{"id":21283,"date":"2023-01-10T09:58:41","date_gmt":"2023-01-10T08:58:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/g100.us\/?p=21283"},"modified":"2023-07-03T12:30:04","modified_gmt":"2023-07-03T10:30:04","slug":"best-mac-studio-alternatives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/g100.us\/best-mac-studio-alternatives\/","title":{"rendered":"Best Mac Studio Alternatives in 2023 [Cheaper &#038; Faster]"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_39 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">TABLE OF CONTENTS<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-66843f142e906\" class=\"cssicon\"><span style=\"display: flex;align-items: center;width: 35px;height: 30px;justify-content: center;direction:ltr;\"><svg style=\"fill: #7f11e0;color:#7f11e0\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #7f11e0;color:#7f11e0\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\" \/><\/svg><\/span><\/label><label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-66843f142e906\" class=\"cssiconcheckbox\">1<\/label><input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-66843f142e906\" checked><nav><ul class=\"ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 \"><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/best-mac-studio-alternatives\/#Apple_Mac_Studio_-_Strengths_and_Weaknesses\" title=\"Apple Mac Studio \u2014 Strengths and Weaknesses\">Apple Mac Studio \u2014 Strengths and Weaknesses<\/a><ul class=\"ez-toc-list-level-3\"><li class=\"ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/best-mac-studio-alternatives\/#Mac_Studios_strengths\" title=\"Mac Studio's strengths:\">Mac Studio's strengths:<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/best-mac-studio-alternatives\/#Mac_Studios_weaknesses\" title=\"Mac Studio's weaknesses\">Mac Studio's weaknesses<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/best-mac-studio-alternatives\/#Apple_Mac_Studio_Alternatives_-_Pros_and_Cons\" title=\"Apple Mac Studio Alternatives \u2014 Pros and Cons\">Apple Mac Studio Alternatives \u2014 Pros and Cons<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/best-mac-studio-alternatives\/#Best_Mac_Studio_Alternatives\" title=\"Best Mac Studio Alternatives\">Best Mac Studio Alternatives<\/a><ul class=\"ez-toc-list-level-3\"><li class=\"ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/best-mac-studio-alternatives\/#M2_Pro_Mac_Mini\" title=\"M2 Pro Mac Mini\">M2 Pro Mac Mini<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/best-mac-studio-alternatives\/#Custom_Built_Desktop_PC\" title=\"Custom Built Desktop PC\">Custom Built Desktop PC<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/best-mac-studio-alternatives\/#Pre-Built_Desktop_PC\" title=\"Pre-Built Desktop PC\">Pre-Built Desktop PC<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/best-mac-studio-alternatives\/#Custom_Built_SFFPC\" title=\"Custom Built SFFPC\">Custom Built SFFPC<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/best-mac-studio-alternatives\/#Pre-Built_Desktop_PC-2\" title=\"Pre-Built Desktop PC\">Pre-Built Desktop PC<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/best-mac-studio-alternatives\/#Intel_NUC_12_Enthusiast_Serpent_Canyon\" title=\"Intel NUC 12 Enthusiast \u201cSerpent Canyon\u201d\">Intel NUC 12 Enthusiast \u201cSerpent Canyon\u201d<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/best-mac-studio-alternatives\/#Intel_NUC_12_Extreme_Dragon_Canyon\" title=\"Intel NUC 12 Extreme \u201cDragon Canyon\u201d\">Intel NUC 12 Extreme \u201cDragon Canyon\u201d<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/best-mac-studio-alternatives\/#Intel_NUC_13_Extreme_Raptor_Canyon\" title=\"Intel NUC 13 Extreme \u201cRaptor Canyon\u201d\">Intel NUC 13 Extreme \u201cRaptor Canyon\u201d<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/best-mac-studio-alternatives\/#M1_Mac_Mini\" title=\"M1 Mac Mini\">M1 Mac Mini<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/best-mac-studio-alternatives\/#Mac_Studio_Alternatives_-_How_do_They_Compare\" title=\"Mac Studio Alternatives \u2014 How do They Compare?\">Mac Studio Alternatives \u2014 How do They Compare?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/best-mac-studio-alternatives\/#Is_the_M1M2_Mac_Mini_or_iMac_a_Good_Alternative_to_the_Mac_Studio\" title=\"Is the M1\/M2 Mac Mini or iMac a Good Alternative to the Mac Studio?\">Is the M1\/M2 Mac Mini or iMac a Good Alternative to the Mac Studio?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/best-mac-studio-alternatives\/#Mac_Studio_Alternatives_-_Are_They_Worth_It\" title=\"Mac Studio Alternatives \u2014 Are They Worth It?\">Mac Studio Alternatives \u2014 Are They Worth It?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/best-mac-studio-alternatives\/#Conclusion\" title=\"Conclusion\">Conclusion<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-19\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/best-mac-studio-alternatives\/#FAQ\" title=\"FAQ\">FAQ<\/a><ul class=\"ez-toc-list-level-3\"><li class=\"ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-20\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/best-mac-studio-alternatives\/#Does_the_Mac_Studio_Have_Any_Alternatives\" title=\"Does the Mac Studio Have Any Alternatives?\">Does the Mac Studio Have Any Alternatives?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-21\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/best-mac-studio-alternatives\/#Is_Apples_Mac_Studio_Worth_It\" title=\"Is Apple\u2019s Mac Studio Worth It?\">Is Apple\u2019s Mac Studio Worth It?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-22\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/best-mac-studio-alternatives\/#Can_You_Install_Windows_on_a_Mac_Studio\" title=\"Can You Install Windows on a Mac Studio?\">Can You Install Windows on a Mac Studio?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-23\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/best-mac-studio-alternatives\/#Over_to_You\" title=\"Over to You\">Over to You<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.apple.com\/mac-studio\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Apple\u2019s Mac Studio<\/a> is, without a shadow of a doubt, a wholly unique computer \u2014 one that is far more powerful than its petite enclosure would lead you to believe.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a beast, in short, one that can compete with workstations five times its size.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s not for everyone, though. A machine that powerful should only be bought by consummate professionals and those whose livelihood depends on the speed at which their renders can be completed, their code compiled, and their numbers crunched.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_21287\" style=\"width: 1960px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21287\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-21287\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/MAC-Studio-Showcase.jpg\" alt=\"MAC Studio Showcase\" width=\"1960\" height=\"1060\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/MAC-Studio-Showcase.jpg 1960w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/MAC-Studio-Showcase-300x162.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/MAC-Studio-Showcase-1024x554.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/MAC-Studio-Showcase-768x415.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/MAC-Studio-Showcase-1536x831.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1960px) 100vw, 1960px\"><\/noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21287\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-21287 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201960%201060%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"MAC Studio Showcase\" width=\"1960\" height=\"1060\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201960%201060%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 1960w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1960px) 100vw, 1960px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/MAC-Studio-Showcase.jpg 1960w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/MAC-Studio-Showcase-300x162.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/MAC-Studio-Showcase-1024x554.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/MAC-Studio-Showcase-768x415.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/MAC-Studio-Showcase-1536x831.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/MAC-Studio-Showcase.jpg\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-21287\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Image Credit: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.apple.com\/newsroom\/2022\/03\/apple-unveils-all-new-mac-studio-and-studio-display\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Apple<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p>It\u2019s somewhat of a \u201cniche\u201d product which makes it both fascinating <em>and<\/em> somewhat hard to recommend.<\/p>\n<p>Still, if you have the money to spare (and if your workflow can really benefit from it), there\u2019s no reason why you <em>wouldn\u2019t<\/em> make the investment, be it <em>relatively<\/em> frivolous or not.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a truly amazing machine \u2014 one that is sleek, capable, and comes packed with just the right amount of I\/O.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Unless, of course, macOS isn\u2019t your operating system of choice, you dislike being shackled and forced into inhabiting just a single closed-off ecosystem, and if you prefer to have at least <em>some<\/em> level of hardware-based flexibility <\/strong>\u2014 to say nothing of an upgrade path.<\/p>\n<p>Apple, to its credit, has a wholly unique product: one that is astonishingly powerful and can satisfy the needs of a small (but vocal and most professional) minority.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Then again, one could argue that those consummate professionals and \u201cpower users\u201d \u2014 at least more often than not \u2014 prefer to have a bit more control over their system.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>And so, if the Mac Studio isn\u2019t a good enough match, and yet you <em>need <\/em>its power, what else might be up for consideration?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>The good news is that there is no shortage of options in the Windows realm. