Summary created by Smart Answers AI
In summary:
- Macworld reports Apple is developing an M5 Ultra Mac Studio with 36 CPU cores, 80 GPU cores, and 768GB RAM, expected to replace the current M3 Ultra model this year.
- Future M7 Ultra chips may support up to 1.5TB of RAM, while Apple works on 1.4nm M8 processors potentially arriving in 2028.
- Apple is also creating AI servers using M5 Ultra chips for internal use, demonstrating aggressive advancement in chip technology and AI capabilities.
In his latest edition of the Power On newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported that Apple is moving forward with plans to release the M5 Ultra Mac Studio later this year. In June, Gurman said the Mac Studio’s M5 Ultra could have 36 CPU cores, 80 GPU cores, and support up to 768GB of RAM.
The M5 Ultra Mac Studio (which has an internal code of J246) will replace the current M3 Ultra model that was introduced alongside the M4 Max in March 2025. The implementation of the M3 was a bit of a surprise, since conventional wisdom held that Apple would ship the current M4 Ultra generation instead. But the chip availability, timing of new production methods, and Apple’s chip naming procedures led to the company calling in the M3 Ultra instead.
In his new report, Gurman said Apple is also working on an AI server using M5 Ultra chips. Apple doesn’t sell servers, so these machines are likely for internal use. Gurman’s report also details how the dead Apple Car project led to Apple’s ability to develop AI features for its chips.
But that’s not all. While it readies the M5 Ultra, Apple is also working on the M7 Ultra that will support up to 1.5TB of RAM, a massive increase over the M3 Ultra’s 512GB max. However, Gurman notes that the public may not ever be able to buy that version. Rather, the state of the RAM market will influence how much memory will be contained within the chip. It’s hard to guess, since the M7 Ultra isn’t expected to arrive until 2029.
Apple is also working on 1.4nm chips, including the M8, which could arrive in 2028. Gurman did provide details on whether these future chips will make their way into the Mac Studio.
