Apple Plans Major Mac Studio Upgrade for 2028

Apple is developing a significant Mac Studio update for 2028, featuring the M7 Ultra chip and improved cooling, while a smaller M5 Ultra refresh is expected later this year.

Apple is preparing two Mac Studio refreshes, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. An M5 Ultra model is expected to launch later this year, while a more substantial M7 Ultra version is planned for 2028. The current Mac Studio, released in early 2025, uses M4 Max and M3 Ultra chips, so the high-end model is overdue for an upgrade.

The M5-based Mac Studio will be a straightforward chip upgrade, but the 2028 model is expected to feature a redesigned internal architecture. A better heat sink has been developed to improve thermal performance. Apple appears to be skipping the M6 Ultra entirely, as the company has canceled its higher-end M6 Pro and M6 Max chips, focusing instead on the M7 lineup for AI and GPU-intensive tasks.

The 2028 Mac Studio might support up to 768GB of unified memory, though supply constraints could limit this option. The M5 Ultra launch was reportedly postponed due to memory chip supply issues and price increases. It remains unclear if the M5 version will launch in October, especially since the current M3 Ultra Mac Studio still has delivery estimates extending into that month.