Apple still plans to update the Mac Studio in the desktop product line in 2026, equipped with a new generation of M5 Ultra chips, further targeting professional users who require a large number of CPU and GPU cores. According to Mark Gurman, the source of the report, in Bloomberg’s “Power On” newsletter, a Mac Studio model equipped with the M7 Ultra will follow, expected in 2028.
The report pointed out that the current Apple Silicon chip architecture still maintains four gradients: basic, Pro, Max and Ultra, with Ultra as the top configuration. Since the M3 Ultra, the M4 generation has not launched an Ultra version, which also makes Mac Studio one of the few product lines still waiting for the new Ultra chip update.
In this plan, the next two updates of Mac Studio are regarded as "spec improvement" modifications, rather than iterations of a new appearance or structure. Apple is said to have internally adjusted the machine's cooling system, mainly by replacing it with more efficient cooling modules and radiators to deal with heat management issues under high load and long-term operation, thereby further stabilizing the performance of the machine while the new generation of Ultra chips bring performance improvements. For the 2026 M5 Ultra version, sources believe that the possibility of major appearance changes can almost be ruled out. For the 2028 M7 Ultra model, although there is slightly higher room for change in theory, given Apple's long-term strategy of using the same overall machine design, the probability of major appearance changes is still considered low.
Judging from the timeline, the M5 Ultra version of Mac Studio will be Apple’s next step in Apple Silicon’s top desktop solutions and continue to consolidate Mac Studio’s positioning in the high-performance professional workstation market. From then on, the M7 Ultra in 2028 is regarded as part of the continuation of the long-term update rhythm of the product line. It provides stronger computing power based on architecture and process upgrades, but the overall focus is still on internal structure optimization and heat dissipation enhancement, rather than a completely new model that completely overturns the existing design. Based on the current public information, if users need to upgrade to higher-core Apple Silicon desktop devices in the next few years, Mac Studio will still be the main hosting platform, rather than completing the transfer by launching new forms of products.