Apple's Mac Studio is a ridiculously powerful computer for pro users, and unfortunately it's also an expensive one. But if you go down to Argos today you can get it for an incredibly low price of just £1,499. That's the lowest price I've seen anywhere, £500 less than its original price and £600 cheaper than Apple's current version.
This is the M1 Max model, which is from 2022 – and it's still an excellent buy in 2023, especially at this price. While it's a powerful machine it's almost silent in operation, and if you're looking for a Mac to run huge Logic or Final Cut projects it's definitely worth considering.
What Mac Studio deal is Argos offering?
Argos is also selling the newer 2023 M2 Max version, but that's the same price as Apple: £2,099. And while the M1 Max isn't as powerful, it's £600 cheaper right now and I'm not sure the M2 version is worth spending the extra money on unless you're really going to push its processor to the absolute limits.
I think most of us wouldn't. I'm running massive Logic projects on a M-powered Mac mini that doesn't have anything close to the spec of this M1 Max, and it doesn't even break a sweat. And the spec here is very high indeed: that 10-core M1 Max processor, 32GB of unified memory and a 512GB SSD. Pro users tend to want plenty of ports, and this Mac has all the key ones you could need as well as Wi-Fi 6 and an SDXC card reader slot.
We haven't reviewed this specific Studio, but many of the things we said in our Mac Studio (M2) review apply just as much to this model: it's "designed for users that push their Macs harder, with video, audio and 3D processing" and it's a couple of thousand quid cheaper than the Mac Pro. It's also better suited to demanding apps than a similarly specced Mac mini: "The Mac Studio still fits neatly under your monitor so takes up no more space on your desk, plus the extra thermal architecture inside means that even if that chip is worked enough to heat up, it will stay cooler."
I'm a big fan of desktop Macs, especially ones where you can add one of the best monitors – or several of them – rather than sticking with a built-in screen. If this deal had been available when I was shopping for my new Mac, I'd have bought it in a heartbeat.
Sign up to the T3 newsletter for smarter living straight to your inbox
Get all the latest news, reviews, deals and buying guides on gorgeous tech, home and active products from the T3 experts
Writer, musician and broadcaster Carrie Marshall has been covering technology since 1998 and is particularly interested in how tech can help us live our best lives. Her CV is a who’s who of magazines, newspapers, websites and radio programmes ranging from T3, Techradar and MacFormat to the BBC, Sunday Post and People’s Friend. Carrie has written more than a dozen books, ghost-wrote two more and co-wrote seven more books and a Radio 2 documentary series; her memoir, Carrie Kills A Man, was shortlisted for the British Book Awards. When she’s not scribbling, Carrie is the singer in Glaswegian rock band Unquiet Mind (unquietmindmusic).
-
New Apple TV and HomePod mini coming in 2025, says expert
Apple's upgrading its TV streamer and smallest speaker as part of its renewed focus on smart home systems
By Carrie Marshall Published
-
Your Apple TV just got a great new trick
Actually it got a couple...
By Britta O'Boyle Published
-
Apple just accidentally leaked the M4 MacBook Air
Don't expect a redesign, this upgrade is all about processing power
By Carrie Marshall Published
-
Apple AirPods Pro 3 tipped for an earlier than expected release date
And with a redesign too, possibly
By Britta O'Boyle Published
-
Apple Music gets a huge free update you can enjoy even if you don't subscribe
Viva la musica!
By Britta O'Boyle Published
-
Apple Vision Pro could learn a thing or two from PSVR2 when it comes to gaming
Craving proper gaming on the Apple Vision Pro? That could happen
By Chris Hall Published
-
Your iPhone is about to get its biggest free update yet – iOS 18.2 release imminent
Apple Intelligence could make its bow in the UK in the next couple of days, along with new AI features for the US and much more
By Rik Henderson Last updated
-
Apple Watch just got a great free update to help you get home safely
Uber has significantly improved its Live Activities feed
By Britta O'Boyle Published