Mini vs. Studio options
(amounts in GB£)
Options here are for: 2TB SSD + 10GbE + AppleCare (total in brackets is minus AppleCare, if not required).
Picked 2TB SSD as IMO many want this as a minimum these days (some for general storage space, with some as scratch/working space – given it's a very fast drive!), and 10GbE (Studio includes, Mini extra £100) for future faster networking options (e.g. NAS etc.), and the AppleCare most will get these days, as Macs are sealed boxes if they go wrong with expensive fixes!
Mini: 2TB / 10GbE / AppleCare [100 on Mini].
1. 2600 (2500) – M2 Pro 10/16/16, 32GB.
2. 2900 (2800) – M2 Pro 12/19/16, 32GB.
Studio: 2TB / 10GbE / AppleCare [150 on Studio].
1. 2750 (2600) – M2 Max 12/30/16 [M1 Max 10/24/16], 32GB.
2. 2950 (2800) – M2 Max 12/38/16 [M1 Max 10/32/16], 32GB.
3. 3150 (3000) – M2 Max 12/30/16 [M1 Max 10/24/16], 64GB.
4. 3350 (3200) – M2 Max 12/38/16 [M1 Max 10/32/16], 64GB.
5. 3750 (3600) – M2 Max 12/38/16 [no M1 Max 96 op.], 96GB.
Price differences
Mini (2. 2900)
vs.
Studio (similar price: 2. 2950 [+50], 3. 3150 [+250])
(higher price: 4. 3350 [+450], 5. 3750 [+850])
NB: Studio prices=current Studio M1 Max's, with their likely M2 Max equivalents based on the released MBP M2 Max chips; if prices remain the same, as they've done in last ~two years since the M-series chips arrived.
Display support options
Mini M2 Pro (HDMI 2.1): 2x 6K60 TB+4K60 HDMI / 6K60 TB+4K144 HDMI / 8K60 HDMI / 4K240 HDMI.
Studio M1 Max (HDMI 2.0): 4x 6K60 TB+4K60 HDMI.
Studio M2 Max (HDMI 2.1): 4x 6K60 TB+4K144 HDMI / 3x 6K60 TB+8K60 HDMI or 4K240 HDMI.
NB: Studio M2 Max options extrapolated from MBP M2 Max specs (MBPs have built-in screens, so Studio's slightly better), along with current Studio M1 Max specs; likely support 8K60 HDMI with 6K60 TB displays.Other points
CPU cores similar, Studio more GPU cores + more ports (front: extra 2x USB-C 10Gb+SD card).
Studio M2 Max autumn 2023 release likely, as M2 Max chip already in MBPs, so Studio staying on M1 Max bad for current sales.
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Other reference points
M-series past release schedule
2020.11 - Mini (M1)
MBA (M1)
2021.04 - 24iMac (M1)
2021.10 - MBP (M1 Pro/Max)
2022.03 - Studio (M1 Max/Ultra)
2022.06 - MBA (M2)
2023.01 - Mini (M2/M2 Pro)
MBP (M2 Pro/Max)
Price cross-overs
(in US$, as Apple set prices in US currency, then convert to others at prevailing exchange rate)
0.5 - 1.9k - Mini (Standard) <== 500: students price/600: everyone else
1.3 - 4.5k - Mini (Pro)
2 - 5k - Studio (Max)
4 - 8k - Studio (Ultra)
7 - 15k - Pro (Ultra Duo? Extreme?) <==guesstimate, as unknown
12 - 60k - Pro (Ultra Quad? Extreme?) <==guesstimate, as unknown
Given all this analysis, I decided the best option for me was to wait until the Studio M2 Max arrives; why?
It's very likely to release around autumn 2023, as the MBPs already have the M2 Max chip, so Apple surely realise buyers know the M2 Max chip is already available, so keeping the current Studio's remaining on M1 Max (and Ultra, for those in the higher buying bracket) is likely to cause a reduction in sales until the machine is bumped to this new chip (for those buyers that don't need to upgrade now/near future).
Also, given Apple released the Mini's (and HomePod 2) right at the beginning of January 2023, I think that leaves decent space to release the overdue Mac Pro (M2 Ultra Duo/Quad/Extreme??) around WWDC (June 2023), with the space for the usual iPhone release (Sep 2023) to be followed by a Studio update in Autumn (Oct/Nov 2023).
Additionally, it'll have been enough time by then (18-20 months) since the March 2022 Studio M1 Max/Ultra was originally released to not annoy current owners and fits-in with the 18-month cadence of updates for each model it looks likely Apple have been aiming for (beyond the pandemic and supply chain constraints that have delayed these plans, recently).
Of course this is Apple here, so I could be entirely wrong, but that's a punt I'm willing to take. ;-)
Thoughts much welcomed...
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