23/06/2023
This squared device has ditched Intel CPUs, and it comes with a lot of power.. Let me introduce you to the device that is targeted for content creators who require a powerful device. This is the Mac Studio device from Apple.
Apple recently announced a number of new devices, the most important of which is this Mac Studio. This device is a high investment in both, its price and its capabilities. This is a beast of a device. It provides powerful performance for video editing among many other capabilities.
Let’s first discuss this device, and then I’ll provide you with my verdict about it. Let’s start with the design. It is identical to the previous version: it a box made from recycled aluminium. The thickness of the device is 9.5cm. The one we have here is the highest configured version, but the base model comes with the M2 Max, and it weighs 2.7kg. The M2 Max CPU comes with 12 cores, 8 of them for performance and 4 for efficiency.
The M2 Max is 20% faster than the M1 Max. Upgrading from the M1 Max wouldn’t make a difference, unless this 20% makes a huge difference for your time and income. The GPU has 36 cores and the Neural Engine has 16 cores. The CPU has 67 billion transistors. You can upgrade the RAM up to 192GB. However, the M2 Max version’s limit is 96GB. The RAM’s frequency is 400GBps. The storage reaches up to 8GB SSD.
The CPU is 1.8x faster than the previous version. The GPU is 3.6X faster than the previous version, as well. The CPU supports Machine Learning. However, this CPU inside this device is the M2 Ultra. The Ultra version is the most powerful. The Mac Studio equipped with the M2 Ultra weighs 3.6kg. The CPU has 24 cores, 16 of them for performance and 8 core efficiency. It is way faster than the previous M1 Ultra version. It is also 2x faster than the M2 Max. The GPU has 76 cores.
The Neural Engine has 32 cores. The higher the cores, the higher the performance. It has 134 billion transistors. It supports RAM up to 192GB. It is one of the most powerful devices when it comes specs. The RAM frequency is a whopping 800GBps. The storage reaches up to 8TB SDD. The GPU is way faster than the previous version, as well. Machine Learning is way faster as well, which will be helpful in workloads and processing. The CPU can run 22 8K tracks. It also supports up 8 4K external monitors.
In Geekbench 6, the CPU scored 2772 points for the single core and 21190 points for multicores. Here’s where the CPU performance is ranked compared to the previous version. In FCP, the the M2 Ultra is 5x faster than the previous version, while the M2 Max is 3.4x faster than the previous version. The device comes equipped with a lot of ports. The M2 Max version comes with 2x front USB-C with 15W support. While the Ultra version comes with 2x Thunderbolt 4 front facing ports with 40Gbps transfer speeds.
There’s also an SDXC front facing slot on both versions. On the back, there’s 4x Thunderbolt 4 ports, ethernet port with 10GBps support There’s also an HDMI port, 2x USB-A ports There’a a headphone jack and the power port. The device supports Ethernet 10GBps, bluetooth 5.3 and WiFi 6E. It is one the rarest devices from Apple with these specs. It also comes with integrated speakers. The box includes the device itself, power cable and booklets. It doesn’t come with a monitor. You’ll need to buy a monitor and accessories such as a keyboard and mouse and so on.
The device costs 1999 USD, You’ll need to study your purchase decision very well. This price doesn’t include the price of the monitor, mouse, keyboard and other accessories you’ll require. You might need to connect 2 or 3 or 4 external monitors, but who requires this powerful performance?
This device is a great addition for content making and audio/visual production. It also works perfectly for game production. But you’ll require better graphics and better audio output. And when I say audio output, I don’t mean tracks with 2 or 3 layers, but tracks with 800 layers. This is how powerful this device is.
Apple Silicon has become too powerful, but do we need this much performance? It is up to you to decide. For most users, the Ultra version is too much, rather the Max version could be better. But if you invest in the Ultra, which could cost up to 6K or 7K, it’ll be a powerful extended investment. This invest will last for a long time, but there’s an important point here. If you don’t build your investment well, you won’t benefit well from this device. If your workload is processing 4K videos with 2 or 3 layers, then it is not worth it to buy this powerful machine.
There are other powerful options from Apple that could be better for you. However, there is a more powerful device than the Mac Studio; it is called the Mac Pro. This Mac Pro device can be used a server rack, too. The performance of the Mac Pro is supposed to be super powerful. It is meant for rendering 3D graphics with ease. Though, the Mac Studio will be way more than enough with its capabilities. Since Apple has ditched Intel CPU, they’ve been developing their own SoCs. And they were able to make something huge for computing and processing with their own silicon.
Now, both the software and hardware are designed by the same company to work seamlessly together. They also design and create their own professional apps such as the Final Cut Pro. However, some third-party apps are not yet optimised for the M series, but Apple is rapidly working on supporting them. For me, I think Apple has built an amazing device, with hardware and software designed by them. It has become a full ecosystem, despite the support for the third party apps, which Apple is working on. This device provides a mind-blowing experience.
Let me know your opinion about this device. It is too much for your? Or is it the perfect device for your workload?
See you later.
Content Editor, OTTO Magazine Manager.
WhatsApp: +212691595123.