Overview
- Multiple reports say Apple plans an M5 Ultra Mac Studio refresh later in 2026 that updates chips and internal cooling but keeps the existing external design.
- Bloomberg’s reporting indicates Apple has canceled M6 Pro, M6 Max, and M6 Ultra work and is moving high‑end development to an M7 family with an M7 Ultra‑based Mac Studio targeted for 2028.
- Engineers have tested M5 Ultra prototypes with configurations as large as about 36 CPU cores, 80 GPU cores and up to 768 GB of unified memory while noting that final shipping options may be smaller.
- Supplies of DRAM and NAND and rising component costs have delayed the Mac Studio refresh, forced Apple to limit top memory options, and contributed to higher prices and long delivery estimates.
- For professionals this means a nearer‑term route to more desktop power with the M5 Ultra while the bigger AI‑and‑cooling overhaul that supports sustained on‑device AI workloads is expected to arrive with M7 Ultra in 2028.