MAC Studio (M4 Max) Review

With its latest update, Apple’s fastest Mac Mac study is down. Mac Pro, which lurks in the background, may cost more and looks more powerful, but it still has a chip released almost three years ago and that chip is not the fastest anymore.

So the limelight focuses on the Mac study. It’s no coincidence. Apple has been on a tendency for compact design with its products, so the company’s preference for the Mac study as its top athlete fits the bill. And the Mac study is up to the task compact does not mean a victim in performance. It is an average machine that is ideal for the most hectic of production environments.

M4 MAX MAC Studio: Our Modells Specifications

Apple offers two default configurations of the MAC study: A $ 1,999 model with an M4 MAX -CHIP and a $ 3,999 model with an M3 Ultra. Each configuration can be customized with more memory and SSD as well as variations on the chip’s CPU and GPU kernels.

This review focuses on the M4 Max Mac Studio, and our review unit has a chip upgrade from the standard configuration as well as more RAM and a larger SSD. Here are the specifications of our review unit:

• CPU: M4 Max with 16 cores (12 Performance Kernes, 4 Efficiency Kernes), 16-Core Neural Motor
• GPU: 40 cores
• Memory: 128 GB Unified Memory (819 Gbps Memory Band Width)
• Storage: 1TB SSD
• Gates: 4 Thunderbolt 5/USB-C; 10 GB Ethernet; 2 USB-A (USB 3); HDMI 2.1; 3.5 mm sound; 2 USB-C; SDXC card castle
• Network: Wi-Fi 6e (802.11ax); Bluetooth 5.3; Gigabit Ethernet
• Weight: 6.1 pounds (2.74 kg)
• Dimensions: 3.7 x 7.7 x 7.7 inches (9.5 x 19.7 x 19.7 cm)
• Price (as tested): $ 3,699/£ 3,799/CA $ 5,249/AU $ 6.049

M4 MAX MAC Studio: Performance

Apple did something …different with the Mac study. It offers it with both Max and Ultra versions of its M-Series chips, as it has always done. But this time chips are not from the same generation; Instead there is an M4 max and one M3 Ultra. When Apple asked by ARS Technica why an M3 Ultra instead of an M4 Ultra said Apple flat that each chip generation would not have an ultra chip in its set -up. According to Numerama, the M4 Max Chip does not have the ultra -discusion technology used by Apple to create an ultra chip. So this will probably be top-of-the-line chip until the M5 Ultra comes along.

M4 MAX MAC Studio comes as standard with a 14-core CPU (10 performance kernels, 4 efficiency kernels), a 32-core GPU, 36 GB Unified Memory and a 512 GB SSD. This review looks at the M4 MAX setting with a 16-core CPU (another two performance kernels), a 40-core GPU, 128 GB RAM and a 1 TB SSD, all adding $ 1,700 the price of the Mac study.

M4 MAX’s increase of 76 percent above M2 Max is impressive, even given the two-generation shock. M4 Max is also 25 percent faster than M2 Ultra, which was Apple’s fastest chip, even after M3 Max arrived.

The boost of M4 Max above M2 Max (12-core CPU) is gigantic, but there is virtually no difference between M2 Ultra and M4 Max. If you have an M2 Ultra Mac study and might think you could save some money by upgrading to M4 Max instead, it’s probably not worth the CPU.

MAC Studio users use more likely pro apps instead of consumer-based software like iMovie, but file exports can give a sense of benefit benefits, regardless. The 24 percent boost with ProRES exports is a significant amount of time for creative professionals.

Handbrake 1.9.2 Video Code

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In this test, we transferred the 4K tea taces of steel video to H.265 using Handbrake, a video converster -App. Some huge winnings are seen here, either when using Mac’s hardware coders or when not.

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Blackmagic Disk Tests

^{The results are megabytes per. Second. Higher rates/longer columns are faster.}

These scores are essentially flat everywhere. The performance here is good, but it seems it will take a newly won innovation to see a drastic change in SSD.

M4 Max In our review has a 40-core GPU, which is two more than the M2 Mac study, so M4 MAX together with any new optimizations has M4 Max resulting in a 25 percent metal improvement. Geekbonch Compute Tests Graphics with either OpenCl or Metal APIs, the latter of which are Apple.

M4 MAX MAC Studio: Thunderbolt 5 Ports

The second big upgrade with the new Mac study is that Thunderbolt -Ports now support Thunderbolt 5. This significantly increases bandwidth from 40 Gbps in Thunderbolt 4 in the previous Mac Studio to 80 Gbps -for video it can go as high as 120 Gbps. It is a big thing for production use, but to take advantage of the speed, however, use Thunderbolt 5 devices that are still expensive and somewhat rare.

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This improves the external screen support of the M4 Max Mac Studio slightly. It can still run up to five screens, four over Thunderbolt at 6K/60Hz, and a connected HDMI 2.1 port at 4K/144Hz (HDMI was previously limited to 4K/60Hz). The second viewing connection setting has not changed: two screens with 6K at 60Hz over Thunderbolt, and a screen with 8K at 60Hz or 4K at up to 240Hz over HDMI.

M4 MAX MAC Studio: Status Quo

The two major changes with 2025 Mac Studio are the chip upgrades and Thunderbolt 5 implementation. Apple has not changed anything else. But because we strive for completeness, here is a summary of these unchanged objects.

• Design: The impressive small square shape has not changed since the introduction in 2022. Learn more about Mac Studio’s design.
• Gates: Mac Studio offers the same abundant gates as before, but as I mentioned, the Thunderbolt implementation was upgraded to version 5.
• Keyboard, mouse and screen: As always you have to deliver your own. Apple’s Magic Mouse, Trackpad and Keyboard received a USB-C update last November, while the 27-inch Studio display is still on its 1st. Re-release from 2022.

One thing that has not changed as I wish is Mac Studio’s way of initiating the Magic Keyboard installation process. It involves pressing Mac Studio’s on / off button twice and as before it took me several attempts to find the rhythm of the double button. It didn’t take me 13 attempts as last time, but it took me eight attempts, which seems like seven for many.

Should you buy M4 Max Mac Studio?

When you need as much treatment power as you can get, the Mac study is your only choice right now. Fortunately, it gives a serious amount of treatment effect, whether you get an M4 MAX or M3 Ultra.

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If you have purchased any of the previous versions of the Mac study, you are never happy with the speed and always need faster performance. You will find the increased benefit worth the money, but remember that you also get Thunderbolt 5, which can make your experience even better as long as you use Thunderbolt 5 devices.

Apple’s second workstation, Mac Pro, has the sole purpose now to fill a niche: users who need expansion space. It was not updated and still has an M2 Ultra chip, which is now a slower CPU than the M4 Pro. You don’t buy Mac Pro if you want the fastest Mac. When we talk about the M4 Pro, the current M2 Pro Mac Mini starts at $ 1,399, but if you upgrade it to a 14-core M4 Pro CPU ($ 200) and 48 GB RAM ($ 400), you end up with the same price as Entry-Level M4 MAC MAC Studio that is the better deal. You don’t get that much RAM, but you get more GPU power, more gates and more robust display support.