phosphate iron which does last 10xs longer than what computer companies supply), they do not charge beyond 85%, and many not over 80%.

Ring Apple support and find out!!! For both the battery, and also find out about being able to start it remotely. Tell them your thinking about buying a notebook instead of an old M2 processor in a Studio. Apple support is terrific IMO.

I know in iPhones on can manually adjust the charge settings in order to extend the battery life. I have presumed that's the case now in mac OS. If not, there maybe a third party utility. Plus changing the battery will be done by Apple anyway ...

Although they won't change my wife's iPad Pro 10.5" (2nd version), they say its battery is fine. But its gone ... the genius bar guys said really ... Apple wants you to replace it ... they suggested reformatting the drive, and before, recording all the apps, and download each app from fresh. They blamed the software apps on the battery not performing! But 3rd party utilities said the battery was quite worn. We were happy to pay for a replacement battery too.

Fact is that most Apple notebooks have knocks and scratches on them. The alloy dents pretty easily. Your machine would be in perfect condition, and would be a top drawer used one IMO, because it would only have been used as a desktop. Unless of course you loose control and take it away!!! I've thought Studio + 15" Air ... but a single 16" is cheaper. At the moment ...

 

[Melbourne Park]

I used ChatGTP and it basically said use a sleep mode, and have it wake on calls via net or I guess bluetooth. I think a sleep mode would not do any harm. Restarting though and things like that might would require full access I guess ... I'd have to remember what button to push when the top was removed!!! Looking at those pics of heat, some heat would also leave through the keyboard. Perhaps that is why Apple keyboards are still not coffee spill proof? So a MacBook would likely run cooler with its screen open I guess ... I don't know if Apple suggest keep the screen open if just using external monitors.

From what I've read here, budgeting for a T-4 hub is worthwhile. And a pricey Apple T-4 cable. Apple sells a 3m thunderbolt cable, for $US159. A veritable bargain compared to the 2 metre version though. It's likely worth it as the El Cheap ones will not perform or last the same IMO. Three metres behind something else I reckon you will rarely hear a 16" 30 core!!! With 96 GB RAM. Its possible Apple will announce M4 MacBooks next week, at the iPhone etc event ... but October seems the likely date for them. Some say the M4 is a bigger leap than the M3 was compared to the M2 (which was a small development of the M1).

On computer boxes - they cost money!!! but one thing - they have quiet fans and lots of vibration resistance, and they have filters. Its interesting, but there is no filter on a MacBook. So the fans get dirty over time, which means less efficient cooling. A box with filters would therefor benefit the MacBooks cooling over a period of time. I think dust can become engrained in the fan blades too if not cleaned every now and then. I bet these people would work out a solution for a MacBook https://www.acoustiproducts.com/en/acousticase_c6607.asp I reckon a sound lined pc case with a variable speed fan switch on the outside would cut all the noise, because PCS have very noisy fans from their GPUs, and those run hot. Just open the screen a bit, put the notebook in there, t-4 cable out, power lead in, and off you'd go. Sell the box when you upgrade later on. To restart, open the case and remove the notebook. KISS.

Don't forget you can buy a new Mac and test it, and you'd have 14 days to return it. I paid with a credit card, and there is a delay from Apple in getting the credit card refunded. I think it took around a week. Just get organised with doing your tests straight away, and what will be a critical sound test for you. And don't forget about activity monitor, so you can see what is going on. On noise - I was in industry for a while with noisy machines. It was said lead made a big difference. I've wondered about a simple sound shield around computer devices ...

I returned a 16 " M3 Pro max because I could not live with 1 TB drive. I bought a case for it, to ensure I did not harm it. I still have the case, but no MacBook M !!! I'm still on the fence.

 

[Melbourne Park]

I used ChatGTP and it basically said use a sleep mode, and have it wake on calls via net or I guess bluetooth. I think a sleep mode would not do any harm. Restarting though and things like that might would require full access I guess ... I'd have to remember what button to push when the top was removed!!! Looking at those pics of heat, some heat would also leave through the keyboard. Perhaps that is why Apple keyboards are still not coffee spill proof? So a MacBook would likely run cooler with its screen open I guess ... I don't know if Apple suggest keep the screen open if just using external monitors.

From what I've read here, budgeting for a T-4 hub is worthwhile. And a pricey Apple T-4 cable. Apple sells a 3m thunderbolt cable for $159.

