In addition to releasing the iPhone SE and iPad Air M1, Apple has two new products that are targeting professionals. Namely Mac Studio and Studio Display.
These two products were launched at the event titled 'Peek Performance' which was held on Wednesday (9/3/2022). First, there's Mac Studio, which is a desktop computer that looks like -- at least -- two Mac Minis stacked on top.
The brain is the M1 Ultra, which we discuss its capabilities in a separate post. Although Mac Studio is not the successor of the Mac Pro, Apple claims that its performance is faster than the highest variant of the Mac Pro.
Mac Studio body which is 3.7 inches thick (about 9 cm) is perfect for placing on most existing monitors. Even though it uses a fan, Apple also promises that this fan will remain silent even though it is being lauched for heavy work.
It's not just the performance that's attractive from Mac Studio, but also the availability of ports. Apple is no longer stingy about ports (since they released the 14 and 16 inch MacBook Pros).
On the back there are four Thunderbolt 4, 10Gbps Ethernet ports, two USB-A ports, an HDMI, and an audio jack that is claimed to be used for high-impedance headphones.
Then in front of it there are two USB-C ports which are also compatible with Thunderbolt 4 (40Gbps) and an SD card slot. The wireless connection is WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0. With this many ports, Mac Studio can connect up to four Pro Display XDR monitors and a 4K TV.
Apple Studio Display
Then there's the Studio Display, which, as previously leaked, is a monitor that's more affordable than the Pro Display XDR. Studio Display promises to be a perfect companion for the Mac product line, including Mac Studio of course.
The panel measures 27 inches, has a 5K resolution, and the body is made of aluminum. Regarding specifications, the panel has a maximum brightness level of 600 nits, supports the P3 color standard, and TrueTone.
Connectivity is arguably minimal, like other Apple monitors that have been released. There's a Thunderbolt 4 port and three USB-C ports. This Thunderbolt 4 can provide 96W of power, enough to charge 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros, except those using the M1 Max.
The interesting feature is that this Studio Display is equipped with the A13 Bionic chip, the brain of the iPhone 11 and iPhone SE 2020. This SoC is useful for optimizing the Center Stage feature of the 12MP ultrawide webcam, and optimizing the speakers (four woofers and two tweeters) with spatial audio features.
Mac Studio and Studio Display Prices
Mac Studio is available in a choice of M1 Max and M1 Ultra chips. The cheapest variant is priced at USD 1,999 (M1 Max), while the variant with the M1 Ultra starts at USD 3,999.
Meanwhile, Studio Display's lowest price is USD 1,599, and don't worry, it's included with the stand, really. But if you want to use a stand that looks like a 'sultan stand' like Pro Display XDR, you can. Just add USD 400.
These two products can already be ordered and will be shipped from 18 March.