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Mac Studio vs. Mac Pro Buyer's Guide

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Apr 12, 2001
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Upon the launch of the latest Mac Pro, Apple's transition to Apple silicon across its entire Mac lineup is complete. The new Mac Pro features the M2 Ultra chip – the same chip offered in the refreshed Mac Studio – so why should some prospective customers buy the Mac Pro, despite its $6,999 starting price, and which performance-focused desktop Mac is best for you?

Studio-v-Pro-Feature-Purple.jpg


The Mac Studio starts at $1,999, substantially less than the $6,999 starting price of the Mac Pro. When configured with the same M2 Ultra chip as the Mac Pro, the Mac Studio starts at $3,999. There are several crucial differences between the Mac Studio and Mac Pro that justify their different price points and designs:
Mac StudioMac Pro
Integrated, non-upgradeable design with sealed casingModular design with openable casing and potential for SSD upgrades
–Seven PCI Express expansion slots (six available slots; one slot comes with Apple I/O card installed)
Two impeller fansThree impeller fans
Apple M2 Max or M2 Ultra chipApple M2 Ultra chip
Up to 24-core CPU24-core CPU
10Gb EthernetDual 10Gb Ethernet
Up to six Thunderbolt 4 portsEight Thunderbolt 4 ports
Two USB-A portsThree USB-A ports
HDMI portTwo HDMI ports
SDXC card slot (UHS-II)–
–Rack-mounted version available
Starts at $1,999Starts at $6,999


The main reason to buy the Mac Pro is to be able to use its seven PCIe expansion slots add the likes of digital signal processing (DSP) cards, serial digital interface (SDI) I/O cards, additional networking, and built-in storage. This also allows a user to change some of their Mac Pro's hardware over time, and Apple is offering additional do-it-yourself SSD upgrade kits and wheels for the device.

If you require multiple Ethernet ports, more than six Thunderbolt ports, or more than two USB-A ports to connect a large number of peripherals, only the Mac Pro can facilitate this. Otherwise, since the Mac Studio can be configured with the same M2 Ultra chip as the Mac Pro, there is no reason to buy the more expensive desktop machine, and most users will be better off buying the Mac Studio and saving $3,000.


Buy a Mac Studio if...
  • You prefer a smaller desktop machine that takes up significantly less space
  • The M2 Max chip offers sufficient performance for your needs and you do not need the M2 Ultra chip
  • You need a versatile, high-performance machine below the Mac Pro's $6,999 starting price


Buy a Mac Pro if...
  • You need the ability to upgrade the internal SSD
  • You need more than six Thunderbolt ports, more than two USB-A ports, more than one HDMI port, or more than one ethernet port
  • You need PCIe expansion slots


If you don't need the performance and number of ports that the Mac Studio offers, it is worth noting that Apple offers the Mac mini with the M2 Pro chip for $1,299. This high-end Mac mini offers a good balance of price and performance that should be more than sufficient for many users looking for a desktop Mac.


The Mac Pro is targeted at professionals with distinct hardware requirements and complicated workflows, often in production environments. These customers will know they need a Mac Pro to meet their needs. Considering the fact that the base model is $5,000 cheaper than the Mac Pro, the Mac Studio is now the best "Pro" desktop Mac for the overwhelming majority of prospective customers, with more than enough performance and versatility for most users.

Article Link: Mac Studio vs. Mac Pro Buyer's Guide
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/guide/mac-studio-vs-mac-pro/
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goMac

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Apr 15, 2004
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The Mac Studio's M1‌ Ultra chip outperforms the 28-core Xeon ‌Mac Pro‌ with the highest-end graphics card
Click to expand...

There's been a few benchmarks already showing the Mac Pro with an edge in graphics using the older Vega GPU options. It makes me skeptical that M1 Ultra will actually outperform a top end Radeon 6900 option in GPU tasks. Seems iffy it would beat a 6800 either.

The only claim I've seen of this so far has been Apple's slides, which haven't exactly held up.
 