There are lots of noise liners around. Lining an old Mac Pro case would work IMO. I would change the fans though. There are quietened desktop PC cases out there too. If the fan was silent at a certain speed, one might just turn the fan on at start of day. Put the notebook into a silent case of some sort but one with fan air through put. I've looked and did not find anything on the net providing a box with soundproofing for a notebook! The iPhone has apps for sound levels too. They are handy for measuring sound levels. But if your in the sound area, you would know a lot more than me. Since you brought this all up, I can now here the fan in my Mac Pro 5,1!! I did not here it before this thread!!! Time for a clean I guess ...

 

[Jackbequickly]

Hello, i need an advise. it is worth Apple Mac Studio M2 MAx in the middle 2024? or i should wait to the end of 2024 and buy maybe an Apple Mac Studio M4 Max?
I dont understand the Roundups section when i see now about the Apple Mac Studio M2 MAx Caution Approaching End of Cycle.
What is your opinion?
Thanks in advance.

I just bought my first Studio yesterday and all I can say is WOW! Used migration assistant to move from my almost new 16” iPad Pro and everything worked perfectly. The studio monitor is absolutely unbelievable. Wish I would have done this instead of the 16” iPad Pro which will be going on Craig’s list.

The M2 Ultra studio will do nicely for many years of image processing and CAD. Just the monitor was worth the price of admission. Very nice hardware for sure.

 

[Kronsteen]

I need a new desktop, it's getting desperate.
I write apps for a living and I'm stuck on the previous version of Xcode because my iMac isn't supported as of this year.
I almost pulled the trigger and got a Studio M2 Ultra 64G/1TB that was refurbished.
Seemed like a good deal. However...
Looking at the MacBook Pro M3 Max (16core/64G/1TB) and comparing it's geekbench stats to the M2 Ultra Studio there's not much in it, either in performance or price!
With the MBP I get a screen, keyboard and track pad that I don't get with the Studio.
I think, in the current lineup, the MBP M3 Max is making the Studio obsolete.
So go compare the Studio you are contemplating with a similar spec and priced MBP and then decide.

You are quite correct about the relative performance of the M2 Ultra and M3 Max (assuming that you are talking about CPU performance). But -- and, for me, it would be a big 'but' -- the GPU performance, for workloads that can use it, is still significantly better, over 40% higher according to the Geekbench Metal benchmark.

(I do recognise that general purpose benchmarks like GB are, at best, only a very rough guide -- there is no substitute for measuring one's own workload -- but the M2 Ultra / M3 Max GPU difference is not marginal.)

So I agree, for many purposes, the MBP M3 Max is a far better choice than a Studio, although an equivalent (albeit M2 rather than M3) spec Studio is still considerably cheaper, if the display / keyboard / mouse aren't needed, so does perhaps have a place in some instances. Likewise the Ultra, if GPU performance is a major factor.

I realise, by the way, that this is an old thread, I happened to come across it as I am wondering about an M2 Studio to replace a 2014 (trash can) Mac Pro. I also had the same dilemma as you at the end of last year: I would have liked to have replaced the old MP then and was keen to get try an Apple Silicon GPU for some work that I do. But I also need a new laptop and was unhappy that Apple would have charged an extra UKP 1,000 for an extra 16 GPU cores in the M2 Ultra. So, in the end, I (sort of) killed two birds with one purchase by buying the MBP 16" M3 Max 40 core GPU version. I am extremely happy with it. Although I will replace the MP at some point, there is no hurry; I might consider a refurbished (or discounted, when the new models are released) Studio M2 Max or Ultra, but I might just bite the bullet and ultimately buy an M4 (or even wait for an M5, so long as the Mac Pro keeps going for another two or three years.

 

[Kronsteen]

However, this is not a "timeless question". Because circumstances have changed from computers Apple makes now, to those of even a decade ago. Namely, you cannot upgrade the technology now. You have to decide on expensive RAM and Drive capacity, before you buy. Previously you could upgrade those key elements easily. Now they appear set in stone.

The exception to that being the potential for Thunderbolt 5. If Apple includes it, then there will be little need to do much of the work on the Studio. Disk caching from lack of RAM is also issue due to RAM constraints. And SSDs have a very finite life. More RAM likely extends the life of the SSD, as will Thunderbolt 5 if Apple includes it.

