The Best Apple Desktop Computers
Apple Mac Studio (M4 Max) This is the step up from the Mac Mini. The Mac Studio (9/10, WIRED Recommends) is the most powerful and compact Apple desktop, thanks to the M3 Ultra chip inside. It's also far more affordable than the Mac Pro. Comprised of two M3 Max chips, the chipset has up to a 32-core CPU (with 24 performance cores) and a GPU with up to 80 cores. The more cores you add, the more powerful your machine, but if you don't need that much power, you can pair the Mac Studio with an M4 Max, which has an up to 16-core CPU and an up to 40-core GPU. The Mac Studio isn't as tiny as the Mac Mini, but it's still a small machine and will fit easily on your desk (it fits perfectly under Apple's Studio Display too). It has more ports, including two USB-C ports and an SD card slot on the front. On the back are four Thunderbolt USB-C ports, two USB-A ports, and HDMI, a 10-gigabit Ethernet port, and headphone jack, and a headphone jack. Apple upgraded the USB-C to the Thunderbolt 5 standard for faster data transfer speeds. There's support for multiple displays, depending on the chip. The M4 Max can connect up to five displays, while the M3 Ultra goes up to six. The built-in speaker system is solid, but if sound quality is critical, you're better off buying a pair of computer speakers (or using headphones). Stuck between this model and the Mac Mini? The deciding factor should be based on your workflow. Most people looking for a bit more power than what a basic PC offers will probably be satisfied with the M4 Pro on the Mini. But if the bulk of your work is dependent on intensive tasks, like photo and video editing or creating 3D models in apps like Blender, the M3 Ultra or M4 Max in the Mac Studio are better choices.
Anyone can buy a Mac Pro from Apple, but this expensive machine is designed for a very niche audience. Typically that's creative professionals who need a machine for demanding workloads, people who need the modularity and internal expansion, since it comes with seven PCI Express expansion slots and far more ports than any other Apple desktop: eight Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports, two USB-A ports (up to 5 Gb/s), two HDMI ports, and two 10 Gigabit Ethernet ports. Seriously, you'll know if you need a Mac Pro.
The Mac Pro comes in two M2 Ultra configurations. The base model comes with a 24-core CPU and a 60-core GPU. For an extra $1,000, you can upgrade to a 76-core GPU. It also comes with up to 192 GB of unified memory and up to 8 TB of storage. The more you upgrade, the pricier it gets. The most expensive model costs a whopping $11,799. The main thing to know is that the Mac Pro launched in 2023 alongside a Mac Studio. Considering that Apple just introduced a new Mac Studio in 2025, there's a chance we'll see a new Mac Pro later this year. $6,999 at Apple (M2 Ultra)
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