Just bought a Mac Studio 10/24 32GB 2TB SSD

[Tommy c]

Well I have finally purchased my new desktop. I’ve been using my 16 M1 Pro in clamshell mode for a year. I really didn’t want to do that, but I made do with what I had.

I finally was able to have the money to buy this. I doubled the internal storage to 2TB. I wanted the 4TB version but realized I probably don’t need that and save 500-600.00.

I think I should be plenty good for the next couple years easily. Although I would’ve been nice to have the 7GB per second SSD.

Just thought I’d share this information

 

[russell_314]

That sounds like an awesome machine!

I wouldn’t worry too much about storage because it’s a desktop so you can connect an SSD and forget it so it’s just like having an internal drive. I don’t know if it’s going to be as fast but there are some pretty fast thunderbolt SSDs. Of course those aren’t cheap but if you need it. Even if it’s slightly slower, you can store files that you don’t access frequently.

 

[pshufd]

Sounds great! I bought mine last week but haven't set it up yet.

 

[sam_dean]

👏
👏
👏

We applaud you. Now download the 1st Apple Silicon native game and use it primarily as a gaming machine!

 

[cupcakes2000]

Sounds great! I bought mine last week but haven't set it up yet.

So it’s just lying around still in the box, or…? I don’t know how you manage not to set it up after a week!! Would be the first thing I did.

 

[pshufd]

So it’s just lying around still in the box, or…? I don’t know how you manage not to set it up after a week!! Would be the first thing I did.

It's on my testing desk waiting for me to move over my stuff from the mini.

We has a death in the family ten days ago and have been doing funeral, burial, legal and estate stuff since then.

I had to buy a suit and there was an Apple Store nearby so I picked up a Studio as I had been contemplating another mini, and M2 mini, and M2 Pro mini or a Studio for the past couple of months.

 

[cupcakes2000]

It's on my testing desk waiting for me to move over my stuff from the mini.

We has a death in the family ten days ago and have been doing funeral, burial, legal and estate stuff since then.

I had to buy a suit and there was an Apple Store nearby so I picked up a Studio as I had been contemplating another mini, and M2 mini, and M2 Pro mini or a Studio for the past couple of months.

Ahh ok. In that case I understand! Sorry for your loss.

 

[maflynn]

Congrats, and enjoy your new baby.

 

[Successful Sorcerer]

Just wondering why you didn't want to use your MBP in clamshell mode?

 

[edubfromktown]

Congrats.

I went with a base model Studio and store some things on external storage (SanDisk Extreme Pro that has surprisingly fast read/write performance).

 

[pshufd]

Congrats.

I went with a base model Studio and store some things on external storage (SanDisk Extreme Pro that has surprisingly fast read/write performance).

I have my eye on a Crucial P3 4TB NVMe external SSD. I am actually fine with the old 500 MBps SSDs but the NVMe SSDs are actually cheaper and several times faster.

 

[maflynn]

Congrats.

I went with a base model Studio and store some things on external storage (SanDisk Extreme Pro that has surprisingly fast read/write performance).

I want to like the Studio, but for my needs, its just too expensive. Even if it was able to run all of the apps I need for home and work, its hard to justify the price tag for me. I'm not knocking anyone from buying it, but my individual situation is such that, I don't feel I'm getting the value i expect for such a high price tag

 

[pshufd]

I want to like the Studio, but for my needs, its just too expensive. Even if it was able to run all of the apps I need for home and work, its hard to justify the price tag for me. I'm not knocking anyone from buying it, but my individual situation is such that, I don't feel I'm getting the value i expect for such a high price tag

It took me about three months to decide on it and part of it was that we didn't get an M2 Pro mini in October. If it helps with revenue generation, then it's a no-brainer. The Studio is overkill for the vast majority, just like the 2021 MacBook Pros. If you want one or two particular features, though, the options are limited.

Apple does need something between the mini and the Studio.

 

[maflynn]

the options are limited.

No question - for me the mini is less then what I need, and the studio is well beyond over-kill.

Apple does need something between the mini and the Studio.

I REALLY would love to see a new higher end iMac, but with that said. I have a setup that does not work with an iMac. I use a work laptop, personal computer and then my MBP on a single monitor controlled by a KVM. At the touch of a button the work laptop, gets access to my keyboard/mouse and 34 access to my 34" monitor. If I got an iMac, even if apple released a new iMac Pro, I lose the ability to have 2 or 3 computers on my desk at one time

 

[pshufd]

No question - for me the mini is less then what I need, and the studio is well beyond over-kill.


I REALLY would love to see a new higher end iMac, but with that said. I have a setup that does not work with an iMac. I use a work laptop, personal computer and then my MBP on a single monitor controlled by a KVM. At the touch of a button the work laptop, gets access to my keyboard/mouse and 34 access to my 34" monitor. If I got an iMac, even if apple released a new iMac Pro, I lose the ability to have 2 or 3 computers on my desk at one time

One of my todo items is to see if I can use a 5k iMac as a monitor for the Studio (or any other Mac) with high-performance video. The options right now are Airplay to Mac, Luna Display, and screen sharing. What I would like to get working is a Thunderbolt LAN between the two systems so that the display data goes over a high-speed interconnect. I have heard that people have done it but I'd like to see if it's a viable option for using a 5k iMac as a monitor. It might have some usefulness in the Windows world too.

