Apple’s desktop lineup makes less sense than it used to. The cheaper Mac mini has a newer chip than the expensive one, and every desktop starts with less storage than the laptops. I walk through the three questions that actually decide which Mac you should buy: how to read the chip names, how much memory you need, and whether the computer lives on a desk or in a bag.
MACS IN THIS VIDEO
M6 Mac mini:
M5 Pro Mac mini:
M5 Max Mac Studio:
M5 Ultra Mac Studio:
My favorite Thunderbolt SSD:
Satechi Thunderbolt dock:
NEED HELP PICKING A MAC
Free personalized Mac buying advice:
MY GEAR & OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS
My desk setup:
My full video making kit:
Links above are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate and a B&H affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. It costs you nothing extra and it helps support the channel.
Want me to review your product? Send a pitch to adam@adamtalks.tech
Website:
Everywhere else: @adamtalkstech
00:00 The lineup is confusing this year
00:12 The three questions
00:18 How to read the chip names
00:50 Does your work use every core
01:20 Memory capacity and bandwidth
01:45 How much RAM each Mac starts with
02:11 How much memory you should buy
02:34 Desk or bag
03:15 The desktop lineup and prices
03:34 The laptop lineup and prices
04:08 What most people should get
04:53 Why the M5 Max Studio is the bargain
05:18 Money waster one, 256GB storage
05:46 Money waster two, buying by tier name
06:09 Money waster three, not enough memory
06:39 Free personalized Mac buying advice
source
Just pre-ordered the M5 Studio Max base (36GB) using Apple Upgrade Lease program thru Klarna. $50/month makes it easy and option to buy out at the end ($736). Great for business owners as you can write off the lease on your taxes as an expense.
No longer any value versions. The base Mac Mini is almost twice the price of the previous generation. I know memory prices are affecting everything.
I've been running a Mini with 8GB/256GB for 4 years with no issues. An external SSD is much better value than Apple's expensive storage upgrades.
that should never happen. they should never intro a chip that is not faster than the fastest last generation chip. the minimum is 64 gigs because it must share the memory between the cpu and gpus.
If you don’t know what is going on, Apple seems disorganized, but there is method to their madness. It all comes from the Vision, when Tim realized that his M series chips had terrible graphics. Apple went to Blender to fix things, and that started a massive shift in focus. In the middle of that, AI dumped billions on NVIDIA, and new machines to make smaller transistors. Where is Apple heading now? It’s not that hard to figure out, Rosetta 3 for CUDA on Apple hardware.
A very concise description of how to navigate the confusion from Cupertino.
I don’t understand Apple’s strategy here. It’s like a throwback to the Spindler/Amelio years. As you say, a total mess.
Keeping base storage at 256 gbs is ridiculous.
I also agree, that you should not buy any of them and wait until the prices get down! Even 24gb Ram are momentarily too expensive to do the update. Save your money 💰 for now and have patience and wait until next year…
Steve Jobs is turning over in his grave at this bastardization of the lineup.
Thank you! I’m considering purchasing a MacBook Pro with the M5 Pro chip and would appreciate clarification: when Apple states that it supports up to three external displays, does this allow three independent external displays to be used simultaneously alongside the MacBook’s built-in display (four independent displays in total), or does connecting three external displays require the built-in display to be mirrored to one of the external monitor (so only three independent displays in total)?
I would be interested in your thoughts, or better a video, on Apple's planned obsolescence. It troubles me that I am reading Apple stops supporting their hardware after 5 to 7 years. When I do buy new stuff, I overbuy to avoid obsolescence but if Apple is not going to do security patches and updates on perfectly fine equipment, I wasted money big time. I'm sure Apple appreciates that. With most banking done online these days, security is paramount. What to do? Just buy new gear when Apples say adios to old gear?
How would the Mac M5 Ultra base model benefit for running large mix sessions for music production
in Avid Protools over the Mac M5 Max base model?
I might just get an M6 but bump the ram to 24GB and the SSD to 512GB.
I do audio, my M1 Mac Studio MAX base model goes about 70% on bigger projects.
Buy 256GB. Upgrade when third-party option is available.
Easy, don’t buy any of them.
Just pre-ordered a Mac Mini M6/24/512. Glad the video confirms my upgrade choices.
I still can't decide. Will 36GB ram in the m5 max studio build be enough compared to the 48gb in the m5 pro when we're 5 years down the line? I can't decide if the extra GPU power of the studio is worth the extra cash when you get less ram. And it's a $700 difference where I am. In the next few years will we be begging for more ram or more graphics power?
Thanks for the video. Just pre ordered the new Mac Mini M5 Pro chip, 48gb of memory, 512gb SSD, and the upgraded chip set. Figure I can get more storage from an external SSD later.
Waiting for the m6 max
Thanks for the summary! Excellent intel & I preordered the “base” Studio. Might you do a review of recommended monitors (tiered by price/quality) for the new Mini and Studio?
Should I upgrade my m4 pro 48ram with a m4 pro chip for the m6 pro?
I remember my IBM Aptiva came with 32mb of ram and 1.2gb of storage. lol