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In fact, the market has never been as flooded with top-notch compact PCs \u2014 machines both petite <em>and<\/em> astoundingly powerful \u2014 as it is now.<\/p>\n<p>These small form factor PCs might not be <em>as<\/em> beautiful or well-rounded as Apple\u2019s Mac Studio, but they sure don\u2019t lack power! And, perhaps most importantly, they\u2019re <em>defined <\/em>by the very versatility and openness that Windows users have come to expect.<\/p>\n<p>No limitations, no hindrances, no emulation layers, and no cutting-edge technology which may or may not be ready for mass adoption \u2014 <strong>it all just works, no ifs, and, or buts.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Before we delve any deeper, though, we really ought to cover the biggest pros and cons of Apple\u2019s Mac Studio, this wholly unique (and mighty powerful) computer.<\/p>\n<p><strong>That way we\u2019ll be able to pinpoint specific strengths and weaknesses and then, subsequently, use them as a benchmark for all Windows\/PC-based alternatives.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><noscript><iframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/wvhP1al3Ur4\" width=\"860\" height=\"515\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/noscript><iframe title=\"YouTube video player\" width=\"860\" height=\"515\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/wvhP1al3Ur4\" class=\" lazyload\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Apple_Mac_Studio_-_Strengths_and_Weaknesses\"><\/span>Apple Mac Studio \u2014 Strengths and Weaknesses<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>We\u2019ve <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/apple-m1-ultra-mac-studio\/\">already covered<\/a> this shiny metallic \u201cbeast\u201d in the past, so in lieu of rambling <em>ad nauseam,<\/em> we will instead focus on the most important details and specifics.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_21288\" style=\"width: 2048px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21288\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-21288\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Mac-Studio-ports.jpg\" alt=\"Mac Studio ports\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Mac-Studio-ports.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Mac-Studio-ports-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Mac-Studio-ports-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Mac-Studio-ports-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Mac-Studio-ports-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21288\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-21288 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Mac Studio ports\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Mac-Studio-ports.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Mac-Studio-ports-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Mac-Studio-ports-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Mac-Studio-ports-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Mac-Studio-ports-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Mac-Studio-ports.jpg\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-21288\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.apple.com\/mac-studio\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Apple<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Mac_Studios_strengths\"><\/span>Mac Studio's strengths:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Incredibly<\/strong> <strong>small<\/strong> \u2014 The Mac Studio is just 3.5 liters in volume. It is basically the size of two or three Mac Minis stacked on top of each other. And yet, through an incredible feat of engineering, it is <em>many<\/em> times more powerful; <strong><strong><strong>it is a combination seldom seen.<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Astoundingly<\/strong> <strong>powerful<\/strong> \u2014 From a performance standpoint, the Mac Studio reigns supreme. Heck, it <em>easily <\/em>overshadows nearly <em>all <\/em>of Apple\u2019s pro-grade devices of yore, trailing only (at times and in certain scenarios) behind the \u201ccheese grater\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.apple.com\/mac-pro\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Mac Pro<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Packed with I\/O (See image above)<\/strong> \u2014 If there's one thing that Apple's Mac Studio <em>doesn't <\/em>lack it's I\/O. There are two USB-C ports on the front (which are upgraded to Thunderbolt 4 on the M1 Ultra SKU) alongside an SDXC card reader; on the back, you\u2019ll find an additional <em>four <\/em>Thunderbolt 4 ports, 10 Gigabit Ethernet, two USB-A ports, one HDMI (2.0), and a 3.5mm headphone jack. In short, it has everything a consummate professional might need, along with numerous Thunderbolt 4 ports for additional expansion.<\/li>\n<li><strong>A dream for content creators<\/strong> \u2014 If you\u2019re a videographer, photographer, graphic designer, music producer, or anything in between (and you <em>really<\/em> need a spec\u2019d out behemoth to get your work done) then there\u2019s really no better machine out there than the Mac Studio. Pair it up with a bright, color-accurate display, and you\u2019ll have yourself a killer combo!<\/li>\n<li><strong>Spec\u2019d out<\/strong> \u2014 Apple didn\u2019t skimp out on specs with the Mac Studio and we, for one, are glad for that being the case. Even the base M1 Max model has enough horsepower for nearly any kind of workload it is designed to tackle.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Mac_Studios_weaknesses\"><\/span>Mac Studio's weaknesses<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>It\u2019s not all sunshine and rainbows, though. Weaknesses include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Inherently limited<\/strong> \u2014 There\u2019s no upgrade path whatsoever. Apple\u2019s Mac Studio is a <em>what you see is what you get<\/em> kind of machine and, well, we\u2019re not particularly happy about it. To get such tremendous performance, to get a chipset that\u2019s as fast as the M1 Max or Ultra, Apple had to take a route that doesn\u2019t really sit well with PC enthusiasts and, well, naturally so. It might be incredibly powerful <em>right now<\/em>, but what if you end up needing a bit more \u201cjuice\u201d further down the line? What if you want to upgrade its storage without having to purchase additional external drives? There is no solution for these limitations and that may or may not be a problem depending on your line of work.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Software and emulation<\/strong> \u2014 Programs that have been updated to natively support Apple\u2019s silicon run without any issue whatsoever (to say the least). But even though that list keeps on growing with each passing day, there are still a few glaring omissions. You really have to think twice before spending two thousand dollars\/euros on such a machine as your software suite of choice might not be natively supported (which will inevitably result in a performance hit).<\/li>\n<li><strong>It\u2019s a bit <em>too<\/em> powerful<\/strong> \u2014 The M1 Max is what we would consider the sweet spot (for the Mac Studio, at least). You don't really <em>need<\/em> two times the CPU and GPU cores, and 64GB of unified memory will still suffice for basically any kind of user. Ditto for its memory bandwidth (400GB\/s). The M1 Ultra, on the other hand, is overkill in basically each and every single way \u2014 it <em>is<\/em> a lot more powerful but it doesn\u2019t justify the price delta.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div id=\"attachment_21303\" style=\"width: 2048px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21303\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-21303\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/M1-Processors-Specs-Comparison.jpg\" alt=\"M1 Processors Specs Comparison\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/M1-Processors-Specs-Comparison.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/M1-Processors-Specs-Comparison-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/M1-Processors-Specs-Comparison-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/M1-Processors-Specs-Comparison-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/M1-Processors-Specs-Comparison-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21303\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-21303 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"M1 Processors Specs Comparison\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/M1-Processors-Specs-Comparison.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/M1-Processors-Specs-Comparison-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/M1-Processors-Specs-Comparison-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/M1-Processors-Specs-Comparison-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/M1-Processors-Specs-Comparison-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/M1-Processors-Specs-Comparison.jpg\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-21303\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.apple.com\/newsroom\/2022\/03\/apple-unveils-m1-ultra-the-worlds-most-powerful-chip-for-a-personal-computer\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Apple<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p>Here's a video from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/CreatedTechOfficial\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">CreatedTech<\/a> on YouTube that takes a look at how powerful the Mac Studio is:<\/p>\n<p><noscript><iframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/0gPUUfnqNhg\" width=\"860\" height=\"515\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/noscript><iframe title=\"YouTube video player\" width=\"860\" height=\"515\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/0gPUUfnqNhg\" class=\" lazyload\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>We should now have a pretty good picture of Mac Studio's capabilities. Let's dive into its alternatives:<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Apple_Mac_Studio_Alternatives_-_Pros_and_Cons\"><\/span>Apple Mac Studio Alternatives \u2014 Pros and Cons<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The biggest con \u2014 or drawback, rather \u2014 with Mac Studio alternatives (those that are running Windows, at least) is that they\u2019re not as well-rounded.