From www.pocket-lint.com

Apple has introduced a much more powerful version of its M2 silicon, and created two incredible desktop machines for creative professionals.

Mac Studio

Apple

At its WWDC 2023 opening keynote Apple had new products for consumers and for creative professionals, all powered by its own M2 silicon platform. As well as launching the first 15-inch MacBook Air, the company also unveiled a more powerful Mac Studio and an Apple Silicon-powered Mac Pro, for when Mac Studio isn’t quite enough.

Both of these new powerful desktop machines are powered by the new M2 Ultra processor. This is Apple’s top-tier version of the M2 which features a massive 24-core CPU and 76-core GPU, delivering bucketloads of performance for intensive apps and workflows like working with high-bitrate video files.

Apple talked gains in performance over the previous M1 Ultra, stating that the CPU is 20 per cent faster and that the larger GPU can offer up to 30 per cent faster graphics on the M2 Ultra. The built-in Neural Engine is also faster (40 per cent according to Apple).

M2 Ultra

Apple

The company also claimed those using apps like DaVinci Resolve for colouring and video editing will experience much faster processing, but will also enable having a huge number of really high-resolution video streams on the same timeline. Specifically, you can run up to twenty-two 8K video streams of ProRes 422 video. That is a staggering number of high bitrate streams all running at once, thanks to the M2 Ultra’s optimised rendering and processing of ProRes codec video.

The chipset itself is built by combining two M2 Max chips – another chipset announced today – but is creatively designed to have it show up as just one processor to Mac software.

While the chipset is new, the new Mac Studio and Mac Pro have designs virtually identical to their predecessors. The Mac Studio is that same neat, compact powerful cube-like metal case with the SD card reader and two USB-C ports on the front and additional ports on the rear including HDMI, Thunderbolt 4, and 10Gb Ethernet.

Mac Pro M2 Ultra

Apple

Apple's most powerful computers ever are powered by M2 Ultra

For some professional creatives, it’s the addition of Apple Silicon to the Mac Pro that will be the most exciting. It was the last remaining product in Apple’s lineup not to feature an M-based chipset and – of course – it’s getting the most powerful ones.

The new Mac Studio and Mac Pro are both available to order from today and – like the 15-inch MacBook AIr – will hit shelves on 13 June. The Mac Studio will be available with either M2 Max or M2 Ultra, and is configurable with up to a massive 192GB RAM and 8TB internal storage. Prices will start at $1999 in the US and £2099 in the UK.

As for the Mac Pro, that’s M2 Ultra powered, features eight Thunderbolt 4 ports and up to 192GB RAM – just like the Mac Studio. That’s a lot more expensive, with prices starting at $6999 in the US and £7199 in the UK for the desk tower version.

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The post Apple's most powerful computers ever are powered by M2 Ultra first appeared on www.pocket-lint.com

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