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I shared my firsthand experience with the 2025 Mac Studio in a recent piece, and much of my opinion has remained the same. I’m a big fan of the Studio’s relatively compact design, which is perfect for my small desk. It looks identical to the M2 Ultra Mac Studio from 2023. While the tech giant didn’t change anything on the surface level — all major updates are internal — I’m perfectly content with that.
The Mac Studio has six Thunderbolt 5 ports (two in the front and four around the back) to support features such as quick data transfers and power delivery. Alongside them are a 10GB Ethernet, an HDMI input, and a pair of USB-A ports, just to name a few. Six Thunderbolt ports are plenty for most people, although some may find the rest too limiting. That’s why I recommend looking into docking stations to expand your options, especially if your workflow demands multiple screens and external accessories.
Benchmark tests provided deeper insight into a chipset’s performance, and the results were fascinating in this instance. Below is a table comparing Geekbench results between the new Mac Studio, the M2 Ultra Mac Studio, and the M4 Max MacBook Pro. The latter two rank among the top of the program’s leaderboards, and as you can see, the new desktop delivers much better processing power overall.
| Geekbench 6 Single-Core | Geekbench 6 Multi-Core | Geekbench 6 OpenCL GPU | |
| M4 Max Mac Studio | 4,104 | 26,876 | 115,808 |
| M4 Max MacBook Pro | 3,923 | 25,642 | 115,865 |
| M2 Ultra Mac Studio | 2,804 | 21,379 | 129,982 |
However, in terms of graphical output, the 2025 Mac Studio falls slightly behind — not enough for most people to notice. Alongside this model is the new M3 Ultra Mac Studio 
I can’t give all the entertainment credit to just the Mac Studio. Apple included a Studio Display with my review unit and played a big role during testing. This 27-inch 5K (5,120 x 2,850 pixels) Retina monitor supports a billion different colors and has a maximum brightness level of 600 nits. Inside is a powerful six-speaker system that shocked me with how loud it could get.
The high-resolution screen, combined with the immersive audio, created an engrossing experience I won’t soon forget. I don’t think the Mac Studio would’ve been as impressive if it weren’t for the supporting accessories,
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Despite all the improvements, the 2025 Mac Studio still has the same issues as the M2 Ultra model. It offers few customization options nor does it come with any accessories. You’ll have to purchase things like a Magic Mouse separately. Unless you already own those accessories, the inherent lack can make switching from Windows to Mac an expensive endeavor.
ZDNET’s buying advice
The base M4 Max Mac Studio for twice the price at $3,999. Personally, I can’t imagine anyone outside of a select group needing the power of the M3 Ultra, but you certainly have the option if your workflow ever demands it.