<\/p>\n<p>To match its performance, you might have to roll up your sleeves and <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/how-to-build-a-pc\/\">build the whole thing yourself<\/a>, which, depending on your point of view, might not be such a bad thing.<\/p>\n<p>Apple had to do some <em>mighty<\/em> engineering to get the Mac Studio to where it is performance-wise. It\u2019s all fused together (both literally <em>and<\/em> figuratively). <strong>Hence its power and inherent drawbacks. <\/strong>The newest M2 Pro Mac Mini <em>can<\/em>, by all means, compete on even footing in the CPU department, but it <em>does<\/em> trail behind GPU-wise.<\/p>\n<p>A Windows-based machine, on the other hand, <em>has<\/em> to be <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/parts-needed-to-build-a-pc\/\">comprised of many different PC parts<\/a>, all of which are most often developed and manufactured by entirely different companies. As a result, it cannot have the same level of cohesion and synergy between its components.<\/p>\n<p>What you get in return, though, is total flexibility, <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/how-to-upgrade-your-pc-beginners-guide\/\">the ability to upgrade its components further down the line<\/a>, and a level of control Mac owners can only dream of.<\/p>\n<p>And, perhaps best of all, if you choose your components carefully, you can easily end up with a computer that can match <em>and exceed<\/em> the performance of a Mac Studio \u2014 in most workloads, at least.<\/p>\n<div class=\"dem-poll-shortcode\">\n<!--democracy-->\n<style type=\"text\/css\">.democracy:after{content:'';display:table;clear:both}.democracy ul li,.democracy ul{background:0 0;padding:0;margin:0}.democracy ul li:before{display:none}.democracy input[type=radio],.democracy input[type=checkbox]{margin:0;vertical-align:middle}.democracy input[type=radio]:focus,.democracy input[type=checkbox]:focus{outline:none}.democracy 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!important}.dem__checkbox:checked+.dem__spot:after,.dem__radio:checked+.dem__spot:after{opacity:1;background-color:#7f11e0;border:dashed 3px #7f11e0}.dem__radio_label .dem__spot:after{background:#fff;box-shadow:none !important}.dem-poll-info{float:left}.dem-poll-info>*{float:left !important;font-size:14px !important;text-transform:uppercase !important;font-weight:800 !important;opacity:1}.dem-poll-shortcode{font-family:'Open Sans',Arial,sans-serif !important}.dem-graph{background-color:#ddd;color:rgba(0,0,0,1);font-size:16px}.democracy ul.dem-answers li{padding-bottom:10px}.dem-fill{border-radius:5px}.dem-votes-txt,.dem-percent-txt{padding:3px 0 3px 10px}.dem-total-votes{color:#7f11e0}<\/style>\n<div id=\"democracy-25\" class=\"democracy\" data-opts=\"{&quot;ajax_url&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/g100.us\\\/wp-admin\\\/admin-ajax.php&quot;,&quot;pid&quot;:25,&quot;max_answs&quot;:0,&quot;answs_max_height&quot;:&quot;300&quot;,&quot;anim_speed&quot;:&quot;100&quot;,&quot;line_anim_speed&quot;:750}\"><strong class=\"dem-poll-title\">Would you buy the Mac Studio? If not, why?<\/strong><div class=\"dem-screen vote\"><form method=\"POST\" action=\"#democracy-25\"><ul class=\"dem-vote\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<li data-aid=\"138\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<label class=\"dem__radio_label\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<input class=\"dem__radio\" type=\"radio\" value=\"138\" name=\"answer_ids[]\"><span class=\"dem__spot\"><\/span> Yes!\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/label>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t<li data-aid=\"140\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<label class=\"dem__radio_label\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<input class=\"dem__radio\" type=\"radio\" value=\"140\" name=\"answer_ids[]\"><span class=\"dem__spot\"><\/span> No, it's overpriced for my liking.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/label>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t<li data-aid=\"139\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<label class=\"dem__radio_label\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<input class=\"dem__radio\" type=\"radio\" value=\"139\" name=\"answer_ids[]\"><span class=\"dem__spot\"><\/span> No, it has too many limitations.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/label>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t<li data-aid=\"141\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<label class=\"dem__radio_label\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<input class=\"dem__radio\" type=\"radio\" value=\"141\" name=\"answer_ids[]\"><span class=\"dem__spot\"><\/span> No, it doesn\u2019t fit my needs.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/label>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t<li data-aid=\"142\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<label class=\"dem__radio_label\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<input class=\"dem__radio\" type=\"radio\" value=\"142\" name=\"answer_ids[]\"><span class=\"dem__spot\"><\/span> No, I need something running on Windows \/ a PC.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/label>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t<li data-aid=\"143\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<label class=\"dem__radio_label\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<input class=\"dem__radio\" type=\"radio\" value=\"143\" name=\"answer_ids[]\"><span class=\"dem__spot\"><\/span> No, other reason.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/label>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li><\/ul><div class=\"dem-bottom\"><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"dem_act\" value=\"vote\"><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"dem_pid\" value=\"25\"><div class=\"dem-vote-button\"><input class=\"dem-button \" type=\"submit\" value=\"Vote\" data-dem-act=\"vote\"><\/div><a href=\"javascript:void(0);\" class=\"dem-link dem-results-link\" data-dem-act=\"view\" rel=\"nofollow\">View Results<\/a><\/div><\/form><\/div><noscript>Poll Options are limited because JavaScript is disabled in your browser.<\/noscript><\/div><!--democracy-->\n\t\t\t<!--noindex-->\n\t\t\t<div class=\"dem-cache-screens\" style=\"display:none;\" data-opt_logs=\"1\"><div class=\"dem-screen-cache voted\"><ul class=\"dem-answers\" data-voted-class=\"dem-voted-this\" data-voted-txt=\"This is Your vote.\"><li class=\"dem-winner\" title=\" 83 votes - 37% of all votes\" data-aid=\"140\"><div class=\"dem-label\">No, it's overpriced for my liking. <span class=\"dem-label-percent-txt\">37%, 83 <span class=\"votxt\">votes<\/span><\/span><\/div><div class=\"dem-graph\"><div class=\"dem-fill\" data-width=\"37%\"><\/div><div class=\"dem-votes-txt\"> <span class=\"dem-votes-txt-votes\">83 <span class=\"votxt\">votes<\/span><\/span> <span class=\"dem-votes-txt-percent\">37%<\/span> <\/div><div class=\"dem-percent-txt\">83 votes - 37% of all votes<\/div><\/div><\/li><li class title=\" 68 votes - 30% of all votes\" data-aid=\"138\"><div class=\"dem-label\">Yes! <span class=\"dem-label-percent-txt\">30%, 68 <span class=\"votxt\">votes<\/span><\/span><\/div><div class=\"dem-graph\"><div class=\"dem-fill\" data-width=\"30%\"><\/div><div class=\"dem-votes-txt\"> <span class=\"dem-votes-txt-votes\">68 <span class=\"votxt\">votes<\/span><\/span> <span class=\"dem-votes-txt-percent\">30%<\/span> <\/div><div class=\"dem-percent-txt\">68 votes - 30% of all votes<\/div><\/div><\/li><li class title=\" 41 vote - 18% of all votes\" data-aid=\"142\"><div class=\"dem-label\">No, I need something running on Windows \/ a PC. <span class=\"dem-label-percent-txt\">18%, 41 <span class=\"votxt\">vote<\/span><\/span><\/div><div class=\"dem-graph\"><div class=\"dem-fill\" data-width=\"18%\"><\/div><div class=\"dem-votes-txt\"> <span class=\"dem-votes-txt-votes\">41 <span class=\"votxt\">vote<\/span><\/span> <span class=\"dem-votes-txt-percent\">18%<\/span> <\/div><div class=\"dem-percent-txt\">41 vote - 18% of all votes<\/div><\/div><\/li><li class title=\" 25 votes - 11% of all votes\" data-aid=\"139\"><div class=\"dem-label\">No, it has too many limitations. <span class=\"dem-label-percent-txt\">11%, 25 <span class=\"votxt\">votes<\/span><\/span><\/div><div class=\"dem-graph\"><div class=\"dem-fill\" data-width=\"11%\"><\/div><div class=\"dem-votes-txt\"> <span class=\"dem-votes-txt-votes\">25 <span class=\"votxt\">votes<\/span><\/span> <span class=\"dem-votes-txt-percent\">11%<\/span> <\/div><div class=\"dem-percent-txt\">25 votes - 11% of all votes<\/div><\/div><\/li><li class title=\" 6 votes - 3% of all votes\" data-aid=\"141\"><div class=\"dem-label\">No, it doesn\u2019t fit my needs. <span class=\"dem-label-percent-txt\">3%, 6 <span class=\"votxt\">votes<\/span><\/span><\/div><div class=\"dem-graph\"><div class=\"dem-fill\" data-width=\"3%\"><\/div><div class=\"dem-votes-txt\"> <span class=\"dem-votes-txt-votes\">6 <span class=\"votxt\">votes<\/span><\/span> <span class=\"dem-votes-txt-percent\">3%<\/span> <\/div><div class=\"dem-percent-txt\">6 votes - 3% of all votes<\/div><\/div><\/li><li class title=\" 3 votes - 1% of all votes\" data-aid=\"143\"><div class=\"dem-label\">No, other reason. <span class=\"dem-label-percent-txt\">1%, 3 <span class=\"votxt\">votes<\/span><\/span><\/div><div class=\"dem-graph\"><div class=\"dem-fill\" data-width=\"1%\"><\/div><div class=\"dem-votes-txt\"> <span class=\"dem-votes-txt-votes\">3 <span class=\"votxt\">votes<\/span><\/span> <span class=\"dem-votes-txt-percent\">1%<\/span> <\/div><div class=\"dem-percent-txt\">3 votes - 1% of all votes<\/div><\/div><\/li><\/ul><div class=\"dem-bottom\"><div class=\"dem-poll-info\"><div class=\"dem-total-votes\">Total Votes: 226<\/div> <div class=\"dem-date\" title=\"Begin\"> <span class=\"dem-begin-date\">10. Jan, 2023<\/span> <\/div><\/div> <div class=\"dem-notice dem-youarevote\" style=\"display:none;\"> <div class=\"dem-notice-close\" onclick=\"jQuery(this).parent().fadeOut();\">&times;<\/div> You or your IP have already voted. Thanks! \ud83d\ude42 <\/div><button type=\"button\" class=\"dem-button dem-vote-link \" data-dem-act=\"vote_screen\">Vote<\/button><\/div><\/div><div class=\"dem-screen-cache vote\"><form method=\"POST\" action=\"#democracy-25\"><ul class=\"dem-vote\"> <li