Apple Mac Studio (M5 Ultra) Review: 9/10 from WIRED
Original: Apple Mac Studio (M5 Ultra) Review: Unlimited Power
Why This Matters
256 GB unified memory at desktop scale marks a practical threshold for local frontier-model inference outside cloud infrastructure.
WIRED gave the Apple Mac Studio with M5 Ultra a 9/10, praising its ability to run frontier-level LLMs locally. The top config packs 256 GB unified memory and starts at $10,799. The M5 Max base model starts at $2,499 with 36 GB RAM and 512 GB storage.
WIRED reviewer Luke Larsen tested the $10,799 M5 Ultra Mac Studio configured with 256 GB of unified memory—the most expensive consumer Mac currently available. The machine earns a 9/10, driven largely by its on-device AI capabilities: it can run agentic AI frameworks, generate high-end video locally, and handle frontier-level LLMs without cloud dependency. That unified memory architecture, which Apple shares between CPU and GPU, is the key differentiator from traditional PC workstations in this space.
The physical unit is roughly 7 inches square—larger than most expect in person. It includes four Thunderbolt 5 ports, two USB-A ports (unique among current Macs), HDMI, Ethernet, a headphone jack, and an SD card slot up front. It supports up to four 5K/120Hz external displays simultaneously.
The more accessible M5 Max model starts at $2,499 with 36 GB memory, positioned for content creators and game developers. Larsen notes it delivers equivalent performance to the M5 Max MacBook Pro at roughly $1,250 less when similarly configured. Criticisms are narrow: the machine runs hot under sustained load, Nvidia still leads on raw GPU throughput, and dedicated AI boxes undercut Apple on price.