Mac Studio: Massive RAM no longer available
Possibly due to the current memory crisis, the top RAM configuration for its workstation is being phased out. Huge language models are excluded.
Mac Studio internals: 256 GB RAM is now the limit.
(Image: Apple)
Apple's currently fastest Mac, the Mac Studio, can no longer be configured and ordered with 512 GB RAM. A corresponding option disappeared from Apple's website overnight. This extreme memory configuration was particularly helpful for running huge local language models, such as Kimi K2 Thinking in a cluster. In the future, only a maximum of 256 GB will be configurable, but as usual, only when using the M3 Ultra; with the M4 Max, up to 128 GB will still be possible.
2500 Euro surcharge for 256 GB RAM
Apple has not provided any information about the change. It is quite possible that it is related to the current memory crisis, which arose due to enormous demand from AI providers and led to massive price increases. Although Apple has long-term supply contracts for RAM and has not increased its prices so far – also because they already included a high margin – this no longer seems to be worthwhile for the 512 GB variant.
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Only a few customers are likely to be affected, but professionals will be annoyed. Buyers of the Mac Studio M3 Ultra currently pay a 2500 Euro surcharge for 256 GB RAM. 96 GB are installed as standard. With a 1 TB SSD (also standard), this brings the total price to 7299 Euros at Apple; the machines are usually cheaper in retail.
Retail sector is also likely unable to deliver
The retail sector is now also where people have to look if they absolutely want a 512 GB RAM model of the Mac Studio M3 Ultra. A look at the heise price comparison shows that even here, no devices are immediately available. Variants with a 1 TB SSD and a 4 TB SSD show delivery times until April. Whether these will actually be met if Apple has already removed the workstations from the configurator remains to be seen. Prices start at over 10,000 Euros. The largest variant of the Mac Studio M3 Ultra with 512 GB RAM and an 8 TB SSD recently cost 17,624 Euros at Apple. Now the upper limit of the maximum payable is 14,924 Euros.
Apple is currently working on M5 variants of the Mac Studio, presumably with M5 Max and M5 Ultra. Whether these will still offer a 512 GB RAM option is unclear. The machines are expected no earlier than summer.
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