data-aid=\"138\"> <label class=\"dem__radio_label\"> <input class=\"dem__radio\" type=\"radio\" value=\"138\" name=\"answer_ids[]\"><span class=\"dem__spot\"><\/span> Yes! <\/label> <\/li> <li data-aid=\"140\"> <label class=\"dem__radio_label\"> <input class=\"dem__radio\" type=\"radio\" value=\"140\" name=\"answer_ids[]\"><span class=\"dem__spot\"><\/span> No, it's overpriced for my liking. <\/label> <\/li> <li data-aid=\"139\"> <label class=\"dem__radio_label\"> <input class=\"dem__radio\" type=\"radio\" value=\"139\" name=\"answer_ids[]\"><span class=\"dem__spot\"><\/span> No, it has too many limitations. <\/label> <\/li> <li data-aid=\"141\"> <label class=\"dem__radio_label\"> <input class=\"dem__radio\" type=\"radio\" value=\"141\" name=\"answer_ids[]\"><span class=\"dem__spot\"><\/span> No, it doesn\u2019t fit my needs. <\/label> <\/li> <li data-aid=\"142\"> <label class=\"dem__radio_label\"> <input class=\"dem__radio\" type=\"radio\" value=\"142\" name=\"answer_ids[]\"><span class=\"dem__spot\"><\/span> No, I need something running on Windows \/ a PC. <\/label> <\/li> <li data-aid=\"143\"> <label class=\"dem__radio_label\"> <input class=\"dem__radio\" type=\"radio\" value=\"143\" name=\"answer_ids[]\"><span class=\"dem__spot\"><\/span> No, other reason. <\/label> <\/li><\/ul><div class=\"dem-bottom\"><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"dem_act\" value=\"vote\"><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"dem_pid\" value=\"25\"> <div class=\"dem-notice dem-youarevote\" style=\"display:none;\"> <div class=\"dem-notice-close\" onclick=\"jQuery(this).parent().fadeOut();\">&times;<\/div> You or your IP have already voted. Thanks! \ud83d\ude42 <\/div><div style=\"display:none;\" class=\"dem-voted-button\"><input class=\"dem-button \" type=\"submit\" value=\"Already voted\" disabled=\"disabled\"><\/div><div class=\"dem-vote-button\"><input class=\"dem-button \" type=\"submit\" value=\"Vote\" data-dem-act=\"vote\"><\/div><a href=\"javascript:void(0);\" class=\"dem-link dem-results-link\" data-dem-act=\"view\" rel=\"nofollow\">View Results<\/a><\/div><\/form><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<!--\/noindex--><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Best_Mac_Studio_Alternatives\"><\/span>Best Mac Studio Alternatives<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Apple\u2019s Mac Studio is just 3.5 liters in volume. <strong>That, in short, is astounding. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Based on its performance one would expect it to be at least twice as large. Finding an appropriate Windows-based alternative, therefore, is quite a challenge.<\/p>\n<p>As a result, you can go one of three ways: buy the latest M2 Pro Mac Mini (assuming it's powerful enough for your needs), ignore the size of the Mac Studio and build an equally powerful Windows PC that\u2019s <em>bigger<\/em> in volume (but potentially more powerful) or, alternatively, find a (most often pre-built) PC that\u2019s comparable in size but comes with its own unique drawbacks and limitations.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Small form factor PCs exist, obviously, but only a few of them (if even that many) can compete on even footing with the Mac Studio. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s why we\u2019ll have to cover a slightly wider gamut of devices and options, just so that we can cover all the bases.<\/p>\n<p><noscript><iframe title=\"M2 Pro Mac Mini Review: Game Changer!\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/cneoANZKBGk?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/noscript><iframe title=\"M2 Pro Mac Mini Review: Game Changer!\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/cneoANZKBGk?feature=oembed\" class=\" lazyload\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"M2_Pro_Mac_Mini\"><\/span>M2 Pro Mac Mini<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This one came out of nowhere. For the longest time, Apple has had very segregated product categories; they were neatly defined, with one or two options for each type of user \u2014 the \u201cbudget-minded,\u201d the growing content creator, and then, finally, the consummate professional.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you had less than a thousand dollars to spend and wanted to join the Apple (desktop) ecosystem, you had to buy a Mac Mini. It was powerful enough for <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">most <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">use cases, but it could never really compete on even footing with the biggest and \u201cbaddest\u201d computers that Apple had to offer. Then, in March of 2022, Apple released the Mac Studio which, one could argue, is sort of a \u201cstopgap\u201d solution until the much more powerful ARM-based Mac Pro happens to come out.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The difference between the Mini and Studio \u2014 both in terms of performance <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> price \u2014 was was always astronomical, but it also made sense. If you needed the most power, you <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">had<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to go with a Mac Studio and, in doing so, spend upwards of two thousand dollars.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>That\u2019s why we\u2019re so amazed by Apple\u2019s M2 Pro <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.apple.com\/mac-mini\/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>Mac Mini<\/b><\/a><b>.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> It fills that gap beautifully and, frankly, may well be the best and most \u201ccost-effective\u201d desktop computer in Apple\u2019s entire line-up.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><noscript><iframe title=\"First 24 Hours With the M2 Pro Mac Mini.\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/m5uhkiDxN5Q?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/noscript><iframe title=\"First 24 Hours With the M2 Pro Mac Mini.\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/m5uhkiDxN5Q?feature=oembed\" class=\" lazyload\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At the heart of this minute little beast is the new M2 Pro chipset, with either 10 or 12 CPU cores, 16 or 19 GPU cores (based on the SKU), a 16-core Neural Engine, either 16GB or 32GB of unified memory, and up to a whopping 8TB of internal storage. <\/span><b>That\u2019s\u2026 a whole lot of power for a machine that\u2019s even smaller than the Mac Studio.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now, can one build an equally powerful PC for the same amount of money? Absolutely, but it\u2019s going to be many times as big, many times as loud, and many times as warm. Moreover, it\u2019s not going to excel at the same tasks and workloads which makes the M2 Pro Mac Mini a one-of-a-kind product. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There\u2019s a \u201ccatch,\u201d though: <\/span><b>the M2 Pro Mac Mini is a viable alternative only if you can work with the <\/b><b><i>base<\/i><\/b><b> model. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you start speccing it up, adding more RAM and storage, it\u2019ll quickly creep up (if not surpass) the Mac Studio in price. The base M1 Max model is still vastly superior, with higher memory bandwidth, more GPU cores, 32GB of RAM, built-in 10Gb Ethernet along with a slightly more impressive (creator-friendly) port selection.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Still, for most things one would want to use the Mac Studio for, the M2 Pro Mac Mini can deliver <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">very <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">comparable performance (if not even slightly superior, depending on the workflow) for a <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">vastly <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">more palatable price tag. It\u2019s not cheap by any stretch of the imagination, but if you\u2019re a creative professional, music producer, or videographer, it\u2019s definitely worth its weight in gold.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>It should come as no surprise, therefore, that the best Mac Studio alternative \u2014 one could argue \u2014 comes from Apple itself.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The M1 Ultra variant is still a cut above, though. Its MSRP, however, is a tough pill to swallow.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Custom_Built_Desktop_PC\"><\/span>Custom Built Desktop PC<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>This, in short, is the simplest and most cost-effective approach: you can build a Mac Studio alternative <em>yourself<\/em> and, in doing so, not only <em>match<\/em> its performance but even save a few hundred dollars\/euros along the way.<\/p>\n<p><strong>A custom-built desktop PC is <em>always<\/em> the best possible option, no matter what you do for a living.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>You won\u2019t be paying any kind of a premium and you\u2019ll have absolute and total control of each and every single component.<\/p>\n<p>What\u2019s not to like? You\u2019ll also be able to upgrade your rig further down the line, should you so desire.<\/p>\n<p>You won\u2019t face any limitations, you won\u2019t be forced to enter any kind of ecosystem, and you\u2019ll get <em>exactly<\/em> the kind of performance you need \u2014 <strong>for a reasonable asking price.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re unsure of <em>where<\/em> and <em>how<\/em> to start, give the <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/how-to-build-a-pc\/\">following article<\/a> a look!<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Pre-Built_Desktop_PC\"><\/span>Pre-Built Desktop PC<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Building a PC yourself is an experience unlike any other \u2014 it is a tremendous joy that's hard to fully explain and put into words.<\/p>\n<p>Still, it's not <em>everyone's<\/em> &#8220;cup of tea,&#8221; hence the existence of so many pre-built PCs.<\/p>\n<p><strong>If you don't want to go through all the hassle, to check whether all of your components are compatible, to immerse yourself in all the technical jargon and nuance, then this <em>is<\/em>, by all means, a stellar option.