Do Mac Studios have an upgrade release cadence?

[Thunderbird]

I'm interested in getting my first Mac Studio M Max, and just trying to decide when to jump in (probably either M5 or M6). It seems like new Mac Studios get released almost every year, and it sort of feels like this is Apple's intention; to have a regular upgrade cadence. Just wondering if Apple's has ever actually stated what their goals are with Mac Studio releases? Or is it just whenever the next M chip is ready?

M1 Max: March 2022
M2 Max: June 2023
M3 Max: (there wasn't any M3 Max?)
M3 Ultra: March 2025
M4 Max: March 2025
M5 Max: 2026
M6 Max: 2027 ?

 

[gilby101]

if Apple's has ever actually stated what their goals are with Mac Studio releases?

Apple never state any goals about release of any Mac hardware.

M5 Max: 2026
M6 Max: 2027 ?

As good a guess as anyone else. Maybe, if you are an optimist.

"If you need one now, get whatever is best now." And "If you can wait there is always something better". Procrastinators never get anything 🙂

 

[maflynn]

The studio is a fairly new product, so the cadence is harder to discern, especially now that rumors are fairly rampant where we'll see a M5 in first quarter 2026

 

[RaceTripper]

I'm planning to get the M5 Max Studio, but I'm in no rush. I have a M4 Pro Mini and it does what I need it to do. It sounds like the M5 might be out sometime this spring or summer. I can wait.

 

[Jorbanead]

So far it’s always been somewhere between March-June so it makes sense the M5 Max Studio comes around then.

The M5 pro/max MacBook Pro have been delayed but usually when Apple delays things they try to get back to their “normal” schedule. So the delay doesn’t mean all Mac’s are delayed.

 

[maflynn]

sounds like the M5 might be out sometime this spring or summer. I can wait.

Yep, thats what everyone is expecting and hoping. It seems lots of technology is being delayed as AI gobbles up all available silicon - hopefully this isn't the case for the studio

 

[Tdude96]

Awhile back I was looking at release dates after someone had said that Apple is on a 2-year cadence with Mac Studio, which didn't strike me as correct (it's ~15-21 months). We don't have a good enough sampling to make a remotely accurate guess.

However, what I noticed when looking into that was when there is a new Mac Studio, it follows ~4-5 months after the release of the same generation Max chip.

MacBook Pro M1 Max -> Mac Studio M1 Max/Ultra = 4 months, 23 days
MacBook Pro M2 Max -> Mac Studio M2 Max/Ultra = 4 months, 20 days
MacBook Pro M4 Max -> Mac Studio M4 Max/M3 Ultra = 4 months, 4 days

So if we're looking for some consistency in Studio release dates, we're actually looking for the release date of the MacBook Pro Mx Max, which seems a fairly good driver of when the next Studio will be released. If one will be released. Obviously that didn't happen with the M3 Max, they skipped a Studio release, held off, and put an obsolete chip into the M3 Ultra Studio alongside the M4 Max Studio.

 

[RaceTripper]

Yep, thats what everyone is expecting and hoping. It seems lots of technology is being delayed as AI gobbles up all available silicon - hopefully this isn't the case for the studio

I'm keeping a half-eye on news, but TBH, I don't really *need* an upgrade from my Mini M4 Pro. I'm retired so my days of compiling software frameworks and running the tests for them are over. I don't need the Studio. I just want one, that's all. At best I hope it improves Zwift/Rouvy performance when I ride my indoor bicycle trainer. 🙂