Mac Studio (M3 Extremely) assessment

The Mac Studio is rising up.

When it first launched, the Mac Studio arguably felt form of like a compromise, sitting in between the low-cost Mac Mini and the high-performance Mac Professional. However nowadays, it has grown into its place, serving because the machine to get if you would like the very best efficiency you will get, with the perfect Apple Silicon has to supply. For 2025, the M3 Extremely Mac Studio is that machine.

To be clear, the 2025 Mac Studio fashions don’t essentially reinvent the idea of the Mac Studio. Additionally they don’t must — they’ve the identical small footprint, with the identical glorious port choice, together with some ports that stay accessible on the entrance. Additionally they introduce some confusion into the lineup, given the truth that they’re now obtainable with the super-fast M4 Max obtainable within the MacBook Professional, and an all-new chip that exists within the M3 household — the M3 Extremely. That’s the mannequin we’re reviewing.

So, how significantly better is the Mac Studio in 2025 — and the way must you determine between the M4 Max and the M3 Extremely?

Mac Studio (M3 Extremely) specs

Mac Studio (M3 Extremely) assessment: Design

The Mac Studio sticks with the identical design, which isn’t a nasty factor. It’s a clear, fashionable machine that appears nice on any desk and stays tremendous compact at 7.7 x 7.7 inches and three.7 inches tall. I’ve discovered it the proper measurement for putting below a monitor stand, however even when you don’t tuck it away, its small construct means it must be simple to discover a place for it. 

For the form of efficiency it delivers, it’s nonetheless form of loopy how small the Mac Studio is. For those who’re within the Home windows world, there’s actually nothing fairly prefer it, principally as a result of Home windows ARM chips simply aren’t on the identical degree as Apple’s M-series but, at the very least within the high-end.

The one massive draw back by way of design? The Mac Studio nonetheless solely is available in Silver, and there’s no Area Grey or Midnight possibility but. I might have preferred to see the Mac Studio get the Area Grey therapy. 

Ports

The Mac Studio nonetheless has among the best port choices you’ll discover on any Mac, which is a big plus for anybody who works with a wide range of equipment. On the again, you get 4 Thunderbolt 5 ports, HDMI 2.1, a 10Gb Ethernet port, and a 3.5mm audio jack. Whereas having the headphone jack on the rear may be a bit annoying for wired headphone customers, it is sensible for individuals who use desktop audio system. A very good contact is that Apple has stored the 2 USB-A ports, which is a rarity on trendy Macs. With most different Apple computer systems ditching USB-A completely, it’s nice to have them right here for anybody nonetheless utilizing older peripherals.

Picture supply: Christian de Looper for BGR

The front-facing ports make the Mac Studio much more handy to make use of, permitting you to shortly join exterior drives, SD playing cards, or different equipment with out fumbling across the again. Each the M4 Max and M3 Extremely fashions embody two USB-C ports and an SD card slot, however there’s a slight distinction in efficiency. On the M4 Max, the USB-C ports assist speeds as much as 10Gb/s, whereas on the M3 Extremely, they’re upgraded to full Thunderbolt 5 ports. Most individuals in all probability received’t want front-facing Thunderbolt 5, however for individuals who work with high-speed exterior storage, it’s a pleasant additional.

Total, the Mac Studio’s port choice is great, providing you with every thing you want with out forcing you to make use of dongles. The combination of legacy USB-A, high-speed Thunderbolt, and simply accessible entrance ports helps make the Mac Studio as versatile as ever.

Mac Studio (M3 Extremely) assessment: Efficiency

Earlier than diving into efficiency, it’s price sorting by the completely different chip choices obtainable for the Mac Studio—as a result of, actually, it’s just a little complicated. The machine is available in two important configurations: M4 Max and M3 Extremely. Regardless of what the names recommend, the M3 Extremely isn’t truly behind the M4 Max by way of energy. As a substitute, it’s constructed on the M3 structure and basically fuses two M3 Max chips collectively utilizing Apple’s UltraFusion know-how. Whereas it’s technically from the earlier chip technology, the M3 Extremely remains to be considerably extra {powerful} than the M4 Max, making it the higher alternative for duties that require extra energy than the M4 Max can ship.

Picture supply: Christian de Looper for BGR

Issues get much more complicated if you begin taking a look at core counts. The M4 Max is available in two variations: one with a 14-core CPU and 32-core GPU, and one other with a 16-core CPU and 40-core GPU. The M3 Extremely, alternatively, is out there in a 28-core CPU and 60-core GPU configuration or a maxed-out 32-core CPU with an 80-core GPU. Past that, the Mac Studio will be configured with anyplace between 36GB and a staggering 512GB of unified reminiscence. Our assessment mannequin is the top-end M3 Extremely variant, paired with a hefty 256GB of RAM, making it a powerhouse for skilled workloads.

So, how do you determine which mannequin to get? For many customers, the bottom M4 Max model is greater than succesful, particularly for issues like audio enhancing or reasonably demanding video enhancing. For those who’re coping with ultra-demanding video workflows or heavy-duty 3D rendering, the M3 Extremely is the way in which to go. RAM additionally introduces some confusion. Mainly, extra RAM helps with dealing with a number of functions and huge tasks, however solely specialised artistic professionals will actually profit from upgrading to the very best tiers.

All this to say, the Mac Studio is an absolute powerhouse. Now, admittedly, it’s fairly uncommon that I would want a machine just like the M3 Extremely Mac Studio in my job as a author. This pc is way and away greater than the* huge* majority of individuals will ever want from their pc. However once more, it doesn’t exist for most individuals — it exists for the area of interest specialised person who wants that final efficiency.

Picture supply: Christian de Looper for BGR

That’s not essentially true of the M4 Max mannequin, although. To be clear, it’s additionally very {powerful} — however it serves as a sensible choice for video editors and graphic designers who don’t want a machine that may color-correct on many 8K clips at a time. The typical video editor will likely be completely pleased with the M4 Max Mac Studio, as will all however essentially the most demanding different customers.

Conclusions

I like the Mac Studio. It’s ultra-powerful, has front-facing ports, and takes up a fraction of the house that comparable PCs do. Although the design hasn’t modified, I nonetheless respect how compact and smooth the Mac Studio is, and the front-facing ports are a small however significant comfort.

For most individuals, the M4 Max mannequin is the smarter alternative. Whereas the M3 Extremely is extremely {powerful}, it’s overkill for all however essentially the most demanding artistic professionals working with high-resolution video or complicated 3D rendering. With its glorious efficiency, nice connectivity, and smooth design, the Mac Studio is a wonderful desktop for these prepared to spend $2,000 or extra. For those who’re after a high-performance Mac with the pliability to deal with a variety {of professional} duties, it’s nonetheless the only best choice obtainable.

The competitors

The Mac Mini is a superb possibility for individuals who need a compact and inexpensive Mac, however it’s not as {powerful} because the Mac Studio. Even the highest-end Mac Mini with the M4 Professional chip doesn’t attain the efficiency provided by the bottom M4 Max Mac Studio, making the Studio a significantly better alternative for professionals who want additional energy.

The Mac Professional, regardless of its status as Apple’s high-end desktop, hasn’t been up to date shortly and is definitely much less {powerful} than the Mac Studio in its present kind. Whereas it presents higher inside expandability, its efficiency lags behind the M3 Extremely Mac Studio, making it exhausting to justify for many professionals until PCIe growth is an absolute necessity.

Ought to I purchase the Mac Studio (M3 Extremely)?

Sure. For those who want blazing-fast efficiency in a Mac desktop, the top-of-the-line Mac Studio is the way in which to go.