Apple Launches Mac Studio Configured With 512GB RAM and M5 Ultra
The flagship configuration pairs an 80-core GPU with 512GB of unified memory, pushing maxed-out desktop pricing up to $29,799.
In short
- Apple opened orders on October 28, 2026, for the Mac Studio configured with 512GB of unified memory.
- The 512GB option requires the higher-tier M5 Ultra chip with a 36-core CPU and 80-core GPU, starting at $22,299.
- The 512GB memory upgrade alone adds $15,500 above the processor's base configuration.
- A fully configured Mac Studio with 512GB of RAM and 16TB of internal storage costs $29,799.
- Initial delivery estimates range from late November 2026 to early December 2026, with some store pickup dates stretching into February 2027.
On October 28, 2026, Apple opened online orders for the Mac Studio configured with 512GB of unified memory, completing an option first signaled during the system's introduction earlier in the year. The massive memory ceiling is exclusive to high-tier models of the Apple M5 Ultra Mac Studio and is designed for compute-intensive tasks, such as running local artificial intelligence models.
First announced in August 2026 alongside M5 Max configurations, the 512GB option was initially reserved for release in late October, as reported by MacRumors. With orders now open, the release sets a new upper tier for memory capacity in Apple's compact professional desktop line.
Hardware Specifications and Configuration Rules
According to Apple's official technical specifications, the 512GB memory option cannot be added to the base M5 Ultra chip. The entry M5 Ultra features a 30-core CPU (10 super cores and 20 performance cores) alongside a 64-core GPU and 96GB of unified memory. To access 512GB of RAM, buyers must first select the upgraded M5 Ultra variant equipped with a 36-core CPU and an 80-core GPU.
The M5 Ultra chip delivers 1.2TB/s of unified memory bandwidth and includes a 32-core Neural Engine, hardware-accelerated ray tracing, and specialized media engines for ProRes, AV1, HEVC, and H.264 formats. In contrast, the Mac Studio with an M5 Max processor tops out at 128GB of memory and 614GB/s of bandwidth, as outlined in Apple's documentation.
Per Apple's hardware specifications, connectivity on the M5 Ultra desktop includes front and rear Thunderbolt 5 ports operating at up to 120Gb/s, 10Gb Ethernet, an HDMI 2.1 port, two USB-A ports, and an SDXC slot. Wireless support is handled by Apple's N1 wireless chip, providing Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6. The M5 Ultra system can power up to eight external displays at 6K resolution at 60Hz, or four displays at 8K at 60Hz.
Pricing and Upgrade Costs
Configuring a Mac Studio with 512GB of RAM incurs substantial hardware costs. According to AppleInsider, the base M5 Ultra starts at $5,499. Stepping up to the 36-core CPU and 80-core GPU silicon costs an extra $1,300, raising the starting baseline to $6,799.
Adding the 512GB RAM option on top of that costs an additional $15,500, pushing the minimum price for a functional 512GB system to $22,299 with a standard 1TB solid-state drive. PCMag noted a minor text discrepancy in initial reporting citing $22,999, though configuration arithmetic across retail listings confirms $22,299, as detailed by 9to5Mac.
Users who need maximum local storage can replace the base 1TB SSD with a 16TB SSD for an additional $7,500. That combination brings the fully equipped machine to $29,799 before taxes or accessories. Prior to this release, the maximum spend on an M5 Ultra setup was $18,299 when the line launched in August 2026.
Financing options on Apple's online store include interest-free monthly installments via Apple Card, as well as leasing through the Apple Upgrade program in partnership with Klarna over 24 or 36 months, as noted on Apple's store platform.
Delivery Timelines and Target Workloads
Shipping schedules for the new configuration vary depending on location and order date. 9to5Mac reported that units ordered upon release are scheduled to arrive between late November and early December 2026, while AppleInsider noted delivery dates pointing to December 3, 2026. However, testing by PCMag indicated that in-store pickup estimates for specific configurations stretched as far out as February 1, 2027.
Despite the significant price tag, the machine addresses specific high-end computing needs that require vast local memory pools. Earlier in October 2026, Meta announced its Muse Spark Open weight model, which was adapted in collaboration with Apple to run locally on a workstation cluster consisting of two 512GB M5 Ultra Mac Studios using Apple's MLX machine learning framework, as reported by MacRumors. For research teams and institutions processing massive models, the 512GB shared memory pool offers capacity previously unavailable in the Mac Studio enclosure.
Questions people ask
How much does the 512GB RAM Mac Studio cost?
The 512GB RAM configuration starts at $22,299 with a 1TB SSD. Fully configured with a 16TB SSD, the total cost reaches $29,799.
Can you get 512GB of RAM with the base M5 Ultra chip?
No. The 512GB unified memory option requires upgrading to the top-tier M5 Ultra chip with a 36-core CPU and 80-core GPU.
What is the memory bandwidth of the M5 Ultra?
The Apple M5 Ultra chip provides 1.2TB/s of unified memory bandwidth.
When do customer deliveries begin for the 512GB Mac Studio?
Initial pre-orders are scheduled to arrive between late November and December 3, 2026, though some regional pickup estimates extend to February 2027.
Sources
- Buy Mac Studio, M5 Ultra Chip, 36-core CPU, 80-core GPU, 512GB memory, 1TB storageApple, official source
- Mac Studio (M5 Max or M5 Ultra) - Tech Specs - Apple SupportApple Support, official source
- Mac Studio With M5 Ultra Now Available With 512GB RAM for $22,299MacRumors, Oct 28, 2026
- Apple reveals pricing for Mac Studio with 512GB of RAM9to5Mac, Oct 28, 2026
- Mac Studio M5 Ultra 512GB RAM upgrade costs $15,500 on its ownappleinsider.com, Oct 28, 2026
- Apple Releases Mac Studio With 512GB of RAM, But It Costs As Much As a Small CarPCMag, Oct 28, 2026
How this story was made: the newsroom picked it up from Reddit, Techmeme and Hacker News, gathered the full text of the sources above, and drafted it with AI assistance. Every factual claim was then checked against those sources before publishing (18 claims checked). Illustrations marked as AI-generated are not photographs. Spotted an error? Tell us.
Published October 29, 2026 at 03:07 UTC