Macrumoour's Buyer's Guide says about Macs:
Neutral - 13" MacBook Air
Buy Now - 15" MacBook Air
Caution - 14" & 16" MacBook Pro
Neutral - iMac
Caution - Mac Mini (despite a new small M4 version coming this year)
Don't Buy - Mac Studio
Neutral - Mac Pro

A large benefit of a desktop is that it lasts longer. Because it has less shocks, better cooling, and less moving parts (no keyboard, track pad, hinges, connections via hinges) and there's no battery either. A desktop should last much longer. Which is one reason why Apple doesn't upgrade them as often.

So buying a Mac Studio is for a longer haul. Buying one right now - the price better be good. Because IMO T-5 will lengthen the life of a Studio, because external drives will lower the internal SSD usage. For some, current machines lack some things that might be needed, such as Ray Tracing. Plus Apple Apps might get much better when AI becomes productive, and M2 won't support AI the way the new M4 Studios will. Inside software AI could be very productive.

If a Studio is a steal - OK. But I don't want to reward Apple's lack of upgrades of the Studio, by buying one 6 months before a far superior model is available. And then have to watch for years as Thunderbolt 5 products increase the viability and usefulness of the Studio. And M1 and M2 Studios will depreciate a lot IMO. Apple won't give them a decent trade in either. A notebook can also be a good buy, they do much the same as a Studio, with the M3 Max outperforming even an Ultra M2 in most cases. If one is desperate, then an M3 notebook make more sense right now IMO than a Studio.

A really good post, if I may say so. Might I ask one question?

What's behind your statement (which I highlighted, above), that the M3 Max outperforms the M2 Ultra?

I appreciate that that will certainly be the case for single (CPU) core performance, but my impression is that multi-core CPU is broadly similarly. Likewise, core-for-core, the M3's GPU will be superior, particularly for applications that take advantage of the M3's new features, but for general-purpose multi-core GPU workloads that scale well across multiple GPU cores, the M2 Ultra's 76 cores will surely outperform the M3 Max's 40?

 

[Varmann]

A reason to switch computer as late as possible today is the usually rather limited time span before Apple place it in the category of not getting full system updates any longer. The AI part on the M4 might such limiting feature.

 

[Melbourne Park]

A really good post, if I may say so. Might I ask one question?

What's behind your statement (which I highlighted, above), that the M3 Max outperforms the M2 Ultra?

I appreciate that that will certainly be the case for single (CPU) core performance, but my impression is that multi-core CPU is broadly similarly. Likewise, core-for-core, the M3's GPU will be superior, particularly for applications that take advantage of the M3's new features, but for general-purpose multi-core GPU workloads that scale well across multiple GPU cores, the M2 Ultra's 76 cores will surely outperform the M3 Max's 40?

I said that only on the basis of various reviews. But as you indicate, if a user is pushing the core work, then an Ultra M2 would outperform an M3 Max pro. Besides the Ray Tracing issues which might effect some.

Also, the Powerbook is also subject to heat dissipation far more than a Studio. Due to that factor, IMO a MacBook Pro with less cores seems better value to me - because if one is really pushing a MacBook, including the better cooled 16", tests show it will throttle back under heavy loads. So why have the full core model when its likely to throttle back under full duress? However the less core MacBook Pro's RAM is limited to 96 GB. But overall I reckon a 96 GB lesser MacBook Pro with a 2 TB drive seems a better investment than a full blown MacBook Pro.

It all depends on what how one uses it I guess. I presume with the m4 MacBook Pros coming shortly, Apple may not provide a Max version of them until they upgrade the Studio, because an M4 Pro Max would likely be faster all the time than an Ultra.

Another thing is the value side. With a MacBook, one gets a keyboard as well, & a monitor too. Plus a battery which provides some fault tolerance and protection from power surges. The cost accountants would have forbid Apple putting in a battery to make a Studio surge proof and more fault tolerant.

For myself, I wanted Apple to have a PCI option in an affordable desktop. I am also outraged by Apple's lack of upgradability with their internal drives.

Apple used to be the hardware king IMO. Now its a mix of software/icloud revenues, phones and pads, and notebooks, with little interest in its desktops IMO, unless one includes an Apple TV as a desktop, because I think Apple take that device very seriously. IMO if Apple lowered the price on their Studios as they got older, they'd be taking that sector far more seriously. But they don't behave like that which indicates to me they are not customer focused, and they seem to me to take the historic desktop brigade for granted, and treat them with what looks to me like some contempt.