 

[sam_dean]

I'd go with the mini if your content is from hardware released prior to 2020.

What I dislike about the mini is the M1's 16GB memory limit.

M2's no better at just 24GB.

Also dislike Apple's memory and storage price strategy. At most it should cost 2x that of equivalent PC parts.

 

[pshufd]

I'd go with the mini if your content is from hardware released prior to 2020.

What I dislike about the mini is the M1's 16GB memory limit.

M2's no better at just 24GB.

Also dislike Apple's memory and storage price strategy. At most it should cost 2x that of equivalent PC parts.

macOS can do a lot of RAM compression. I was chatting with a Redditor about a problem that he's having with external monitor performance on his M1 Pro and the only thing that I could see is that he has a large amount of compressed RAM (8 GB). I think that it's a good idea to use this technique to avoid swap but I wonder if bandwidth used to decompress the RAM can cause video performance issues. In an ideal world you would not have any swap or any RAM compression. This is easily done with a 2020 iMac and sticking 128 GB of aftermarket RAM in it.

 

[MajorFubar]

Nice machine. It's unlikely you will have any insurmountable serious issues unless you rely on rigging it up to lots of external hardware whose firmware might not yet be M* compliant. Be wary of what monitors and cables you choose though: I quickly found out that connecting an M* device to a Samsung monitor HDMI->HDMI is a no no (blank screen).

 

[sam_dean]

macOS can do a lot of RAM compression. I was chatting with a Redditor about a problem that he's having with external monitor performance on his M1 Pro and the only thing that I could see is that he has a large amount of compressed RAM (8 GB). I think that it's a good idea to use this technique to avoid swap but I wonder if bandwidth used to decompress the RAM can cause video performance issues. In an ideal world you would not have any swap or any RAM compression. This is easily done with a 2020 iMac and sticking 128 GB of aftermarket RAM in it.

I rather have kept my 2012 Mac and jump onto a 2022 Mac.

 

[maflynn]

One of my todo items is to see if I can use a 5k iMac as a monitor for the Studio

As one point you couldn't, but googling things, it appears that target display is a possibility for new iMacs.

 

[pshufd]

As one point you couldn't, but googling things, it appears that target display is a possibility for new iMacs.

You can screen share off a virtual display too.

It's easy to do on a 2K display and there's enough bandwidth over GB Ethernet. What I'd like to get working is screen sharing over a TB local network between the 2 machines to support 5k.

 

[Steve156]

I recently jumped and bought a Studio also, a base Max in my case. I was waiting to see what the rumoured M2/2pro Mini was going to come in with, both specs and price, however as that failed to make an appearance and the recalibrated launch being pushed a few months it simplified the decision.

Using my 14” MBP in clamshell was a pain for me too, logistical rather than performance, so I’ve made my peace with the premium cost and slightly overkill spec happy in the knowledge I get the use of it now. As I went with an official refurb I suspect the cost premium between it and what id likely spec on an M2 mini, given the inevitable price increases in the uk, will not end up that much.

 

[Tommy c]

That sounds like an awesome machine!

I wouldn’t worry too much about storage because it’s a desktop so you can connect an SSD and forget it so it’s just like having an internal drive. I don’t know if it’s going to be as fast but there are some pretty fast thunderbolt SSDs. Of course those aren’t cheap but if you need it. Even if it’s slightly slower, you can store files that you don’t access frequently.

I appreciate that. I have a NVME 1TB SSD in a TB4 enclosure. I think it's around 3GB per second read and write. That's why I did not go with 4TB version. I was thinking we,, I can have no worries at all about storage finally/ But, I can still do that.

 

[Tommy c]

Sounds great! I bought mine last week but haven't set it up yet

Just wondering why you didn't want to use your MBP in clamshell mode?

To be honest, I have wanted to replace my 2015 iMac that I had. When I sold it I bought the laptop. Then after using it in clamshell, I started having to bring it to work a lot and I was getting tired of have to unhook and re hook. things like that.

I knew I wanted this studio when it came out. I was willing to wait for a M2 Mini Pro version if one were to come out.

 

[Tommy c]

Congrats, and enjoy your new baby.

Thanks very much!

Just wondering why you didn't want to use your MBP in clamshell mode?

I did answer, I just muted you again by mistake lol.

I want to like the Studio, but for my needs, it's just too expensive. Even if it was able to run all of the apps I need for home and work, it's hard to justify the price tag for me. I'm not knocking anyone from buying it, but my individual situation is such that, I don't feel I'm getting the value i expect for such a high price tag

I totally understand what you are saying. I was thinking the same thing. But, I said screw it and went for this