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Buying a pre-built PC might be more expensive, but that doesn't necessarily make it any less viable an option.<\/p>\n<p>If any of this has piqued your interest, companies like<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dell.com\/en-us\/shop\/cty\/pdp\/spd\/alienware-aurora-r14-desktop?~ck=mn\" target=\"_blank\"> Alienware<\/a>,<a href=\"https:\/\/www.corsair.com\/us\/en\/Categories\/Products\/Systems\/CORSAIR-ONE\/CORSAIR-ONE-Compact-Gaming-PC\/p\/CS-9020032-NA\" target=\"_blank\"> Corsair<\/a>,<a href=\"https:\/\/www.omen.com\/us\/en\/desktops.html\" target=\"_blank\"> HP<\/a>,<a href=\"https:\/\/www.lenovo.com\/us\/en\/c\/workstations\/thinkstation-p-series\" target=\"_blank\"> Lenovo<\/a>,<a href=\"https:\/\/nzxt.com\/category\/gaming-pcs\/prebuilt-pcs\" target=\"_blank\"> NZXT<\/a>, and many others have you covered!<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Custom_Built_SFFPC\"><\/span>Custom Built SFFPC<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>You can\u2019t really build a PC as powerful as the Mac Studio and still be under four liters in volume.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s the biggest problem \u2014 Apple took a mighty advanced approach by integrating most components under the same hood. That\u2019s, in part, why the <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/m1-vs-m2-macbook\/\">M1 and M2<\/a> chipsets are so powerful \u2014 but also why they offer no upgradeability <em>whatsoever<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>Still, if you can live with a PC that\u2019s seven or eight liters in volume, you can <em>definitely<\/em> match Mac Studio\u2019s performance.<\/p>\n<p>If you want to go <em>super <\/em>small, then something like a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=d5_1x9cWbOE&amp;ab_channel=OptimumTech\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Velka 3<\/a> might be of interest (or any of its derivatives).<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_21308\" style=\"width: 1616px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21308\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-21308\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Velka-3-Case.jpg\" alt=\"Velka 3 Case\" width=\"1616\" height=\"1000\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Velka-3-Case.jpg 1616w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Velka-3-Case-300x186.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Velka-3-Case-1024x634.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Velka-3-Case-768x475.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Velka-3-Case-1536x950.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1616px) 100vw, 1616px\"><\/noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21308\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-21308 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201616%201000%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Velka 3 Case\" width=\"1616\" height=\"1000\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201616%201000%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 1616w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1616px) 100vw, 1616px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Velka-3-Case.jpg 1616w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Velka-3-Case-300x186.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Velka-3-Case-1024x634.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Velka-3-Case-768x475.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Velka-3-Case-1536x950.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Velka-3-Case.jpg\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-21308\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Image Credit: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.velkase.com\/products\/velka-3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Velkase<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p>It\u2019s incredibly limiting but is arguably the smallest \u201cno compromises\u201d small form factor PC one can build nowadays. You <em>would<\/em> have to seek out somewhat obscure components, but depending on your point of view that may well be worth it.<\/p>\n<p>That, however, is perhaps a bit <em>too<\/em> small \u2014 you\u2019d have to do some real wizardry when it comes to cable and heat management, whilst also facing numerous limitations when it comes to CPU cooler height, GPU compatibility, and whatever else.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Still, building a beastly PC that\u2019s just four liters in volume <em>is<\/em> possible.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Alternatively, if you don\u2019t mind doubling its volume, you can easily build a compact PC in, say, a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=R5wFdMjlGoc&amp;ab_channel=OptimumTech\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ghost S1<\/a>, a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=RcLdVLr3Oy8&amp;ab_channel=OptimumTech\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">FormD T1<\/a>, a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=69UJCLJ9E4Q&amp;ab_channel=OptimumTech\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Dan A4-H2O<\/a>, or even the aforementioned NZXT H1 (preferably the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=3r2VWbTBL5c&amp;ab_channel=OptimumTech\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">V2 model<\/a>).<\/p>\n<p>Small form factor PCs are all the rage these days and, well, understandably so \u2014 <strong>they\u2019re sleek, minimalist, and yet make few (if any) sacrifices in regards to power and hardware compatibility.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In any case (pun intended), building a small (but mighty powerful) computer is by no means as big a challenge as it was in the past.<\/p>\n<p><strong>If you want a Mac Studio alternative that is similar in <em>size<\/em>, give the following options a look:<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Pre-Built_Desktop_PC-2\"><\/span>Pre-Built Desktop PC<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Building a PC yourself is an experience unlike any other \u2014 it is a tremendous joy that's hard to fully explain and put into words. Still, it's not <em>everyone's<\/em> &#8220;cup of tea,&#8221; hence the existence of so many pre-built PCs. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>If you don't want to go through all the hassle, to check whether all of your components are compatible, to immerse yourself in all the technical jargon and nuance, then this <em>is<\/em>, by all means, a stellar option.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Buying a pre-built PC might be more expensive, but that doesn't necessarily make it any less viable an option.<\/p>\n<p>If any of this has piqued your interest, companies like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dell.com\/en-us\/shop\/cty\/pdp\/spd\/alienware-aurora-r14-desktop?~ck=mn\" target=\"_blank\">Alienware<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.corsair.com\/us\/en\/Categories\/Products\/Systems\/CORSAIR-ONE\/CORSAIR-ONE-Compact-Gaming-PC\/p\/CS-9020032-NA\" target=\"_blank\">Corsair<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.omen.com\/us\/en\/desktops.html\" target=\"_blank\">HP<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lenovo.com\/us\/en\/c\/workstations\/thinkstation-p-series\" target=\"_blank\">Lenovo<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/nzxt.com\/category\/gaming-pcs\/prebuilt-pcs\" target=\"_blank\">NZXT<\/a>, and many others have you covered!<\/p>\n<p><b>If you want a Mac Studio alternative that is similar in <\/b><b><i>size<\/i><\/b><b>, give the following options a look:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><noscript><iframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/uGeT7Mp5ra8\" width=\"860\" height=\"515\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/noscript><iframe title=\"YouTube video player\" width=\"860\" height=\"515\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/uGeT7Mp5ra8\" class=\" lazyload\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Intel_NUC_12_Enthusiast_Serpent_Canyon\"><\/span>Intel NUC 12 Enthusiast \u201cSerpent Canyon\u201d<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>This brand-new NUC is actually the first one <em>ever<\/em> to contain both an Intel CPU <em>and<\/em> GPU.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_21305\" style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21305\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-21305\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-12-Enthusiast.jpg\" alt=\"Intel NUC 12 Enthusiast\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-12-Enthusiast.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-12-Enthusiast-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-12-Enthusiast-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-12-Enthusiast-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-12-Enthusiast-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-12-Enthusiast-1200x675.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-12-Enthusiast-825x464.jpg 825w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-12-Enthusiast-594x335.jpg 594w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-12-Enthusiast-420x236.jpg 420w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\"><\/noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21305\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-21305 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201920%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Intel NUC 12 Enthusiast\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201920%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-12-Enthusiast.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-12-Enthusiast-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-12-Enthusiast-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-12-Enthusiast-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-12-Enthusiast-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-12-Enthusiast-1200x675.