New Apple 'Mac Studio' may fit in between Mac mini and Mac Pro

Mac Pro and "smaller Mac Pro"

Apple may be planning on introducing a new "Mac Studio" computer with an Apple Silicon chip alongside new Mac mini and Mac Pro devices.

The so-called "Mac Studio" will be a device that slots in between the Mac mini and Mac Pro. Reportedly, the device will be mostly based on the Mac mini's design but will feature "much more powerful hardware."

Apple is rumored to have two versions of the "Mac Studio" device in development. One model is said to have the M1 Max chipset and another with an even more powerful Apple Silicon chip.

Sources familiar with the matter told 9to5Mac on Friday that the device will represent a new category between Apple's existing desktop options without built-in monitors that will be aimed at professional users. The name is not said to be set in stone just yet.

Earlier on Friday, reports indicated that Apple was also working on a new "Apple Studio Display" with a higher resolution than the current Pro Display XDR. If Apple keeps the branding, it suggests that the new "Mac Studio" will match the display option in Apple marketing.

The "Mac Studio" is said to be the same device that was previously rumored as a smaller Mac Pro by Bloomberg. The device could replace the current high-end Mac mini currently being sold by Apple with an Intel chip.

Alongside the Apple Silicon-equipped "Mac Studio," Apple is also reportedly working on a Mac Pro model equipped with an Intel chip, which could end up being one of the last Apple products with the chipmaker's silicon.

It isn't clear when the "Mac Studio" will debut, but a special Apple event is set to occur on March 8 that will likely focus on Mac devices as well as a new iPhone SE.

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43 Comments

tht

said about 2 years ago

Reportedly, the device will be mostly based on the Mac mini's design but will feature "much more powerful hardware."
This is what threw me in reading the article. If this Mac Studio is the rumored Mac Half Pro, something the size of 3 or 4 stacked Mac mini's or a PowerMac G4 Cube, or a 2013 Mac Pro, or a Mac IIci on its side, at some point it's really not based on the Mac mini's design anymore.

If it is that much larger, there isn't going to be much similarity between a Mac mini and this box.

Then, how is it going to differ from the Mac mini that is rumored to have an M1 Pro and perhaps an M1 Max?

mobird

said about 2 years ago

Many of us here on Appleinsider have been diligent over numerous years wanting for Apple to release the machine described in this article with many naysayers saying that it is a niche market, blah, blah, blah and it's market that Apple is not interested in.

Stay tuned... :*

Prometheu

said about 2 years ago

More like the Mac Pro itself is coming in 2 models, a small and large. Mac Pro and Mac Pro Max.

Reportedly, the device will be mostly based on the Mac mini's design but will feature "much more powerful hardware."
This is what threw me in reading the article. If this Mac Studio is the rumored Mac Half Pro, something the size of 3 or 4 stacked Mac mini's or a PowerMac G4 Cube, or a 2013 Mac Pro, or a Mac IIci on its side, at some point it's really not based on the Mac mini's design anymore.

If it is that much larger, there isn't going to be much similarity between a Mac mini and this box.

Then, how is it going to differ from the Mac mini that is rumored to have an M1 Pro and perhaps an M1 Max?

The Mac mini is not going to have 40 cores. Period. The device that is code named Mac Studio will be the smaller Mac Pro. It has been reported for over a year that the Mac Pro will come in 2 distinct models, one being much smaller than the other, and starting with 40 cores. The larger one will have more performance and also come in Intel configs.

OutdoorAppDeveloper

said about 2 years ago

tht said:

Reportedly, the device will be mostly based on the Mac mini's design but will feature "much more powerful hardware."
This is what threw me in reading the article. If this Mac Studio is the rumored Mac Half Pro, something the size of 3 or 4 stacked Mac mini's or a PowerMac G4 Cube, or a 2013 Mac Pro, or a Mac IIci on its side, at some point it's really not based on the Mac mini's design anymore.

If it is that much larger, there isn't going to be much similarity between a Mac mini and this box.

Then, how is it going to differ from the Mac mini that is rumored to have an M1 Pro and perhaps an M1 Max?

The one thing I never worry about is how a new Mac is going to look. Apple always does a great job with the visual design of their products. It will look great even if it is larger than the current Mac mini. The thing that worries me is releasing any kind of "pro" Mac that has no expandability. At least give us a couple of M.2 slots!

tenthousandthings

said about 2 years ago

This must be the rumored Mac Mini Pro, but the news here is it won’t be the same form factor as the Mac mini (the redesign of which we won’t see before the M2). Instead, it will be a step beyond the Mini, this “Mac Studio.”

So, let’s see:

iMac : iMac Studio : iMac Pro
Mac Mini : Mac Studio : Mac Pro
Apple Studio Display : Apple Pro Display

The rumor in the other article about the 7K high-end display assigns the “Studio Display” name to that, but that makes no sense in relation to the rumored Mac model names, so I think the high-end display has to retain its current name (Pro Display), while the mid-range XDR display gets the Studio name.

Here’s hoping they also give us a 24-inch 4.5K non-XDR “Apple Display” as well.

EDIT: Four comments as I was typing that! Editing to add that I don’t see how the Studio name could still be up in the air if it’s getting introduced on March 8. I think it just means that someone has been sitting on this info for a while, waiting for the event announcement, and they’re hedging their bets because the info is older than it appears.