Mac Studio: M5 Ultra now, M7 Ultra not until 2028 Apfelpatient

The Mac Studio faces a dual future: the long-overdue M5 update is expected later this year, but the next real leap forward won't come until 2028 with the M7 Ultra. This unusually long gap between the two is a significant development gap, and an improved heatsink hints at what Apple is preparing its professional desktop for.

Anyone currently looking to buy a Mac Studio is facing a tough time: long delivery times, sold-out configurations, and recently, noticeably higher prices. To make matters worse, the high-end model is lagging behind technically, as the current Mac Studio, slated for release in spring 2025, relies on the M4 Max and the even older M3 Ultra as its top-of-the-line chip. A new report now outlines what the future holds – and paints a roadmap with two milestones that are very far apart in time. The next milestone, according to the report, will arrive in 2026, while the one after that won't be for another two years.

The M5 update is expected to arrive this year

According to Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, the M5 variant of the Mac Studio is still planned for release this year. It would primarily offer one thing: more processing power. Apple is expected to equip the compact desktop with the M5 Max and M5 Ultra, a pure chip upgrade without any design changes. The familiar aluminum casing would therefore remain, while the real innovation lies within.

This update was originally expected earlier – reports from last year roughly placed it around the time of WWDC. That didn't happen when the shortage of memory chips disrupted Apple's plans, and the company prioritized notebooks. The key specifications for the upcoming model, from the expected performance leap of the M5 Ultra to the memory configuration, can be found in detail in the collection of all rumors about the Mac Studio M5.

The next big step: M7 Ultra for 2028

Things get more interesting when looking further ahead. Apple is reportedly developing a second Mac Studio update, which would feature an M7 Ultra processor and is slated for release in 2028. This would leave roughly two years between the M5 and M7 models – a relatively long gap for a product line that has seen frequent updates recently.

The reason for the jump directly from M5 to M7 lies in Apple's chip strategy: Reports indicate that the company intends to forgo the high-end variants of the M6 family. While there will be a regular M6, there will be no M6 Pro, M6 Max, or M6 Ultra. This simply eliminates the basis for an M6 Ultra in the Mac Studio. However, the concept surrounding the new high-end MacBook in the Ultra class, which is expected to utilize the M6 Pro and M6 Max, reveals where Apple still plans to deploy the top-tier M6 chips – suggesting that the distribution of chip tiers across the model lines is shifting.

A better heatsink for higher AI loads

Beyond the chip upgrades, Apple is reportedly working on internal changes to the Mac Studio. These include an improved heatsink designed to boost thermal performance – specifically, given the machine's increasing need to handle demanding AI workloads directly on the device. Local AI calculations generate heat, and a more powerful cooling system would address this.

It remains unclear, however, which of the two models this cooling improvement is intended for. The report leaves it uncertain whether it will be included in the M5 Ultra model or reserved for the M7 Ultra. The importance of local AI processing for this professional machine is already evident in the RAM: the larger memory configurations, reserved for the Ultra variants, are precisely what makes the Mac Studio so attractive for running large AI models.

A redesign remains vague

Whether the M7 Ultra model will also feature a new exterior design is uncertain. Gurman mentions the possibility of a redesign, but also points out that Apple traditionally maintains its desktop designs for extended periods. In any case, no major visual overhaul is expected for the M5 Ultra model. A redesigned Mac Studio would therefore be, at best, an option for 2028 – and even then, not a certainty.

What the two-year gap means for buyers

For anyone considering a professional desktop from Apple, the picture is mixed. In the short term, the M5 Ultra is on the horizon, finally bringing current performance after a long wait and, above all, the long-overdue leap away from the aging M3 Ultra. After that, however, things are likely to quiet down for a while: those who opt for the M5 model face an unusually long period without a direct successor, with a projected two-year gap until the M7 Ultra. From today's perspective, this makes the upcoming M5 Mac Studio less of an interim solution and more of a long-term investment – assuming the timeline holds true. (Image: Shutterstock / Michael Derrer Fuchs)