Mac Studio’s 512GB memory option carries a $15,500 upgrade charge

Apple’s highest-capacity Mac Studio memory configuration comes with a substantial hardware bill. According to TechRadar’s November 3 report, configuring an M5 Ultra model with 512GB of unified memory brings its starting price to $22,299.

The option requires the version of the M5 Ultra with a 36-core CPU and 80-core GPU. That configuration starts at $6,799 with 96GB of memory and a 1TB SSD; moving to 512GB adds $15,500. Selecting a 16TB SSD takes the total to $29,799, the publication reports.

A steeper memory upgrade

The comparison with the previous generation illustrates how sharply the cost has changed. TechRadar says the M3 Ultra Mac Studio offered the move from 96GB to 512GB for $4,000 when it launched in March 2025. A configuration combining that memory capacity with 1TB of storage then cost $9,499.

The equivalent memory upgrade on the M5 Ultra is therefore nearly 3.9 times as expensive. Within the current configuration options, TechRadar lists a $4,000 charge to reach 256GB from 96GB, followed by another $11,500 to reach 512GB.

Capacity comes with a purchasing calculation

TechRadar connects the increase to pressure on memory pricing and supply, while noting that Apple does not disclose its component costs. That leaves the contribution of component scarcity versus Apple’s margins unresolved.

For PC and workstation buyers comparing expensive configurations, the practical question is whether their software needs this much memory. Capacity alone does not establish a performance advantage for a particular workload.

The report quotes delivery estimates between late November and early December 2026 for orders placed on its publication date. Buyers considering the configuration should treat those as the reported estimates for that date.