If you already thought Apple’s Mac Studio was expensive, it turns out the desktop PC can cost a lot more.
In August, the company announced that it was preparing a Mac Studio configuration with 512 GB of unified RAM, effectively doubling the memory. On Wednesday, it started selling the new maximum configuration, which costs a whopping $22,999.
The 512GB option is only available if you purchase the Mac Studio with the higher-tier M5 Ultra processor with the 80-core GPU. This configuration already starts at $6,799 with 96 GB of RAM. But if you add 512GB of RAM, you’ll have to pay $15,500 more.
This Mac Studio may cost even more if you decide that 1TB of base storage isn’t enough. You can upgrade to 16TB, but you’ll have to shell out an extra $7,500. So a fully optimized Mac Studio can reach $29,799, more than some new cars.
(Credit: Apple)
The other downside is that Apple’s website told us that the 512 GB version wouldn’t be available for pickup from us until February 1, 2027.
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Even though the price is exorbitant, it’s not surprising. Today, Apple announced its first-ever touchscreen MacBook Pro, which starts at $2,899, but can go up to $14,549 if you max out the specs. In 2019, the Intel-powered Mac Pro desktop tower could reach $53,000 for the maximum configuration, with 1.5 TB of RAM, two Radeon Pro Vega II graphics cards, and 4 TB of SSD storage.
Despite its high price, the Mac Studio might be worth it for power users or AI enthusiasts. We gave the product an “Outstanding” rating, citing the M5 Ultra offering top-notch performance. The large memory pool also makes it ideal for running AI models locally. That said, our review unit costs $12,299. The product can cost as little as $2,499.
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Michael Kan
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Experience
I have been a journalist for over 15 years. I got my start as a Kansas City schools and towns reporter and joined PCMag in 2017, where I cover satellite internet services, cybersecurity, computer hardware and more. I’m currently based in San Francisco, but previously spent over five years in China, covering the country’s technology sector.
Since 2020, I have covered the launch and explosive growth of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service, writing more than 600 articles on feature availability and launches, but also regulatory battles over expanding satellite constellations, struggles with competing providers like AST SpaceMobile and Amazon, and efforts to expand into mobile satellite service. I scoured FCC filings for the latest news and traveled to remote corners of California to test Starlink’s cellular service.
I also cover cyber threats, from ransomware gangs to the emergence of AI-driven malware. In 2024 and 2025, the FTC forced Avast to pay consumers $16.5 million for secretly collecting and selling their personal information to third-party customers, my joint report reveals. investigation with motherboard.
I also cover the PC graphics card market. Pandemic-era shortages led me to camp out outside a Best Buy to get an RTX 3000. I’m now tracking the impact of the AI-driven memory shortage on the entire consumer electronics market. I’m always keen to learn more, so please share your feedback and send me tips.
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