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theluggage

macrumors 604
Jul 29, 2011
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Andres Cantu said:
Love the “no modularity” dig at the Mac Studio
Click to expand...
...but then the M1 series pretty much rules out a pick'n'mix approach - the CPU, GPU and equivalent of 'afterburner' cards are on-die, the RAM is part of the SoC package and even the SSD is tightly coupled to a custom controller by very short traces**.... and part of the M1 series' performance derives from that.

I think that if you want modularity, you probably need to stick with Intel.

** EDIT: still technically correct, but teardowns now show that the SSDs are on removable - but totally proprietary modules & not the same ones as the Mac Pro. It's probably up to Apple as to whether they'll offer upgrade kits or make spares available for home repairs.
 
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TheKDub

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Oct 30, 2008
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Andres Cantu said:
Love the “no modularity” dig at the Mac Studio 😆

Apple should have used another word like adaptability or flexibility, since the Mac Studio can fit in more places than the Mac Pro.

Still a great machine, just wouldn’t use that word to describe it.
Click to expand...
I took modularity as another term of after-purchase configurability or having swappable parts, etc. so I actually think it's the appropriate term. Doesn't really describe the physical aspect of the Mac Pro, which naturally has some size limitations due to the fact that it is modular in nature.
 
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4jasontv

4jasontv

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Jul 31, 2011
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guzhogi said:
I'd really like to see the next Mac Studio include maybe 2 M.2 slots in addition to the built in SSD. That way, you can add storage without adding something else to your desk. However, I wouldn't be surprised if anyone who needs the extra storage already has a NAS or something.
Click to expand...
I could see Apple following Xbox and doing proprietary m.2 shells. I wouldn't put money on it, but it's a good way to get some post-sale revenue.

Personally, I would like to see a way to link M# Macs into a stackable cluster. Apple could sell a Mac Pro base that controls communication between mini/studios and allows them to make fewer models but sell more units.
 
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adamw

adamw

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Sep 22, 2006
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I am excited to see what Apple released for their Apple Silicon Mac Pro upgraded model. I bought the M1 Ultra Mac Studio today, so I am not interested in a Mac Pro at this time, but may switch to an Apple Silicon Mac Pro if the price and features are right.
 
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Scoob Redux

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MacRumors said:
Apple senior vice president of Hardware Engineering John Ternus went as far as to confirm that there is a ‌Mac Pro‌ coming "another day" to clear up any confusion about the continuance of the ‌Mac Pro‌ product line, ...
Click to expand...
Was there any "confusion" about the Mac Pro continuing??
I think the reference to "one more product to go" in the M1 transition was to put to rest any ideas that there is a 27" iMac coming. It had nothing to do with verifying that the Mac Pro is still alive.
 
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eoblaed

eoblaed

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Apr 21, 2010
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I can't see any reason why anyone would purchase the current Mac Pro from here on out, especially with them teasing a new Mac Pro at the end of the Mac Studio event.

Honestly, I think the only reason it's still on the store is because they don't want to have a window of time where there's not a Mac Pro in the line up.
 
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code-m

code-m

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Apr 13, 2006
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Andres Cantu said:
Love the “no modularity” dig at the Mac Studio ?

Apple should have used another word like adaptability or flexibility, since the Mac Studio can fit in more places than the Mac Pro.

Still a great machine, just wouldn’t use that word to describe it.
Click to expand...
“Modularity” can be internal or external and with or without a case containing it. Installing another SSD or HDD into a MacPro tower vice have it in another external case attached via USB-A/C does not make it less upgradable. With the introduction of the MacPro maybe Apple will says guess what the M1 Max/Ultra supports eGPU’s. Apple does not want to diminish MacPro thunder feature/capability just yet. ?
 
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code-m

code-m

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hoodafoo said:
It boils down to this: the Mac Studio is for fun (unless your definition of 'fun' involves games) and the Mac Pro is for people who actually have work to do
Click to expand...
I wouldn’t be surprised if the MacPro does not fulfill the needs of MacPro and Xserve segments as Studio fulfills iMac/Pro and MacPro segments.
 
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