06.16.2023
Apple at WWDC surprised us with the M2 Ultra chip, which is the key feature in the new second-generation Mac Studio. We thought we'd compare it to the first-generation Mac
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
Compared to the base M1 Ultra, the base M2 Ultra has a 24-core CPU (up from 20 cores) and a 60-core GPU (up from 48 cores). It has the same 64GB unified memory and 32-core Neural Engine.
In a real world Final Cut Pro export test with 4K footage, a 13 minute clip exported in five and a half minutes on the M1 Ultra machine, and just over three minutes on the M2 Ultra. An export of an hour-long video took almost seventeen minutes on the M1 Ultra Mac Studio, and just eight and a half minutes on the M2 Ultra.
Over time, the M2 Ultra is going to save a lot of exporting time for video editing, and other GPU-intensive tasks will likely see the same time savings.
The Mac Studio with M2 Ultra we tested is equipped with an upgraded 2TB SSD, and on the BlackMagic Disk Speed Tests, we got read speeds of 5,455 and write speeds of 5,100. With a 1TB SSD on the M1 Ultra machine, we were seeing read speeds of 1,853 and write speeds of 5,092, so SSD speeds are up on the higher end at a minimum.
If you've already got an M1 Ultra Mac Studio, it may be worth upgrading if you want to save time on video exports and similar tasks, but if you're not going to take advantage of the increased GPU speeds, it won't be worth the $3,999 starting price for the entry-level M2 Ultra Mac Studio. The M2 Ultra Mac Studio is unquestionably the best desktop machine that Apple sells in terms of price and performance for professionals.
There is an M2 Mac Pro, but it is priced starting at $6,999 for the same performance but with PCIe slots. What do you think of the M2 Ultra chip? Let us know in the comments below.
This article, "Hands-On With the M2 Ultra Mac Studio" first appeared on MacRumors.com
Discuss this article in our forums
You may also be interested in this
Apple TV+ acclaimed hit ‘…
05.15.2023
On Sunday, Apple TV+ scored major category wins at the 2023 BAFTA Television Awards with honors for Best Drama Series for globally acclaimed hit “Bad Sisters,” alongside a Best Supporting
Tim Cook teases a new App…
02.13.2025
The last iPhone SE was released in 2022. Apple is getting ready to show its newest device during an event on Wednesday, February 19th. Tim Cook revealed the date in
Apple releases iOS 16.6.1…
09.07.2023
Apple on Thursday released iOS 16.6.1 and iPadOS 16.6.1 which provide important security fixes and is recommended for all users. MacDailyNews Note: For information on the security content of Apple
Second developer beta for…
06.21.2023
Apple has handed out its second developer beta for macOS 14 Sonoma, which can be downloaded to Macs and tested out by users enrolled in the program.Apple releases new betasDevelopers
Apple Wallet Enhancements…
02.22.2024
Apple Wallet, the digital cardholder application, has undergone significant enhancements in recent years, paving the way for a more secure and convenient way to store and manage digital IDs and
UK antitrust regulator wi…
11.30.2023
In a reversal of a lower court ruling, Britain’s antitrust regulator, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), has been granted authority by the Court of Appeal to launch a probe
Pack light this summer wi…
05.19.2023
Bluetti's newest and most portable power station, the AC60, hits shelves just in time for summer adventures, supplying hours of charge to keep all your favorite essential devices running.Take advantage
Tim Cook reiterates that …
05.04.2023
On Thursday, Apple shared its fiscal Q2 2023 earnings report with revenue of $94.8 billion, down 3% year-on-year. Still, CEO Tim Cook insists that mass layoffs are not part of
