Incredibly powerful and remarkably quiet, the compact Studio is, without a doubt, impressive. But how much speed -- and how many displays -- you need might have you weighing other options. In other words: Think before you pay.

The Mac Studio is Apple’s ultimate performance computer, but this year’s model came with a twist: It’s equipped with either an M4 Max or an M3 Ultra processor. The latter might seem like a step backward,

For the first time ever though, Apple is offering the Mac Studio with two different generations of chip. The entry-level $1,999 Mac Studio is powered by the M4 Max, while the more powerful $3,999 Mac Studio is the only Mac to ship with the M3 Ultra.