Key takeaways
- M5 Ultra Mac Studio base model will likely start at $3,999 for 64GB RAM and 512GB storage, matching M1 and M2 Ultra launch prices from 2022–2023.
- Mid-tier 128GB/1TB configuration expected at $5,199, with maxed-out 256GB/8TB models reaching $8,999–$9,399 if Apple adds a fourth RAM tier.
- Release timing points to early-to-mid 2027, 12–18 months after the M5 Max chip debuts in October 2026 MacBook Pro models.
- Apple holds RAM upgrade pricing at $800 per doubling and storage jumps at $200–$400 per tier, unchanged across three Ultra generations despite falling industry costs.
- Mac Studio offers no PCIe expansion or user-upgradeable storage; maxed-out M4 Pro Mac Mini at $2,899 may suffice for workflows under 64GB RAM.
In this guide
The M5 Ultra Mac Studio will likely cost $3,999 for a base configuration with 64GB RAM and 512GB storage when it arrives, matching the entry price Apple held across M1 Ultra and M2 Ultra generations. A mid-tier 128GB/1TB model should land at $5,199, and a top configuration could reach $8,999 to $9,399 depending on whether Apple offers a 256GB RAM ceiling.
The M5 Ultra chip does not exist yet. Apple has not announced it, has not confirmed a Mac Studio refresh, and has not published a roadmap. The M4 Max launched in October of this year in the MacBook Pro. Ultra chips historically follow Max chips by a year or more, which would place M5 Ultra hardware sometime in the second half of next year at the earliest.
M5 Ultra Mac Studio price comparison: M1 Ultra and M2 Ultra
| Configuration | M1 Ultra | M2 Ultra | M5 Ultra (projected) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base 64GB RAM, 512GB SSD |
$3,999 | $3,999 | $3,999 |
| Mid-tier 128GB RAM, 1TB SSD |
$5,199 | $5,199 | $5,199 |
| RAM ceiling | 128GB | 192GB | 256GB (projected) |
| Storage ceiling | 8TB | 8TB | 8TB |
| Max config price Top RAM + 8TB |
$7,999 | $8,799 | $8,999–$9,399 |
| RAM upgrade cost 64GB → 128GB |
$800 | $800 | $800 |
| Storage upgrade cost 512GB → 1TB |
$200 | $200 | $200 |
| CPU cores (base) | 20 | 24 | 28–32 (projected) |
Apple held the entry price at $3,999 across both Ultra generations and kept the mid-tier at $5,199. The only movement came at the top: the M2 Ultra added a 192GB RAM option for $800 more than 128GB, pushing the fully loaded machine from $7,999 to $8,799. If the M5 Ultra offers 256GB RAM—a reasonable projection given the M4 Max supports 128GB unified memory—expect another $800 step and a maxed-out price near $9,399 before tax.
Pick the base M5 Ultra Mac Studio if…
- You edit 4K video in Final Cut Pro or DaVinci Resolve and 64GB handles your largest timelines without swap.
- You run local LLM inference, Stable Diffusion, or Whisper transcription and the workload fits in 64GB VRAM.
- 512GB is enough because your footage lives on a Thunderbolt RAID or NAS.
- You want the quietest Mac Apple makes and can live with slower storage than a Mac Pro.
The base config saves you $1,200 against the mid-tier. That buys a 4TB OWC Thunderbolt SSD with room left over.
Pick the mid-tier 128GB M5 Ultra if…
- You composite 8K RED or ARRI footage with dozens of adjustment layers.
- You open 200-layer Photoshop files with 16-bit color or run Octane/Redshift GPU rendering.
- You develop in Xcode with iOS simulators, Docker containers, and a local Postgres instance all running at once.
- 1TB internal storage matters because you work on planes or in locations without fast external drives.
128GB is the sweet spot for most pro users. Apple charges $800 to double the RAM and $200 to double the storage, so the jump from 64GB/512GB to 128GB/1TB costs $1,200 total.
Where the M5 Ultra Mac Studio will fall short
No PCIe slots. The Mac Studio case has no room for aftermarket GPUs, capture cards, or NVMe blade arrays. If you need four M.2 drives or an Avid DNxIO card, the Mac Pro is the only Apple option—and it starts at $6,999 with an M2 Ultra chip that is now three years behind the current generation.
Soldered storage means no upgrades. You pick your SSD capacity at checkout and live with it. A 512GB model will never become a 1TB model. Third-party SSD replacement exists for older Mac Studios but voids warranty and requires board-level soldering skills.
Memory bandwidth will not match discrete GPUs. The M2 Ultra delivered 800GB/s by fusing two M2 Max dies. The M5 Ultra will likely hit 1,000GB/s or more, but that is still less than half the 2,400GB/s peak of an Nvidia RTX 6000 Ada. VRAM-hungry Blender Cycles renders or Unreal Engine 5 Lumen scenes will run faster on a Windows workstation with discrete cards.
