Mac Studio M5 (2026): Release date, rumors and the impact of RAM shortages

2026 Mac Studio M5 Release Date: Will there be a new Mac Studio?

• No WWDC release

For much of the past year, expectations have been that Apple would unveil a new Mac Studio powered by M5 Max and M5 Ultra chips at WWDC 2026. In January 2026, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported that Apple was targeting the first half of 2026 for the next-generation systems, making a WWDC debut seem plausible. The event is a natural venue for launching a workstation aimed at developers and creative professionals, and Apple previously used WWDC 2023 to introduce Mac Studio models powered by the M2 Max and M2 Ultra. However, there was no new Mac Studio at WWDC.

The failure of Apple to update the Mac Studio at WWDC was no surprise. More recent reports had indicated the launch may now slip to later in the year, with October 2026 increasingly viewed as the more likely timeframe.

The delay appears to be tied to ongoing supply constraints in the global DRAM market. Surging demand for AI infrastructure – particularly from hyperscalers operating large-scale data centres – has placed significant pressure on high-capacity memory supply.

According to Gurman, reporting in April 2026, “supply chain snags” are affecting production of Apple’s next-generation professional Macs, potentially pushing the Mac Studio launch into October 2026.

These constraints are already affecting the current Mac Studio lineup. In March 2026, Apple removed the 512GB unified memory upgrade option for the M3 Ultra Mac Studio and increased the price of the 256GB option by $400, likely reflecting rising DRAM costs.

As of May 2026, the 2025 Mac Studio can only be configured with 36GB, 64GB or 96GB of unified memory, with the former 128GB and 256GB upgrade options no longer available. Availability has also been impacted, with delivery estimates ranging from six to ten weeks depending on configuration.

2026 Mac Studio: Processor

• M5 Max and M5 Ultra chips expected

Apple

The Mac Studio ships with Apple’s M-series Max and Ultra chips. The 2025 Mac Studio launched with the expected M4 Max, but the highest-end configuration unexpectedly used an M3 Ultra rather than a newer M4 Ultra. While the M3 Ultra still outperforms the M4 Max in heavily multithreaded and graphics-intensive workloads, it is based on an older generation of Apple silicon.

Apple never publicly explained why an M4 Ultra was not released. Some industry analysts speculated that manufacturing complexity and yield issues at TSMC may have contributed to Apple skipping an Ultra-tier M4 chip. However, the most widely accepted explanation is architectural. Previous Ultra chips, including the M1 Ultra and M2 Ultra, were created by linking two Max-class dies together using Apple’s UltraFusion packaging technology. Reports suggest the M4 Max lacked the high-bandwidth die-to-die interconnect required for this approach, preventing Apple from combining two M4 Max dies into a single Ultra processor.

However, this situation is not expected to continue with the M5 generation. Apple’s M5 Max, built on an advanced 3nm process, introduces a revised architecture that allows multiple dies to function as a single SoC. This new “Fusion Architecture” is designed to improve scalability, memory bandwidth and AI performance and, crucially, should make future Ultra variants easier to produce.

Apple has also shifted its high-end desktop strategy away from the Mac Pro, which was discontinued in early 2026. With the Mac Studio now effectively serving as Apple’s flagship professional desktop, it has become the company’s primary platform for future Ultra-class chips.

As a result, the next Mac Studio is widely expected to feature both the M5 Max and M5 Ultra.

M5 Max

The M5 Max currently features:

• CPU: Up to an 18-core CPU optimized for professional multithreaded workloads.
• GPU: Up to a 40-core GPU with improved AI and graphics acceleration.
• Neural processing: Expanded machine-learning hardware integrated across the GPU and media engines.
• Memory bandwidth: Significantly higher bandwidth than the M4 generation, improving AI, 3D rendering and video-editing performance.

The Mac Studio version of the M5 Max is also expected to deliver higher sustained performance than the MacBook Pro thanks to its larger thermal envelope.

M5 Ultra

If Apple maintains its current scaling approach of combining two M5 Max dies into a single processor package, the M5 Ultra could offer:

• CPU: Up to 36 CPU cores.
• GPU: Up to 80 GPU cores.
• Unified memory: Support for significantly larger memory pools and much higher bandwidth than the M5 Max.

The M5 Ultra, offering the best desktop workstation performance, will be suited to GPU-intensive workflows such as 3D rendering, AI model development, scientific computing and advanced video production.

2026 Mac Studio: Other specs

Thomas Bergbold

• Bigger SSD expected as standard

The introduction of the M5 Max in the 2026 MacBook Pro lineup provides some insight as to what to expect from the next Mac Studio beyond raw processor performance.

Unified memory and bandwidth

Memory configuration is expected to become an increasingly important part of the next Mac Studio story due to ongoing DRAM supply constraints affecting the broader industry.

Current expectations suggest:

• M5 Max: To continue to start with 36GB of unified memory.
• M5 Ultra: To begin at 96GB of unified memory.

Apple may continue to cap maximum memory at 256GB on Ultra configurations, although availability could remain limited depending on supply conditions.

However, recent changes to the existing Mac Studio lineup indicate Apple may simplify or reduce high-end memory configurations. In May 2026, Apple removed some higher-capacity memory upgrade options from the M3 Ultra Mac Studio and increased pricing for remaining high-memory configurations, likely due to rising DRAM costs driven by AI server demand.

Bandwidth improvements are also expected. The M5 architecture already delivers significantly faster memory throughput than previous generations, and the Mac Studio variants should scale even further. Higher-end configurations could potentially exceed 600GB/s of memory bandwidth, greatly benefiting workloads involving large datasets, complex simulations and AI inference.

Storage

Storage configurations are also expected to shift upward.

