I was a Mac user for about a decade, then switched over to Intel to get touchscreens. Looking at a Mac Studio for video production work, but was wondering if we are expecting the M2 chips to be brought over to this system in the next few months or more likely we will get it in 2023?
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When are we expecting M2 Ultra/Max?
- Thread starter StuBeck
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There are some rumors that the Studio is a one and done. I think a lot depends on how much the Mini is updated at the low end, and how the new Mac Pro comes out at the higher end. Too much of a squeeze between the two, and I can see the Studio being left to whither on the vine.
I'm curious about where this rumour comes from as well. To my mind the studio occupies a pretty compelling segment; for a lot of creative professionals the Mini lacks the oomph and the Mac Pro will be (invariably) too expensive and overkill.
It seems to me to be well placed for 2D multimedia and video work, and pretty well placed for 3D - CPU wise for an artist workstation it nails it; if they increase the gpu a bit and ideally add raytracing cores I'd say it's pretty well positioned. Going to go out on a limb and say the sweet spot, at least for most simulations and modelling / lookdev etc etc, is 64-128GB ram and 10-20 CPU. Final frame renders would probably want more cpu, but that's what the farm is for. Feel it hits it's niche pretty well.
Speaking for myself, I'm waiting for the Mac Pro, at which point I'll freak out at the price and probably end up buying a M2 Ultra Studio
I haven't heard a single rumor of that nature. The Studio has a very clear market that is different from the Mac mini and Mac Pro.
The M1 Mac Studio was released just 6 month ago. If anything I think it's the last the M1 machine to receive M2 refresh (not earlier than spring 23).
Even though I'm hoping for it, there is no way 16" M2 MBP is coming in 2022.
Is this the consensus?
Is this the consensus?
While I could see the Mini taking over the role of the studio, I'm assuming the Studio came out for a reason, which was to hit that market that doesn't want an iMac and doesn't want a Mac Pro. Speaking exclusively for myself, I wouldn't rejoin the Apple ecosystem if my option between those two. I don't need high end portability so getting a MBP isn't in the cards.
Only Apple knows when the M2 Max and Ultra models are coming out, but my guess is it will follow the pattern of Max first with a light MBP update this year or early next, then M2 Studio next year between Jan and March, including an Ultra model, perhaps alongside a new Mac Pro also featuring the Ultra plus some other even higher end option.
If anything seems likely to be 'one and done' I think it might be the forthcoming Mac Pro. The market for a Mac workstation must be fairly small and with Studio soaking up some buyers it's probably at best a halo product that serves to show off Mac performance rather than a key product. The fact it is sufficiently low priority to still be on the drawing board when other ranges are already getting their first refresh tells me Apple isn't going to give it much love going forward either.
If anything seems likely to be 'one and done' I think it might be the forthcoming Mac Pro. The market for a Mac workstation must be fairly small and with Studio soaking up some buyers it's probably at best a halo product that serves to show off Mac performance rather than a key product. The fact it is sufficiently low priority to still be on the drawing board when other ranges are already getting their first refresh tells me Apple isn't going to give it much love going forward either.
Future 3nm processors might make it thermally feasible to fit Pro/Max processors in a "Mini" enclosure, with the Studio Ultra (... and "Extreme" if that ever happens) becoming the "Mac Pro". The "Studio" would be gone, but not really failed.
If anything seems likely to be 'one and done' I think it might be the forthcoming Mac Pro.
I wouldn't bet on that not being a "none and done"... The "more about the Mac Pro later" could be a presentation on why you should stop worrying and love your Studio Ultra. The Studio is already the spiritual (and far more sensible) successor to the Trashcan - which is clearly the direction that some people at Apple wanted to take the Mac Pro.
The 2019 Pro is by far the most problematic Mac to transition. As far as stitching Max dies together, the 2x Ultra already seems to be into diminishing returns on CPU and GPU - beyond that you're in to a horribly expensive way of expanding RAM and I/O bandwidth. Creating a "Xeon-W killer" with ARM cores, massive (external) RAM capacity and lots of PCIe is feasible but would be a huge investment just for the Mac Pro market and would dump many of the defining, successful features of the M1/M2 such as on-package unified RAM, powerful, integrated, Metal-optimised GPUs. ARM would being better power/performance - to the "powerful stand-alone PCIe workstation" section of the market where power consumption and size just aren't big concern.
The 2019 Intel Mac Pro is still as viable as it ever was if your workflow needs shedloads of RAM and big. meaty PCIe GPUs, and would be fairly easy to refresh with Intel and/or AMD's latest chippery. For those able to "think different" a cluster of Studio Max/Ultras (maybe Apple could do a rackmount version of the Studio and call it "Mac Pro") linked up with Thunderbolt seems like a more appropriate use of the Apple Silicon we've seen so far.
No worries, Mike.
I only asked because I've been trying to get my head around the idea of buying a non-expandable, non-upgradable Mac Studio. When I saw your post about it being rumored to be a "one and done" I didn't know what to think.
Where are these rumors? Why would they spend the time on the design to just drop it immediately?
Mac Studio has been my favorite Mac in over a decade. Mac Pro 2013 was a problem. 2019 Mac Pro was too expensive. Mac mini is too low in performance. I don’t like All in ones.
Isn’t the MBP due for a refresh? They have had some pretty aggressive sales as of late… isn’t that typically a leading indicator of a new/revised product lineup coming? I hope so, and hope they hurry up with it, because i am currently in the market for one and would hate to get the M1, only to see the M2 being released shortly thereafter and not having the ability to evaluate if there is any added value with the M2. The M1 Max is adequate, but i also like to try and future proof the best I can with any machine I purchase… i.e. added/upgraded RAM, Storage, and GPU
see my comment above… I know I’ve read something to this effect, but can’t find where now.
that said, there is precedent. The Mac Pro 2013. The G4 cube. Etc.
Link?
I doubt it. It might not get updated every year because it's a niche computer but I expect it to get updated at least once every 2 years.
I searched Google, which is even better than Macrumors forum search. Could not find a source for what you said.
Help us find the source @Boil
@MikeDr206 was correct, this link was in one of the threads from @Boil's search.
https://www.imore.com/mac/mac-mini/major-mac-mini-upgrade-could-come-at-the-expense-of-the-mac-studios-future
https://www.imore.com/mac/mac-mini/major-mac-mini-upgrade-could-come-at-the-expense-of-the-mac-studios-future
Really...?
I literally included a link to my search in the post you are quoting, wherein the first hit was:
Gurman: M2 Pro Mac Mini and no further Studios ?
Apple could do three headless desktops, with six total tiers of performance...
Mac mini = Mn / Mn Pro
Mac Studio = Mn Max / Mn Ultra
Mac Pro = Mn Extreme / Mn ???
Mac mini = Mn / Mn Pro
Mac Studio = Mn Max / Mn Ultra
Mac Pro = Mn Extreme / Mn ???