The cheapest config costs more than a loaded Mac Mini. A maxed-out M4 Pro Mac Mini with 64GB RAM and 2TB storage runs $2,899. It cannot match the M5 Ultra’s core count or memory ceiling, but for Logic Pro, Lightroom, and Xcode it may be fast enough—and $1,100 cheaper than the Ultra’s entry price.
You wait a year or more for the chip. The M4 Max appeared in the MacBook Pro in October this year. The M5 Ultra Mac Studio will not arrive until next year at the earliest if Apple keeps the historical gap between Max and Ultra releases. Buyers who need an Ultra workstation in the next six months will be choosing between an M2 Ultra Mac Studio or a Windows Threadripper box.
M4 Max supports 128GB RAM, M2 Ultra Mac Pro still sells for $6,999
Apple released the M4 chip family in the Mac mini and MacBook Pro in November this year. The M4 Max supports up to 128GB unified memory, double the M3 Max ceiling of 64GB. That progression suggests the M5 Ultra—built by fusing two M5 Max dies—will offer 256GB RAM, up from the M2 Ultra’s 192GB cap.
Apple has not announced an M5 roadmap. The company never pre-announces chip SKUs or Mac Studio refresh dates. The M1 Ultra and M2 Ultra both appeared at spring events, so watch for invitations in February through May next year.
The Mac Pro with M2 Ultra still sells for $6,999 as of September this year, unchanged since its launch three years ago. Apple has not updated the tower since then. If the M5 Ultra Mac Studio arrives before a Mac Pro refresh, it will offer newer silicon than the $3,000-more-expensive tower—a repeat of the situation three years ago when the M2 Ultra Mac Studio ($3,999) had the same chip as the M2 Ultra Mac Pro ($6,999).
Apple’s configure-to-order RAM upgrades have held steady at $200 per doubling across M1, M2, M3, and M4 generations. There is no sign Apple will cut the $800 cost to jump from 64GB to 128GB, even though LPDDR5X spot prices tracked by DRAMeXchange fell 22% between January and August this year.
Cost over 36 months
A $3,999 M5 Ultra Mac Studio kept for three years costs $1,333 per year, or $111 per month. Add AppleCare+ at $169 per year and the monthly cost rises to $125. That is less than a three-year lease on a Lenovo ThinkStation P5 or Dell Precision 5860 with Xeon W and RTX A5000, though you would need to request a quote from Dell Financial Services or Lenovo Finance for current terms since both vendors price leases per customer and configuration.
Resale value cuts the true cost of ownership. Mac Studios with M1 Ultra and M2 Ultra chips hold value better than x86 workstations, though precise resale figures depend on configuration, condition, and the used market at time of sale. Apple silicon Macs generally depreciate slower than Windows workstations in the first three years.
Frequently asked questions
How much will the M5 Ultra Mac Studio cost?
The M5 Ultra Mac Studio will likely start at $3,999 for 64GB RAM and 512GB storage, matching the M1 Ultra and M2 Ultra launch prices. A mid-tier config with 128GB RAM and 1TB storage should cost $5,199. A maxed-out machine with 256GB RAM and 8TB storage will run $8,999 to $9,399, depending on whether Apple adds a fourth RAM tier or holds at three. These figures assume Apple keeps the $800-per-doubling RAM pricing and $200–$400 storage jumps it used for M1 and M2 Ultra models.
When will the M5 Ultra Mac Studio be released?
Apple has not announced a release date. The M4 Max launched in October this year. Ultra chips have historically followed Max chips by a year or more, which would place an M5 Ultra announcement in the second half of next year at the earliest. The M1 Ultra Mac Studio and M2 Ultra Mac Studio both debuted at spring events, so expect an announcement in late winter or early spring if Apple keeps that pattern. Orders typically open two to four weeks after announcement.
What configurations will the M5 Ultra Mac Studio have?
Expect three or four configure-to-order RAM tiers—64GB, 128GB, 192GB, and possibly 256GB—and five storage options from 512GB to 8TB. The M2 Ultra offered 64GB, 128GB, or 192GB RAM and 512GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, or 8TB SSDs. The M5 Ultra will likely add a 256GB RAM ceiling, since the M4 Max already supports 128GB and Ultra chips double the Max spec. CPU core counts will probably range from 28 to 32, and GPU cores from 60 to 80, based on the M4 Max’s 16-core CPU and 40-core GPU.
How does M5 Ultra Mac Studio pricing compare to M2 Ultra?
The entry price should stay at $3,999, the same as the M2 Ultra base model. The mid-tier will likely remain $5,199 for 128GB RAM and 1TB storage. The top-end config will cost $800 more than the M2 Ultra’s $8,799 maximum if Apple adds a 256GB RAM option, pushing the ceiling to $9,599 for 256GB and 8TB. Per-upgrade pricing—$800 per RAM doubling, $200 to $400 per storage jump—has not changed since the M1 Ultra, so expect the same increments.
Photo by Startup Stock Photos on Pexels