Industry expectations increasingly point to Apple raising the baseline SSD capacity across the Mac Studio lineup:

• M5 Max: Expected to start with 1TB of storage rather than 512GB.
• M5 Ultra: May begin at 2TB instead of 1TB.

This would align the Mac Studio more closely with Apple’s positioning as a professional workstation system, while also offsetting growing application sizes and AI-related storage demands.

Maximum capacities are likely to remain unchanged:

• M5 Max: Up to 8TB.
• M5 Ultra: Up to 16TB.

The M5 generation is also expected to deliver faster SSD performance overall, particularly for large-file transfers and sustained professional workloads.

Connectivity

The next Mac Studio is expected to support Apple’s latest connectivity standards, including:

• Thunderbolt 5 with bandwidth up to 120Gbps in boosted modes.
• Wi-Fi 7 support.
• Bluetooth 6.
• Apple’s newer networking hardware for improved wireless efficiency and lower latency.

2026 Mac Studio: Design & Ports

• No major external redesign is currently expected.

Foundry

The Mac Studio was first introduced in 2022, and Apple is expected to retain the same overall design for the next generation. No credible reports have suggested a major redesign, and the company’s recent desktop hardware – including the M4 Mac mini – indicates Apple remains committed to its compact aluminium desktop aesthetic.

That design has proven particularly effective for professional workflows. Despite its relatively small footprint, the Mac Studio is built around a substantial cooling system that allows it to sustain demanding workloads such as AI inference, 3D rendering and high-resolution video editing without the excessive fan noise often associated with traditional workstations. This makes it especially well suited to sound-sensitive studio environments and rack-based deployments.

The Mac Studio also stands out for its extensive port selection, avoiding the heavy reliance on adapters common with many modern Apple devices. Front-facing ports and the SDXC card slot provide convenient access for photographers, videographers and developers frequently connecting storage devices and peripherals.

The port offerings are also expected to remain the same. The Mac Studio has:

• M5 Max: 2 front USB-C ports (supporting USB 3 at 10Gbps)
• M5 Ultra: 2 front Thunderbolt 5 ports
• Front SDXC Card slot
• Rear 3.5mm audio jack
• 4 rear Thunderbolt 5 ports
• 2 rear USB-A ports
• HDMI port
• 10Gb ethernet port

The Mac Studio is expected to continue supporting up to eight external displays. Thunderbolt 5 support provides up to 80Gbps bandwidth, or up to 120Gbps for display-heavy workloads, making the system particularly well suited to advanced production, AI and multi-monitor workflows.

2026 Mac Studio: Price

The Mac Studio currently starts at $1,999 / £2,099, but there are strong indications that Apple could raise prices when it updates its desktop lineup later this year due to supply chain pressures and rising component costs.

One sign that the Mac Studio’s price could increase is Apple’s recent move to raise the entry cost of its high-end Macs. In March 2026, Apple removed lower-capacity storage tiers from the MacBook Pro lineup, pushing the starting price of the M5 Max model to $3,599 because it now ships with a 2TB SSD by default.

If Apple follows the same strategy with the Mac Studio, it may raise the base price while simultaneously increasing the starting RAM and storage configurations to soften the perception of the price increase.

For example, if Apple increases the entry-level SSD from 512GB to 1TB – a likely change – the base price could rise by roughly $200 / £200, although the U.K. increase may be smaller to keep regional pricing more closely aligned.

Several broader factors could also contribute to higher prices:

RAM shortage and component costs: A global surge in demand for AI hardware has created significant pressure on memory supply, leading to higher RAM prices across the industry.

Supply chain constraints: During a 2026 earnings call, Apple CEO Tim Cook said the company is seeing “less flexibility in the supply chain than normal,” adding that wholesale memory pricing is “increasing significantly.”

For reference, the current 2025 Mac Studio base configurations are priced as follows on Apple’s website:

• $1,999/£2,099/CA$2,699/AU$3,499 M4 Max, 36GB Unified Memory, 512GB SSD
• $3,999/£4,199/CA$5,499/AU$6,999 M3 Ultra, 96GB Unified Memory, 1TB SSD

Historically, Apple has shown a willingness to raise starting prices when transitioning between generations. The Mac Pro, for example, increased from $5,999 to $6,999 when Apple Silicon replaced Intel processors.

However, Apple has also positioned the Mac Studio as a relatively affordable high-performance desktop for creative professionals. Since its introduction, the machine has started at $1,999, helping maintain a clear price gap below the $3,199-plus MacBook Pro lineup.

Should you buy a Mac Studio now or wait?

Whether you should buy a Mac Studio now depends on how urgently you need the performance versus whether you are willing to wait for the next generation of Apple silicon.

The Mac Studio was last updated in March 2025 with the introduction of the M4 Max and M3 Ultra chips. Since then, Apple has released the MacBook Pro with the M5 Max. According to our testing, the M5 Max now surpasses the M3 Ultra in CPU performance, although the M3 Ultra still maintains an advantage in certain graphics-intensive workloads thanks to its significantly higher GPU core count.

If you need a high-end workstation immediately, the Mac Studio remains Apple’s most powerful desktop Mac. However, availability has become increasingly limited due to ongoing component shortages. As of May 2026, delivery estimates for some configurations stretch to as long as 10 weeks, meaning orders placed now may not arrive until July 2026.

At the same time, an M5 refresh now appears increasingly likely for October 2026. The next-generation Mac Studio is expected to deliver a substantial performance improvement, particularly with the anticipated M5 Ultra chip, which could represent a significant leap over the current M3 Ultra. For more information see: Should you buy a Mac Studio now or wait?

As a result, buyers who can wait a few more months may be better off holding off for the next generation.

For those who need a Mac Studio sooner rather than later, a refurbished model could be a good alternative and may also offer better value for money. Read: Best place to buy a refurbished MacBook or Mac for advice.