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-12-Enthusiast-825x464.jpg 825w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-12-Enthusiast-594x335.jpg 594w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-12-Enthusiast-420x236.jpg 420w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-12-Enthusiast.jpg\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-21305\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Image Credit: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.intel.com\/content\/www\/us\/en\/newsroom\/news\/intel-nuc-12-enthusiast-delivers-powerful-mini-pc.html#gs.lcdw27\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Intel<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p>That, depending on your point of view, might not be that big of a deal, but it\u2019s actually a much more capable computer than its looks would imply \u2014 in no small part due to its incredibly powerful Core i7-12700H processor.<\/p>\n<p>It might be a laptop CPU at heart, but weak and incapable it certainly is not!<\/p>\n<p>As is often the case, it all depends on the implementation, but if it\u2019s appropriately cooled it can easily go toe-to-toe with Apple\u2019s M1 Max, and even <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=-yF92s8JLDk&amp;ab_channel=TallyHoTech\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">beat it<\/a> in a myriad of different scenarios.<\/p>\n<p>And at just 2.5 liters, it\u2019s actually even <em>smaller<\/em> than the Mac Studio (although by no means is it as quiet). All in all, it\u2019s a stellar compact PC that punches way above its weight.<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">NOTE<\/span>: With an Intel <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">GPU<\/span>, your workloads are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pugetsystems.com\/labs\/articles\/intel-arc-a750-a770-content-creation-review-2376\/#How_Well_Does_the_Intel_Arc_A750_and_A770_Perform_for_Content_Creation\" target=\"_blank\">somewhat limited<\/a>. You'll be getting weaker GPU acceleration in Premiere Pro  (compared to Nvidia RTX), and limited GPU 3D Rendering support in engines such as Octane, Cycles (Blender) or Redshift, to name a few. <\/strong>This will surely improve over the coming months and years but do not expect any miracles \u2014 Intel has quite a lot of work ahead of it and, frankly, it's questionable whether the company is <em>actually<\/em> willing to put in the effort.<\/p>\n<p>To be fair, Mac Studio and its <a href=\"https:\/\/isapplesiliconready.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">OS doesn't <em>fully<\/em> support<\/a> every 3D Render Engine or GPU acceleration in visually demanding apps as well. However, it's still <em>a lot<\/em> better than on Intel's extremely new-ish GPUs.<\/p>\n<p>If its power isn\u2019t enough for your needs and preferences, this next one really ought to deliver!<\/p>\n<p><noscript><iframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/UGmGlaxf5tM\" width=\"860\" height=\"515\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/noscript><iframe title=\"YouTube video player\" width=\"860\" height=\"515\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/UGmGlaxf5tM\" class=\" lazyload\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Intel_NUC_12_Extreme_Dragon_Canyon\"><\/span>Intel NUC 12 Extreme \u201cDragon Canyon\u201d<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The NUC 11 Extreme was the first NUC <em>ever<\/em> to resemble a regular SFFPC (form factor-wise). Still, it wasn\u2019t <em>that<\/em> alluring a package due to its obscene price tag.<\/p>\n<p>Its successor, the NUC 12 Extreme, isn\u2019t any cheaper overall, but one could argue that Intel\u2019s Alder Lake CPUs make the MSRP a lot more palatable \u2014 they\u2019re incredible in every sense of the word.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_21306\" style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21306\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-21306\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-12-Extreme.jpg\" alt=\"Intel NUC 12 Extreme\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-12-Extreme.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-12-Extreme-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-12-Extreme-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-12-Extreme-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-12-Extreme-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-12-Extreme-1200x675.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-12-Extreme-825x464.jpg 825w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-12-Extreme-594x335.jpg 594w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-12-Extreme-420x236.jpg 420w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\"><\/noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21306\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-21306 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201920%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Intel NUC 12 Extreme\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201920%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-12-Extreme.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-12-Extreme-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-12-Extreme-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-12-Extreme-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-12-Extreme-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-12-Extreme-1200x675.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-12-Extreme-825x464.jpg 825w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-12-Extreme-594x335.jpg 594w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-12-Extreme-420x236.jpg 420w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-12-Extreme.jpg\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-21306\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Image Credit: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.intel.com\/content\/www\/us\/en\/products\/docs\/boards-kits\/nuc\/mini-pcs\/nuc-12-extreme.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Intel<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p>This is essentially the first NUC that has the power to be used as a professional-grade PC, be it for 3D rendering, modeling, CAD work, video editing, and everything in between.<\/p>\n<p>Its CPU is capable enough to deliver no matter the workflow which means all you need is a beastly GPU, and ample amounts of RAM, and you\u2019ll be ready to tackle whichever project you so desire.<\/p>\n<p>As already mentioned, it\u2019s not cheap, but it sure can compete on even footing with the Mac Studio. It\u2019s also a <em>modular<\/em> system, one which you can upgrade and tinker with further down the line.<\/p>\n<p>That, combined with PCIe Gen 5, 10 Gigabit networking, and a spectacular suite of ports, means that you\u2019ll be able to grow as a content creator without ever worrying about your hardware becoming obsolete (and not being able to upgrade or replace it).<\/p>\n<p><noscript><iframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/jricF8YyKtg\" width=\"860\" height=\"515\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/noscript><iframe title=\"YouTube video player\" width=\"860\" height=\"515\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/jricF8YyKtg\" class=\" lazyload\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Intel_NUC_13_Extreme_Raptor_Canyon\"><\/span>Intel NUC 13 Extreme \u201cRaptor Canyon\u201d<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>With GPUs getting bigger and bigger \u2014 and CPUs drawing more and more power \u2014 Intel realized that a change in design language was not only warranted but perhaps even <em>necessary<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>Much like its predecessor, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.intel.com.au\/content\/www\/au\/en\/products\/docs\/boards-kits\/nuc\/mini-pcs\/nuc-13-extreme.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">NUC 13 Extreme<\/a> sells for an exorbitant amount of money, but if you have the funds to spare it may well be worth it.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_21307\" style=\"width: 1230px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21307\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-21307\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-13-Extreme.jpg\" alt=\"Intel NUC 13 Extreme\" width=\"1230\" height=\"694\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-13-Extreme.jpg 1230w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-13-Extreme-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-13-Extreme-1024x578.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-13-Extreme-768x433.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-13-Extreme-825x464.jpg 825w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-13-Extreme-594x335.jpg 594w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-13-Extreme-420x236.jpg 420w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1230px) 100vw, 1230px\"><\/noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21307\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-21307 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201230%20694%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Intel NUC 13 Extreme\" width=\"1230\" height=\"694\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201230%20694%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 1230w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1230px) 100vw, 1230px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-13-Extreme.jpg 1230w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-13-Extreme-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-13-Extreme-1024x578.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-13-Extreme-768x433.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-13-Extreme-825x464.jpg 825w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-13-Extreme-594x335.jpg 594w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-13-Extreme-420x236.jpg 420w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Intel-NUC-13-Extreme.jpg\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-21307\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Image Credit: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.intel.com\/content\/www\/us\/en\/products\/docs\/boards-kits\/nuc\/mini-pcs\/nuc-13-extreme.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Intel<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p>As the nomenclature implies, the NUC 13 Extreme comes packed with one of Intel\u2019s latest and greatest Raptor Lake CPUs and, needless to say, they\u2019re devilishly <a href=\"https:\/\/www.notebookcheck.net\/Intel-NUC-13-Extreme-Raptor-Canyon-mini-PC-with-Core-i9-13900K-and-GeForce-RTX-3080-Ti-in-review.674430.0.