Don't buy a Mac Studio in 2024, the Mac mini M4 is much better!

Sorry to say, the Mac Studio is no longer Apple's powerhouse, but the new Mac mini M4 Pro. It's even smaller than a sandwich.

M2 Max/Ultra pales in comparison to M4 Pro

While the Mac Studio M2 Max/Ultra is a powerful machine, it now lags behind the new Mac mini, especially the minis with the M4 Pro chip. This fourth version of the M-series chip has significantly faster cores than the M3 and M2 chips and can host Thunderbolt 5 connectivity.

Apple says the neural engine is twice as fast as the M3, far surpassing the M2 chip. The company introduced these chips to support Apple Intelligence, which the M2 Max/Ultra can handle, but not as fast.

Thanks to this improved neural engine and faster cores, the M4 Pro simply outperforms the fastest M2 chip in every aspect.

Most people won't connect more than 3 monitors.

One big benefit of the Mac Studio is that it can handle multiple independent displays. Apple says it can run up to eight HD displays on the M2 Ultra configuration, but why would you need eight displays?

Most of us are fine with one monitor, let alone two. Three or more is even rarer. The truth is, most of us will use that third monitor just to stream a show or movie in the background while we read or work on screens one and two.

Mac Studio's display capabilities are overkill for the vast majority of consumers, so it doesn't make sense to pay for a feature that few people need.

Value for money should be the top priority.

A maxed-out Mac Mini M4 Pro costs half the price of a comparable Mac Studio. Not only do you get upgraded performance for that price, but it's also a bit larger than an Apple TV. Creatives can spend the extra money on an iPad Pro (which can double as a fourth screen if they really need four) or a Macbook so they're not tied to a desk.

Mac Studio is getting an upgrade

The Mac Studio M2 Max can be used for everyday work, for video editing and other creative work. So it's still a powerful device. But the simple truth is that the Studio has fallen behind and the price is no longer reasonable. It doesn't offer anything that stands out from what the M4 Pro mini can do.

Everyone's needs are different, but at least you know you won't find a better value Mac than the Mac mini M4 Pro right now.

Kareem Winters

Update 09 December 2024