Here’s a hopeful sign the M5 Mac Studio isn’t too far away

Source Domain: www.cultofmac.com

Buying some configurations of the Mac Studio now means lengthy wait times. While that’s surely frustrating for those shopping for the powerful macOS desktop, this can be taken as a sign that it might be better to hold off on the purchase.

That’s because a new version is on the way.

Why Mac Studio with M5 Max and M5 Ultra are probably in development

The Mac Studio is a compact yet formidable desktop aimed squarely at creative professionals and power users. It packs Apple’s powerful M4 Max or M3 Ultra processors to take on 8K video editing, 3D rendering and more. Pro users need the best computer they can get, so it might be best to hold off on getting a Mac Studio right now.

Order a base model with the M4 Max from the Apple Store, and you can get it delivered in a day or so. But many of the configurations with faster processors, more memory and/or additional storage add weeks to the wait time.

For example, order the Mac Studio with an M4 Max with 16 CPU cores, and you won’t take delivery before March. Those considering the top-of-the-line model — with the fastest M3 Ultra variant, 512GB of memory and 16TB of storage — must wait until April.

When waiting is a good sign

When the official Apple Store begins running short on configurations of a particular Mac model — especially one that’s been on the market for almost a year — it can be a sign that a successor is drawing near. That’s because Apple typically reduces manufacturing of current versions of its products to make room for updated hardware.

While the current long wait times for a new Mac Studio suggest a new model is on the way, that’s hardly conclusive. But information leaking from Apple HQ indicates that upgraded versions of the desktop computer equipped with M5-series chips are coming in the first half of 2026. The M4 Max version arrived in March 2025, and a replacement a year later at Apple’s March 4 product launch event seems quite possible. (Read our predictions for…

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