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">fast and capable<\/a>. We\u2019re talking about an unlocked (and, thus, overclockable) Core i5, i7, or i9.<\/p>\n<p>Better yet, you won't be limited when it comes to GPU compatibility either as the NUC 13 Extreme has support for triple-slot 12&#8243; graphics cards.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Overall, it's an impeccably designed, minimalist compact PC that'll chew through any workload you might throw its way. <\/strong>No limits, no drawbacks, and nothing to worry about \u2014 other than a spicy MSRP, of course.<\/p>\n<p>And while it\u2019s not all that petite at around 13 liters, it nonetheless has a fairly small footprint because of its vertical nature \u2014 a design that borrows a few elements from the polarizing <a href=\"https:\/\/nzxt.com\/product\/h1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">NZXT H1<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>In any case, you won\u2019t regret purchasing it (although your wallet might have something to say about it). If you want a unique set-up that\u2019s also somewhat of a showpiece, the NUC 13 Extreme will definitely deliver.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Although to be fair, you could build a similar spec\u2019d PC <em>yourself <\/em>and probably save a bit of money in the process, too; that\u2019s definitely something worth keeping in mind.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Intel NUCs were never a good deal from a price-to-performance standpoint and that probably won\u2019t change any time soon (if ever).<\/p>\n<p><noscript><iframe title=\"Why Pay Twice as Much?! Mac Studio VS M1 Mac Mini!\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/mNe3_oJHqUc?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/noscript><iframe title=\"Why Pay Twice as Much?! Mac Studio VS M1 Mac Mini!\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/mNe3_oJHqUc?feature=oembed\" class=\" lazyload\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"M1_Mac_Mini\"><\/span>M1 Mac Mini<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Apple\u2019s M1 Mac Mini is <em>not<\/em> a true Mac Studio alternative. We cannot stress that enough. It <em>is<\/em>, however, a deceptively capable computer \u2014 one that can, by all means, be used for many of the same workloads. So <em>do<\/em> give it some thought: do you <em>really<\/em> need the Mac Studio? Will you <em>really<\/em> be able to put its tremendous power to \u201cgood use?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>It might not be as powerful (an understatement), but at least it costs <em>three<\/em> times less (than the base M1 Max SKU).<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Mac_Studio_Alternatives_-_How_do_They_Compare\"><\/span>Mac Studio Alternatives \u2014 How do They Compare?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Apple\u2019s Mac Studio is one heck of a machine, both in terms of its looks but also performance.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Still, the latest alternatives from Intel and AMD can not only keep up but even <em>surpass<\/em> it in a myriad of different workloads.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s the thing: it\u2019s not necessarily the best possible option for <em>everyone<\/em> and you really ought to keep that in mind for as long as you're mulling over your options.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Here\u2019s a simplified overview in case you just need the nitty-gritty:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<table id=\"tablepress-190\" class=\"tablepress tablepress-id-190 tablepress-responsive\">\n<thead>\n<tr class=\"row-1 odd\">\n\t<th class=\"column-1\"> <\/th><th class=\"column-2\"><strong>Mac Studio<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"column-3\"><strong>Mac Mini<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"column-4\"><strong>Intel NUC 12 \u201cSerpent Canyon\u201d<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"column-5\"><strong>Intel NUC 12 Extreme \u201cDragon Canyon\u201d<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"column-6\"><strong>Intel NUC 13 Extreme \u201cRaptor Canyon\u201d<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"column-7\"><strong>SFFPC<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody class=\"row-hover\">\n<tr class=\"row-2 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><strong>CPU (Single-Core)<\/strong><br>\n<br>\n<strong>[Cinebench R23]<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"column-2\"><strong>M1 Max<\/strong>: 1,531<br>\n<br>\n<strong>M1 Ultra<\/strong>: 1,534<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">1,514<\/td><td class=\"column-4\"><strong>i7-12700H [45W]<sup>1<\/sup><\/strong><br>\n<br>\n1,810<\/td><td class=\"column-5\"><strong>i9-12900<\/strong>:<br>\n<br>\n1,988<\/td><td class=\"column-6\"><strong>i9-13900K<\/strong>:<br>\n<br>\n2,203<\/td><td class=\"column-7\">Depends on your CPU<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-3 odd\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><strong>CPU (Multi-Core)<\/strong><br>\n<br>\n<strong>[Cinebench R23]<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"column-2\"><strong>M1 Max<\/strong>: 12,374<br>\n<br>\n<strong>M1 Ultra<\/strong>: 24,190<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">7,778<\/td><td class=\"column-4\"><strong>i7-12700H [45W]<sup>1<\/sup><\/strong><br>\n<br>\n15,729<\/td><td class=\"column-5\"><strong>i9-12900<\/strong>:<br>\n<br>\n16,078<\/td><td class=\"column-6\"><strong>i9-13900K<\/strong>:<br>\n<br>\n30,486<\/td><td class=\"column-7\">Depends on your CPU<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-4 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><strong>GPU<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"column-2\"><a href=\"https:\/\/developer.apple.com\/metal\/\">Metal<\/a><br>\n<br>\n24\/32-core [M1 Max]<br>\n<br>\n48\/64-core [M1 Ultra]<\/td><td class=\"column-3\"><a href=\"https:\/\/developer.apple.com\/metal\/\">Metal<\/a><br>\n<br>\n8-core GPU<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">Intel ARC [OpenCL]<\/td><td class=\"column-5\"><strong>None included<\/strong><br>\n<br>\nNVIDIA [CUDA]<br>\n<br>\nAMD [OpenCL]<\/td><td class=\"column-6\"><strong>None included<\/strong><br>\n<br>\nNVIDIA [CUDA]<br>\n<br>\nAMD [OpenCL]<\/td><td class=\"column-7\">Depends on your GPU<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-5 odd\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><strong>Power Draw<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"column-2\"><strong>M1 Max<\/strong>: 11W [Idle]; 115W [Max]<br>\n<br>\n<strong>M1 Ultra<\/strong>: 13W [Idle]; 215 [Max]<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">6.8W [Idle]<br>\n<br>\n39W [Max]<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">39W [Idle]<br>\n<br>\n256W [Max]<\/td><td class=\"column-5\">65W [PL1]<br>\n<br>\n202W [PL2]<\/td><td class=\"column-6\"><strong>Performance Mode<\/strong>:<br>\n<br>\n77W [Idle]<br>\n<br>\n658W [Max]<\/td><td class=\"column-7\">Depends on your components<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-6 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><strong>Operating System<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"column-2\">macOS<sup>2<\/sup><\/td><td class=\"column-3\">macOS<sup>2<\/sup><\/td><td class=\"column-4\">Windows<\/td><td class=\"column-5\">Windows<\/td><td class=\"column-6\">Windows<\/td><td class=\"column-7\">Windows\/Linux\/macOS [Hackintosh]<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-7 odd\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><strong>Size<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"column-2\">3.5L<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">1.4L<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">2.5L<\/td><td class=\"column-5\">8L<\/td><td class=\"column-6\">13L<\/td><td class=\"column-7\">\u00b14L \u2014 20L<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-8 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><strong>Price<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"column-2\"><strong>M1 Max Base Model<\/strong>: $1,999<br>\n<br>\n<strong>M1 Ultra Base Model<\/strong>: $3,999<\/td><td class=\"column-3\"><strong>M1 Base Model:<\/strong><br>\n<br>\n$699<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">Around $1,350<\/td><td class=\"column-5\"><strong>Core i7<\/strong> [$1,149] <strong>Core i9<\/strong> [$1,449]<\/td><td class=\"column-6\">Starts at $1,179<br>\n<br>\n<strong>Core i9<\/strong> [$1,550]<\/td><td class=\"column-7\">Depends on your components<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-9 odd\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><strong>Upgradeability<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"column-2\">None<sup>3<\/sup><\/td><td class=\"column-3\">None<sup>3<\/sup><\/td><td class=\"column-4\">RAM + GPU + Storage<sup>4<\/sup><\/td><td class=\"column-5\">RAM + GPU + Storage<sup>4<\/sup><\/td><td class=\"column-6\">RAM + GPU + Storage<sup>4<\/sup><\/td><td class=\"column-7\">Every component can be upgraded<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<!-- #tablepress-190 from cache -->\n<ul>\n<li><b><sup>1<\/sup> <\/b><b>Mobile Intel CPUs vary in performance and power draw <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014 Mobile CPUs can be implemented in a myriad of different ways, with differing TDPs and cooling solutions. So just because it says \u201cCore i7\u201d on the spec sheet doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019ll draw as much power as you expect and deliver the kind of performance you <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">need<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. In other words:<\/span><b> always read the fine print. <\/b><\/li>\n<li><b><sup>2<\/sup> <\/b><b>You can still run Windows (ARM) and Linux on the Mac Studio<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2014 If you have a copy of Parallels or VMWare, you <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">can<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (with relative ease) run most other operating systems on your Mac Studio. It\u2019s not going to be an <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">entirely<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> seamless experience, but at least it\u2019s possible (and is a lot better than one would expect).