The MacBook Air is finally moving to the M4 chip, as the MacBook Pro did last fall. This is excellent news for consumers looking for power who appreciate this thin and easy-to-carry laptop. This Wednesday, the Apple brand also unveiled the new Mac Studio.
It comes in two versions: one with an M4 Max chip and another with an M3 Ultra chip. The American company describes the latter as the most powerful it has ever created. One question still arises: why an M3 Ultra chip and not an M4 Ultra?
Apple justifies its choice to release an M3 Ultra chip rather than an M4 Ultra
You have probably noticed that the current generation Macs have M4 chips. It is therefore rather surprising to see that one of the Mac Studios presented by Apple this week is equipped not with an M4 Ultra chip, but with an M3 Ultra chip.
Asked about this choice by the media Ars Technica, the Cupertino firm justifies its decision. "When asked why the high-end Mac Studio was getting an M3 Ultra chip instead of an M4 Ultra, Apple told us that not every generation of chips would get an 'Ultra' tier. As far as I can recall, this is the first time Apple has made such a statement publicly," explains Andrew Cunningham of Ars Technica.
Apple goes further in its explanation to Numerama. The lack of UltraFusion connectors on the M4 Max chip would make it impossible to fuse two fourth-generation chips to create an M4 Ultra. The company would have had to design an M4 Ultra chip from scratch, which would have taken far too long. Apple would therefore have to skip the M4 Ultra chip and create an M5 Ultra from two future M5 Max chips.
In addition, MacDailyNews adds that all of the "Ultra" chips Apple could now be numbered oddly. The American company would therefore directly create an M5 Ultra chip without going through the M4 Ultra box. Will this strategy bring a little confusion within its offer?
As it stands, a consumer new to the Apple universe could logically think that the M4 Max chip is more powerful than the M3 Ultra chip. Of course, the Mac Studios are intended for professionals generally familiar with the products of the brand with the apple, but you never know.
Remember that pre-orders for the new Mac Studios are already open on the Apple Online Store, like those of the MacBook Air M4. The devices will all be released on Wednesday, March 12.
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