Apple Explains Why the New Mac Studio Doesn't Have an M4 Ultra Chip

[Gloor]

They didn't explain anything. In fact, why no one asked them - if this is the case, Apple then why did you not do BOTH with M4 (ie. M4 Max & M4 Ultra) as that would clearly skip M3 and would be on par. Why do one each?

Also, why did they wait so long to update it? They could have done M3 Max and M3 Ultra last summer and skip M4.

So confusing and so NOT explained by Apple

 

[zorinlynx]

I wish they'd also explain why you can't put standard NVMe storage into these to upgrade them, rather than having to buy all the storage you need from the start at absurdly inflated prices.

 

[johnnyenv]

The only reason is so Apple can sell you one a year later. They are protecting their purchase time line.


Get ready for new BEST EVER IPHONE in a NEW COLOR


It's the exact same thing when they released App folders for iOS but for SOME reason iPadOS didn't get it for another year because apparently they are very different systems.

 

[Kazgarth]

What are they smoking selling old gen CPU at current gen price

 

[jz0309]

So we had 1/2/3, all this statement really says to me is that there will be no M4 Ultra…

 

[Royksöpp]

That’s a pretty sh*tty answer to that question. Why even bother saying anything?

 

[whelmedjedi]

“Apple told us that not every chip generation will get an 'Ultra' tier,"

Okay. But why Mac Studio in 2025 has no M4 ultra?

M4 Max looks like a far better option. Newest architecture, newest technology, no compability issues because of the combined cpu’s.

But of course, they know local LLM mad people will buy it because of the memory.

 

[pksv]

Perhaps that means we will never get an M4 Ultra chip?

I think it means no M4 and M5 Ultra, as this will be almost exactly 1.5yr cycle window to 2026 October Mac event.

 

[goonie4life9]

Not to worry, everyone, because Apple can still release the MOST POWERFUL M-series chip ever, the M4 Max Pro!!! It will truly be the pro M4 for real pros!

 

[MrGimper]

That rumor was simply wrong. M3 Ultra does use UltraFusion to combine two M3 Max chips.

I thought people did M3 Max die analysis and categorically said it doesn’t have ultra fusion.

 

[zorinlynx]

But of course, they know local LLM mad people will buy it because of the memory.

Are people even doing this stuff on Macs?

Pretty much 100% of the LLM research I've seen has been on x86_64 + Nvidia under Linux. I work at a research university in the CS department and have seen 0.0 interest in buying Macs for LLM purposes.

 

[Ctrlos]

Knowing that the Mac Pro is really only a 'bulk enterprise' solution rather than a consumer-aimed model I'd bet the're not going to update it at all. I mean, who is leaning heavily on Apple to make an M4 Pro? Pixar?! Its not exactly increased the quality of their movies in the last 5 years!

 

[VisceralRealist]

I thought people did M3 Max die analysis and categorically said it doesn’t have ultra fusion.

Here's an old article about that. Looks like the source was MaxTech. 🤔

M3 Max Chip Has Hidden Change That Could Affect Future 'M3 Ultra' Chip

Apple's M3 Ultra chip may be designed as its own, standalone chip, rather than be made up of two M3 Max dies, according to a plausible new...

www.macrumors.com

 

[smulji]

I thought people did M3 Max die analysis and categorically said it doesn’t have ultra fusion.

They were wrong

 

[carrrrrlos]

Apple seems to be doing quite a bit of 'explaining' these days.

 

[Razorpit]

These names are terrible. I feel like I'm watching 90's Teenage Muntant Ninja Turtles.

I was thinking more along the lines of a Michael Bay Transformers movie. 😉

 

[whelmedjedi]

Are people even doing this stuff on Macs?

Pretty much 100% of the LLM research I've seen has been on x86_64 + Nvidia under Linux. I work at a research university in the CS department and have seen 0.0 interest in buying Macs for LLM purposes.

Because your department is ignorant. Macs are far better than garbage overpriced nvidia chips. And way much cheaper. You guys just doesnt care the cost because university pays anyway.

Plus no risk of burning anything with apple silicon.

 

[MrGimper]

They were wrong

So the M3 Max DOES have ultra fusion?

 

[NT1440]

Sounds like M5 is going to be the one that gets the TSMC connectivity packaging…

 

[ofcrpls]

Apple's explanation leads us to wonder which chip the next Mac Pro desktop tower will use. Both the Mac Studio and Mac Pro were updated with the M2 Ultra chip simultaneously in June 2023, and many people in the Apple community felt that the Mac Pro was thereby a bad buy since it costs thousands of dollars more than the Mac Studio despite there being a perceived lack of differentiation between the computers.

thereby a bad buy

I would have been so tempted to use therefore

 

[BNBMS]

Sounds like M5 is going to be the one that gets the TSMC connectivity packaging…

Maybe Apple intentionally made M3 Ultra Mac Studio so bad that M5 or M6 series with new tech can shine better which isn't the first time.

 

[Veinticinco]

The far more sensible decision from Apple would be to release the M4 Max Studio alone.

 

[Wanted797]

so why did the m3 ultra not come out LAST summer Apple makes no sense

Because it wasn’t ready?

 

[smulji]

So the M3 Max DOES have ultra fusion?

Yes

Apple says not every Apple Silicon generation will get an Ultra

Apple released the M3 Ultra alongside M4 generation chips — but here's why we probably won't see the M4 Ultra.

appleinsider.com

 

[CarAnalogy]

That...doesn't explain anything. Not all M series chips will get an Ultra designation. Ok, it won't if they don't do it. But that doesn't explain anything about why.

It's like when they said SE and iPhone 11 users weren't using MagSafe. Of course they weren't.

Apple uses a lot of circular logic lately.