Apple has opened pre-orders for the new Mac Studio with M5 Max and M5 Ultra, giving buyers access to Apple’s latest high-performance desktop before general availability begins on September 22, 2026. Pre-orders started on August 25 through Apple’s online store and Apple Store app in 30 countries and regions.
The Mac Studio with M5 Max starts at $2,499 in the US, while the M5 Ultra model starts at $5,499. Apple is also offering configure-to-order options for buyers who need additional GPU cores, unified memory, or SSD storage.
Mac Studio M5 Max vs M5 Ultra
| Specification | M5 Max | M5 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | 18 cores | Up to 36 cores |
| GPU | Up to 40 cores | Up to 80 cores |
| Base unified memory | 36GB | 96GB |
| Maximum memory | 128GB | 512GB |
| Base storage | 512GB SSD | 1TB SSD |
| Memory bandwidth | Up to 614GB/s | Up to 1.2TB/s |
| Starting price | $2,499 | $5,499 |
The M5 Max uses an 18-core CPU and supports up to a 40-core GPU with Neural Accelerators inside every GPU core. It also supports as much as 128GB of unified memory and up to 614GB/s of memory bandwidth.
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M5 Ultra goes considerably higher with up to a 36-core CPU, 80-core GPU, 512GB of unified memory, and 1.2TB/s of memory bandwidth. Apple builds M5 Ultra by connecting two dual-die M5 Max chips through its next-generation UltraFusion architecture.
How to pre-order Mac Studio with M5 Max or M5 Ultra
Follow these steps to place your order:
- Go to the Apple Store website or open the Apple Store app on your iPhone or iPad.
- Select Mac from the product categories and choose Mac Studio.
- Tap or click Buy to open the configuration page.
- Choose between the M5 Max and M5 Ultra models.
- Select the available CPU and GPU configuration based on the performance you need.
- Choose your unified memory capacity. M5 Max supports up to 128GB, while M5 Ultra configurations will support up to 512GB.
- Select the required SSD capacity. Higher storage configurations are useful for large video libraries, development projects, local AI models, and other workloads involving large datasets.
- Add optional software or AppleCare+ if required.
- Select Add to Bag and review the complete configuration, price, estimated delivery date, and available pickup options.
- Sign in with your Apple Account, enter your shipping and payment information, and complete the order.
Apple accepts several payment and financing options depending on the country, while education pricing is also available to eligible customers.
When will the new Mac Studio arrive?
Apple says the M5 Max and M5 Ultra Mac Studio will start arriving to customers on September 22, when the machines will also become available through Apple Stores and authorized resellers.
Buyers planning the highest-memory configuration will have to wait longer. Apple says the Mac Studio with 512GB of unified memory will become available in late October, so that configuration cannot ship alongside the standard September release.
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