Mac Studio M5: Max vs Ultra, UK Prices and Verdict

The Mac Studio M5 is real, and you can order one today. Apple opened pre-orders on 25 August 2026, with the first machines arriving on 22 September, so this is no longer a waiting game. There are two chips to choose from, the M5 Max and the M5 Ultra, and the gap between them is wide on both power and price. Here is how I would decide which one to buy, or whether to hold off.

Mac Studio M5: pre-order now, ships 22 September

Pre-orders opened on 25 August 2026, and Apple's UK store shows units shipping from 22 September. One caveat is worth knowing before you configure: the maxed-out 512GB memory option on the M5 Ultra does not arrive until late October 2026. If you need that specific build, factor the extra wait into your plans. Everything else in the range is on the September timeline.

M5 Max vs M5 Ultra: the specs that matter

The M5 Max is the sensible starting point for most professionals. It pairs an 18-core CPU (6 super cores and 12 performance cores) with a GPU you can configure up to 40 cores, though the base build ships with a 32-core GPU. Memory bandwidth is 614GB/s, and it starts at 36GB of unified memory (up to 128GB) with 512GB of storage. For a lot of creative work, that is already more headroom than you will use day to day.

The M5 Ultra is built for the heaviest workloads. It scales up to a 36-core CPU (12 super cores and 24 performance cores) and up to an 80-core GPU, with the base build shipping as a 30-core CPU and 64-core GPU. Bandwidth climbs to 1.2TB/s, and memory starts at 96GB (up to 512GB) alongside 1TB of storage. That much unified memory is what makes it interesting for large AI models and high-end 3D and video.

UK prices

In the UK, the Mac Studio M5 with the M5 Max starts at £2,499, or £2,299 for education. The M5 Ultra starts at £5,499, or £5,099 for education. Stepping up from the Max to the Ultra therefore costs £3,000 more at the entry point, which is my own arithmetic on Apple's starting prices rather than a figure Apple quotes. Adding more memory and storage will push both well beyond those numbers.

Which chip suits you?

Apple pitches the M5 Max at musicians, photographers, software engineers, and designers pushing real-time 3D and motion graphics, and the specs back that up. For most of that audience, the Max is the right buy and the Ultra is money you do not need to spend. I would only move up to the Ultra for genuinely extreme workloads, such as large AI or LLM models and high-end 3D and video. If you are unsure which camp you are in, you almost certainly want the Max.

My verdict: buy or wait?

For the first time in a while, my advice on the Mac Studio is simple: if you need this class of machine, buy it. The waiting game that defined the last year is over, the two chips are a real step up, and with both only just shipping there is nothing newer to hold out for. Order the M5 Max unless your work truly demands the Ultra, and only reach for the top-end 512GB memory option if you can accept the late October wait.

If the Mac Studio looks like more power than you need, the new Mac mini with M6 now covers a surprising amount of ground for a lot less. It is a far cheaper way into Apple silicon if your work does not demand Studio-class performance. And for everything else Apple has lined up this year, see the full 2026 release lineup.