Three Apple products from WWDC you can buy right now (and where to preorder)
Three Apple products from WWDC you can buy right now (and where to preorder)
At Monday’s Worldwide Developer’s Conference (WWDC), Apple announced tons of updates to software platforms like iOS 17 and WatchOS, as well as hardware updates and even brand-new products like the Apple Vision Pro VR headset. Apple also unveiled the 15-inch MacBook Air, updated Mac Studio, and M2 Ultra Mac Pro, bringing the new M2 chip for better processing and performance to the Mac line. The new Macs are available for preorder now, and will arrive in stores June 13.
To help you decide which new Mac is the right fit for both your needs and your budget — and whether or not it’s worth upgrading right now — I’ve broken down all of their features and price points. Keep reading below to see which updated Apple laptop or desktop is the perfect fit.
- Updated display
- Configuration options
- 18 hour battery life
- M2 chipset
- Only 2 Thunderbolt ports
- Fanless design not suited for intensive work
MacBook Air 15-inch specs – Display size: 15.3 inches | Display type: Liquid Retina | Resolution: 2560 x 1664 | Refresh rate: 60Hz | RAM: Up to 24GB | Storage: Up to 2TB SSD | CPU: Apple Silicon M2 | GPU: Apple Silicon M2 | Battery life: 18 hours
The newest addition to the MacBook Air lineup is the 15-inch M2 edition that was announced at WWDC 2023. It features a 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display that gives you up to 500 nits of brightness, support for 1 billion colors, and a 60Hz refresh rate. You can configure the 15-inch MacBook Air with up to 24GB of unified memory and up to a 2TB SSD for plenty of storage, power, and performance. It also boasts the M2 Apple Silicon CPU with 8 cores as well as a 10-core integrated GPU and 16-core Neural Engine. And with two Thunderbolt ports, you’ll be able to connect external storage devices, charge mobile devices, and set up a second display with up to 6K resolution. With all of this power, the battery life tops out at an impressive 18 hours, which means you can work all day and well into the evening before needing to plug in.
- M2 Max or M2 Ultra chipset
- Highly configurable
- 8K and 240Hz support
- Plenty of Thunderbolt 4 ports
- Expensive
- No display included
- No keyboard or mouse included
Mac Studio specs – CPU: M2 Max, M2 Ultra | GPU: M2 Max, M2 Ultra | RAM: Up to 192GB | Storage: Up to 8TB SSD
The Mac Studio is designed for both creatives and professionals, featuring the M2 Max and all-new M2 Ultra chipsets. You can configure the Mac Studio with up to a staggering 192GB of unified memory and up to 8TB of storage. The M2 Max chip features a 12-core CPU and 38-core GPU while the M2 Ultra has a 24-core CPU and up to a 76-core GPU for flexibility in power and performance. The updated Mac Studio also supports 8K resolution and refresh rates up to 240Hz, making it an almost perfect machine for video editors and content creators. And with four Thunderbolt 4 ports, you can connect external storage drives, charge mobile devices, or set up multiple displays for easier multitasking.
- M2 Ultra chipset
- Highly configurable
- Great for intensive workloads
- Supports up to 6 external displays
- Very, very expensive
- Very large and heavy
Mac Pro specs – CPU: M2 Ultra | GPU: M2 Ultra | RAM: Up to 192GB | Storage: Up to 8TB
The Mac Pro with the M2 Ultra chipset is one of the most powerful desktops that Apple has built. You can configure it with up to 192GB of unified RAM, and the 6 PCIe slots let you create custom builds to suit every workload from live broadcast and video editing to rendering 3D animations and running simulations. It’s capable of handling up to 24 4K video feeds simultaneously, letting you have unprecedented control over live broadcasts as well as editing workflows. And with eight Thunderbolt 4 ports, you’ll be able to connect everything from external hard drives for transferring files and mobile devices for charging to up to six Apple Pro Display XDRs for the ultimate workstation.
Is it worth upgrading to a new MacBook Air 15, Mac Studio, or Mac Pro?
If you recently made the switch from an Intel-based Mac to one with an M1 or M2 chipset, you might want to hold off on upgrading to these latest models. The M2 Ultra is a brand-new chip from Apple, and will have some growing pains as driver updates get released to smooth over bugs and other performance issues real-world users may have. These new devices are also on the more expensive side, so you might want to wait for a promotional sale or for when your M1/M2 Mac starts to have serious issues.
What’s the difference between the M2 Max and M2 ultra?
The biggest difference comes down to how many cores each chip has as well as the maximum amount of supported memory. The M2 Max supports up to 96GB of unified RAM and features an 8-core CPU and 10-core CPU. The M2 Ultra supports up to 192GB of unified memory and features a 24-core CPU, 60-core GPU, and 32-core Neural Engine. This means that the M2 Ultra can perform more processes per second, giving you higher performance over Intel and M1-based Apple models.
When will these be available?
The MacBook Air M2 15-inch, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro went up for pre-order at 12pm PDT on June 5, 2023 on Apple’s website. All three products will be available at other retailers starting on June 13, 2023.
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