<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b><sup>3<\/sup> <\/b><b>You can still connect external storage <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014 The only thing you <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">can<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> upgrade on Apple\u2019s ARM-based devices is the storage, but only through <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">external<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> media.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b><sup>4<\/sup> <\/b><b>Some Intel NUCs <\/b><b><i>can<\/i><\/b><b> be upgraded, but it\u2019s not cheap<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2014 The \u201c<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.intel.com\/content\/www\/us\/en\/products\/details\/nuc\/elements\/compute\/products.html\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Compute Element<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d is a wholly fascinating take on upgradeability (and a most proprietary one). Within it, you'll find a CPU (with integrated graphics), two slots for SODIMM RAM, up to three M.2 slots, and a port selection to die for. This element can, in some cases, be swapped out (and replaced with a more recent one), but you\u2019ll definitely have to pay a premium for it.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_the_M1M2_Mac_Mini_or_iMac_a_Good_Alternative_to_the_Mac_Studio\"><\/span>Is the M1\/M2 Mac Mini or iMac a Good Alternative to the Mac Studio?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Not really.<\/strong> They\u2019re much weaker which, frankly, is <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">by<\/span><\/i> <i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">design<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All three can handle the same projects (depending on their complexity, of course), but the chipset found in the Mac Studio is basically a quantum leap ahead in terms of performance \u2014 the M1 Max and M1 Ultra are head and shoulders better and more capable than any other SoC that Apple has in its current line-up.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Still, a regular Mac Mini or iMac can still suffice, especially if your livelihood doesn\u2019t depend on the speed at which your projects can render and if your projects aren\u2019t astoundingly complex and demanding. <\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These two options won\u2019t be as fast (an understatement), but by no means should they be belittled and underestimated.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><noscript><iframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/F1qckN3zs6c\" width=\"860\" height=\"515\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/noscript><iframe title=\"YouTube video player\" width=\"860\" height=\"515\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/F1qckN3zs6c\" class=\" lazyload\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Mac_Studio_Alternatives_-_Are_They_Worth_It\"><\/span>Mac Studio Alternatives \u2014 Are They Worth It?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Well, that depends on your line of work and overall use case.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re a content creator and really need a beastly machine then there\u2019s probably no <em>one-to-one<\/em> alternative. Apple\u2019s silicon is absolutely <em>incredible<\/em> at nearly all workloads that involve content creation (other than heavy 3D work and all that it entails).<\/p>\n<p>If, however, your workflow <em>doesn\u2019t<\/em> involve content creation, then going with a Windows-based machine might be the better option.<\/p>\n<p><strong>It\u2019s not as sleek or shiny, not as streamlined or immaculately built, but it\u2019ll nonetheless pack all the power you need to get your work done and also game a bit on the side should you so desire.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>And that, in short, is no small benefit.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion\"><\/span>Conclusion<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Apple\u2019s Mac Studio is, in a way, <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/apple-m1-ultra-mac-studio\/\">without equal<\/a>. <strong>There\u2019s no other machine out there on the market that\u2019s as well optimized for content creation as this shiny metallic behemoth.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s the thing:<strong> it\u2019s a \u201cspecialized\u201d tool that excels at a myriad of specific workflows.<\/strong> Nothing more, nothing less.<\/p>\n<p>Windows-based PCs, on the other hand, are a lot more versatile (not to mention consumer-friendly). They might not be as <em>cohesive<\/em>, but that sure does come with a slew of benefits \u2014 the kind we\u2019ve all become so accustomed to.<\/p>\n<p>They\u2019re upgradeable, easy to fix and troubleshoot, and can deliver no matter the workload. That, in short, is their biggest allure.<\/p>\n<p>Moreover, building a Mac Studio alternative means that you\u2019re never going to be pigeonholed into any kind of ecosystem against your will \u2014 <em>you<\/em> will have the final word each and every single time.<\/p>\n<p>Windows-based computers <em>can<\/em>, by all means, match the performance output of Apple\u2019s Mac Studio, but they\u2019re not going to be as efficient, well-rounded, and quiet.<\/p>\n<p>As the old adage goes: <strong>you win some, you lose some.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If, however, you want to stick to macOS \u2014 and want a machine that\u2019s comparable performance-wise to the Mac Studio \u2014 <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">do <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">give the latest and most powerful Mac Mini a look (the one with the M2 Pro chipset).<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQ\"><\/span>FAQ<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Let\u2019s go over a few potential questions you might have regarding this particular topic:<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Does_the_Mac_Studio_Have_Any_Alternatives\"><\/span>Does the Mac Studio Have Any Alternatives?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Well, sort of. There\u2019s only one alternative (size-wise) and that's the latest M2 Pro Mac Mini. That being said, there <em>are <\/em>slightly larger Windows-based PCs that can perform just as well (if not even better in certain scenarios).<\/p>\n<p>In any case, Apple\u2019s Mac Studio is truly a one-of-a-kind machine and, when spec'd out, is without equal at the things it was designed to tackle.<\/p>\n<p>That sure does come at a cost, but for <em>some<\/em> \u2014 the most demanding users out there \u2014 it might just be worth it. Then again, whether you need <em>that<\/em> much power is heavily up for debate. Going with a base M1 Max model (or even an M2 Pro Mac Mini) makes a fair bit more sense at this point in time.<\/p>\n<p><noscript><iframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/RigI3rf2aec\" width=\"860\" height=\"515\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/noscript><iframe title=\"YouTube video player\" width=\"860\" height=\"515\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/RigI3rf2aec\" class=\" lazyload\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_Apples_Mac_Studio_Worth_It\"><\/span>Is Apple\u2019s Mac Studio Worth It?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>That depends on <em>what<\/em> you do for a living and how <em>fast<\/em> you need it done.<\/p>\n<p>Apple\u2019s Mac Studio is a tremendously capable machine \u2014 it boggles the mind, really, but it doesn\u2019t come cheap and it <em>is<\/em>, for most, a bit overkill.<\/p>\n<p>Still, if your budget can cover it and you absolutely want to work on macOS, then you\u2019ll definitely get your money\u2019s worth.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_You_Install_Windows_on_a_Mac_Studio\"><\/span>Can You Install Windows on a Mac Studio?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>You definitely can, but it\u2019s not going to be as easy as it was in the past.<\/p>\n<p>To do so, you\u2019ll need to use a program like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.parallels.com\/eu\/pd\/general\/?gclid=CjwKCAiAy_CcBhBeEiwAcoMRHPZ9pTur56Uck_4k8IsfleI11mzQt674PJCbuqyYyOcfWIQTvjTSVhoCQn4QAvD_BwE\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Parallels<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=YT82n3ikv-0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">VMWare<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Over_to_You\"><\/span>Over to You<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><em><strong>Has Apple\u2019s Mac Studio piqued your interest? Do you think it\u2019s worth the asking price? Let us know in the <a href=\"#comments\">comment<\/a> section down below and, in case you need any help, head over to <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/forum\/\">our forum<\/a> and ask away!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Apple\u2019s Mac Studio is, without a shadow of a doubt, a wholly unique computer \u2014 one that is far more powerful than its petite enclosure would lead you to believe. It\u2019s a beast, in short, one that can compete with workstations five times its size. It\u2019s not for everyone, though. A machine that powerful should...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2346,"featured_media":21431,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[290],"tags":[286,194],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21283"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2346"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21283"}],"version-history":[{"count":21,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21283\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21620,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21283\/revisions\/21620"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21431"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21283"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21283"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21283"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}