Mac Studio Finally Gets Its Overdue Upgrade

After one of the most frustrating waits in recent Apple history, the Mac Studio is finally getting a refresh — and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman now has the full roadmap. According to his Power On newsletter published June 28, 2026, Apple has two Mac Studio updates in its pipeline: an M5 Ultra version arriving later this year, and an M7 Ultra version planned for 2028.

That is big news for anyone who has been waiting to buy or upgrade. The current Mac Studio — released in early 2025 — shipped with the M4 Max and an embarrassingly old M3 Ultra chip on the high end, skipping M4 Ultra entirely. Supply has been a disaster. Prices have already jumped by up to $1,300 in Apple's June 2026 price hike. And availability has been measured in months of waiting, not days.

The good news: your wait is nearly over. The bad news: the price tag is going to be steep.

Why Has the Mac Studio Been So Hard to Buy?

If you have been trying to buy a Mac Studio in 2026, you already know the pain. Here is what has made it so difficult:

• The M3 Ultra problem: When Apple released the 2025 Mac Studio, it used M4 Max on the lower end but shipped the high-end configuration with the older M3 Ultra — skipping M4 Ultra entirely. From day one, the top spec was already a generation behind
• Demand surge: The Mac Studio became the go-to machine for AI researchers and creative professionals needing massive unified memory. Demand far exceeded supply
• Global DRAM shortage: The same memory crisis driving iPhone price hikes has severely constrained Mac Studio production. In April 2026, some orders were running four to five months behind. Apple removed the 512GB memory upgrade option in March 2026 and cut memory options to 36GB, 64GB, and 96GB — the 128GB and 256GB options disappeared entirely
• Price shock: Apple's June 2026 price hike hit the Mac Studio hard. The M3 Ultra model with 96GB jumped from $3,999 to $5,299 — a $1,300 increase in a single step

M5 Ultra Mac Studio: What to Expect This Year

The M5 Ultra Mac Studio is coming later in 2026, with October the most commonly cited window based on multiple reports including Macworld and Bloomberg. Here is what is confirmed and what is expected:

New Chips: M5 Max and M5 Ultra

The 2026 Mac Studio will offer two chip options: M5 Max for the base configuration and M5 Ultra for the top end. The M5 Ultra is expected to feature approximately 36 CPU cores and 80 GPU cores — a step up from the M3 Ultra's 32 CPU cores and 80 GPU cores. Both chips are built on TSMC's 3nm process, the same node as the M4 generation.

No Design Changes

Gurman is clear on this: the M5 Ultra Mac Studio is a chip-only upgrade. The same compact aluminium enclosure that has housed Mac Studio since 2022 is staying. No new ports, no new design elements, no size changes. Apple is holding any potential redesign for the M7 generation in 2028.

Improved Heatsink

One meaningful internal change: Apple has been working on an improved heatsink for the Mac Studio to handle increasingly demanding AI workloads. Whether this improvement ships with the M5 Ultra model or is being saved for the M7 Ultra is not yet confirmed — Gurman's report notes the work is underway but does not specify which model gets it first.

The 768GB Memory Option: A Game Changer for AI

The single most exciting detail buried in this week's reports is not the chip — it is the memory. Apple is testing Mac Studio configurations with up to 768GB of unified memory, according to Bloomberg. If that ships, it would represent a staggering leap from the current maximum of 96GB.

To put 768GB in context: the largest language models running locally today require tens to hundreds of gigabytes of memory. A Mac Studio with 768GB of unified memory could run models that currently require expensive server hardware — locally, quietly, on your desk, with Apple Silicon efficiency.

M7 Ultra in 2028: The Bigger Story

While the M5 Ultra Mac Studio is the near-term news, the more significant announcement from Gurman's report is the confirmation of an M7 Ultra Mac Studio planned for 2028. This matters for several reasons:

Apple Is Skipping M6 Ultra Entirely

The Mac Studio roadmap goes directly from M5 Ultra (2026) to M7 Ultra (2028) — there will be no M6 Ultra Mac Studio in between. This is a deliberate strategic decision, not a supply constraint.

Better Heatsink for AI Workloads

Apple engineers are specifically redesigning the Mac Studio's thermal system for the M7 Ultra generation. The explicit reason given by Gurman is to handle "more demanding on-device AI workloads" — a direct acknowledgement that the Mac Studio is increasingly being used as an AI compute machine, not just a creative workstation.

Possible Redesign — But Do Not Count On It

Gurman raised the possibility of a design change with the M7 Ultra model in 2028, but was careful to note that Apple typically keeps desktop enclosures unchanged for many years. The current Mac Studio enclosure has been in use since 2022. By 2028, it will be six years old — which does suggest a redesign is overdue, even if not certain.

Why Apple Is Skipping M6 Pro, Max, and Ultra

This is the most strategically interesting part of Apple's chip roadmap revealed this week. Apple is reportedly releasing only a base M6 chip — there will be no M6 Pro, M6 Max, or M6 Ultra. The high-performance variants jump straight to M7.

The reasons being discussed by analysts include:

• Semiconductor complexity: The jump from 3nm to 2nm on the new chip generation makes designing multiple Pro/Max/Ultra variants simultaneously significantly more complex and costly
• AI chip redesign: The M7 generation is being architected from the ground up with AI processing as a primary workload — Apple may be waiting to bring Pro/Max/Ultra variants until the M7's neural engine architecture is ready
• Memory constraints: The global DRAM shortage makes shipping Ultra-class chips — which require massive amounts of unified memory — commercially challenging right now

Pricing: Brace Yourself

This is where the news gets difficult. Following Apple's latest price adjustment, the Mac Studio with the M3 Ultra chip and 96GB of memory has already jumped from $3,999 to $5,299 — a single-step increase of $1,300. The M5 Ultra model, with newer chips and potentially more memory options, is almost certain to cost more.

The honest reality is that the M5 Ultra Mac Studio is going to be expensive — possibly significantly more expensive than any Mac Studio that came before it. The combination of newer chips, potentially massive memory configurations, and Apple's ongoing price increases driven by the memory crisis points to a starting price well above $4,000 for the Ultra configuration.

Mac Studio Roadmap at a Glance

Should You Buy Now or Wait?

Do not buy the current Mac Studio right now

The M3 Ultra model is overpriced, underpowered for its generation, hard to get, and has limited memory options. With the M5 Ultra only months away, there is no good reason to buy the current model unless you have an absolutely critical and immediate need.

Wait for M5 Ultra if you need a Mac Studio this year

If you need the most powerful Mac Studio available and cannot wait until 2028, the M5 Ultra model arriving around October 2026 is the right move. It will be expensive — but it will be a genuinely significant upgrade over the current M3 Ultra, with newer chips and potentially far more memory.

Wait for M7 Ultra if you can hold out until 2028

If your current setup is manageable and you can wait two years, the M7 Ultra in 2028 is shaping up to be a more meaningful generational leap — built specifically for AI workloads, with a better thermal system and a possible redesign. It also benefits from the M7's 2nm architecture improvements over M5's 3nm.

Shop Mac Accessories at Gzmato

Whether you are buying the current Mac Studio now, waiting for M5 Ultra later this year, or planning for M7 Ultra in 2028, the right accessories make your Mac setup significantly more productive. From fast USB-C charging to high-speed cables and screen protection, Gzmato has everything Mac users need.

Key Takeaways