The Mac Studio with 512GB of unified memory is not an option for every configuration in the lineup. According to Apple’s specifications, 512GB is tied to the Mac Studio with M5 Ultra configured with a 36-core CPU and 80-core GPU. Apple says this option is coming in late October 2026. Meanwhile, the new Mac Studio generation with M5 Max and M5 Ultra already began arriving to customers and stores on September 22.
Who can configure 512GB of memory
The main rule is straightforward: 512GB is an M5 Ultra option, not an M5 Max option. The maximum capacity also requires the higher-end M5 Ultra configuration with a 36-core CPU, 80-core GPU, and 32-core Neural Engine.
| Configuration | Memory listed by Apple | Status in September 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| M5 Max, 18-core CPU and 32-core GPU | 36GB unified memory | Part of the current lineup |
| M5 Max, 18-core CPU and 40-core GPU | 48GB, 64GB, or 128GB | Configurable options in the current lineup |
| M5 Ultra, 30-core CPU and 64-core GPU | 96GB unified memory | Part of the current lineup |
| M5 Ultra, 36-core CPU and 80-core GPU | 256GB or 512GB | 512GB planned for late October |
This also avoids a common point of confusion: the 512GB in this announcement refers to unified memory, not SSD storage. Mac Studio still has separate storage options, and the M5 Ultra can be configured with up to a 16TB SSD.
What is already available before the 512GB version
Apple said on September 22 that the new Mac Studio was already available with M5 Max and M5 Ultra. In Brazil, Apple announced a starting price of R$30,999 for the M5 Max model and R$69,999 for the M5 Ultra model. Those are entry prices for the lineup and do not represent the final price of the future 512GB configuration.
So the late-October change is not the launch of the entire generation. It is the release of a memory option above the capacities already listed for purchase and configuration. Buyers who need a Mac Studio now can find the new lineup before that date, but they should not assume that 512GB is already available in the configurator in every market.
What changes in the lineup with the 512GB option
The main effect is a higher memory ceiling for Mac Studio with M5 Ultra. A 512GB configuration can keep much larger datasets in unified memory and provide more headroom for workloads that combine the CPU, GPU, and AI accelerators without relying on a separate pool of video memory.
Apple connects this capacity to use cases such as large local AI models, scientific analysis and simulations, and other intensive professional workflows. M5 Ultra provides 1.2TB/s of unified memory bandwidth. Apple says the combination of high capacity and bandwidth can support very large datasets and locally run language models with hundreds of billions of parameters, depending on the software and model being used.
There is an important distinction, however: selecting 512GB is not simply adding more memory to the base M5 Ultra configuration. Apple’s own specification ties 256GB and 512GB to the 36-core CPU and 80-core GPU variant. A buyer who reaches 512GB will therefore also be selecting the higher-end chip configuration.
How the option differs from M5 Max
M5 Max remains the entry point for the current Mac Studio lineup and has a lower memory ceiling. Apple lists 36GB for the initial configuration and 48GB, 64GB, or 128GB options when the chip is configured with a 40-core GPU. M5 Ultra starts at 96GB and opens the door to much larger capacities, including 256GB and, in late October, 512GB with the 36-core CPU and 80-core GPU configuration.
In practical terms, the new option strengthens the separation between the two chip families: M5 Max covers professional configurations with lower memory capacities, while M5 Ultra carries the highest memory ceiling and the top CPU and GPU options. That does not make 512GB necessary for every professional workflow. Its usefulness depends on the actual size of projects, models, scenes, datasets, and applications in use.
Availability: what Apple confirmed and what remains unknown
As of this reporting on September 28, 2026, Apple only says that the Mac Studio with 512GB of unified memory will be available in late October. The company has not published an exact date for the option in the materials reviewed.
Those documents also do not provide a specific Brazilian price for the 512GB upgrade or a delivery estimate dedicated to this configuration. Apple’s Brazil and U.S. materials both repeat the late-October window, but they do not provide a country-by-country rollout schedule. The reliable information, therefore, is the announced window rather than a specific day in the month.
Practical summary
- 512GB refers to unified memory, not SSD storage.
- The option belongs to Mac Studio with M5 Ultra.
- To reach 512GB, Apple requires the M5 Ultra with a 36-core CPU and 80-core GPU.
- M5 Max tops out at 128GB of unified memory in the listed configurations.
- The new Mac Studio generation began arriving on September 22, 2026.
- The 512GB option is announced for late October, with no exact day provided as of September 28.
- Mac Studio starts at R$30,999 with M5 Max and R$69,999 with M5 Ultra in Brazil, but those figures do not state the final price of the 512GB configuration.
