M1 Ultra Mac Studio is 2 Pounds Heavier Than M1 Max Version Due to Thermal Differences

The Mac Studio comes in two varieties, one with the same M1 Max chip used in the 2021 MacBook Pro models and a second featuring an M1 Ultra chip, which is two interconnected ‌M1 Max‌ chips that operate as a single chip.

mac studio ports
Following yesterday's event, Apple's technical specifications for the ‌Mac Studio‌ went live, and there was a curiosity - the ‌M1 Ultra‌ version of the ‌Mac Studio‌ is a full two pounds heavier than the ‌M1 Max‌ version, and it wasn't clear why. Apple today provided an explanation to The Verge, and it turns out the two machines have a different thermal setup.

According to Apple, the ‌M1 Ultra‌ has a copper thermal module, while the ‌M1 Max‌ has an aluminum heatsink. Copper is heavier than aluminum, hence the weight difference. The ‌M1 Max‌ ‌Mac Studio‌ weighs in at 5.9 pounds, while the ‌M1 Ultra‌ version is 7.9 pounds.

They have the same 370W power supply. The additional weight is due to M1 Ultra having a larger copper thermal module, where as M1 Max has an aluminum heatsink.

Different thermal management setups is not a surprise given the power of the ‌M1 Ultra‌ vs. the standard ‌M1 Max‌. The ‌M1 Ultra‌ includes a 20-core CPU and up to a 64-core GPU for double the computing power of the ‌M1 Max‌. Despite the high-powered chip, Apple has said that the ‌Mac Studio‌ is able to run quietly, with an architecture that that pulls air in through the airflow channels on the bottom using double-sided blowers and pushes it out through additional perforations on the back of the chassis.

Related Roundup: Mac Studio
Buyer's Guide: Mac Studio (Neutral)
Related Forum: Mac Studio

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro 3 4ths Perspective Aluminum Camera Module 1

New iPhone 17 Pro Details: Brighter Display, Best Battery Life, and More

Wednesday September 3, 2025 5:33 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models will feature a number of significant display, thermal, and battery improvements, according to new late-stage rumors. According to the Weibo leaker known as "Instant Digital," the iPhone 17 Pro models will feature displays with higher brightness, making it more suitable for use in direct sunlight for prolonged periods. The iPhone 16 Pro and...
iPhone 17 Pro Iridescent Feature 2

iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro Prices Estimated Ahead of Apple Event Next Week

Tuesday September 2, 2025 1:50 pm PDT by
Just one week before Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 17 series, an analyst has shared new price estimates for the devices. Here are J.P. Morgan analyst Samik Chatterjee's price estimates for the iPhone 17 series in the United States, according to 9to5Mac: Model Starting Price Model Starting Price Change iPhone 16 $799 iPhone 17 ...
iPhone 17 Pro Iridescent Feature 2

iPhone 17 Pro Clear Case Leak Reveals Three Key Changes

Sunday August 31, 2025 1:26 pm PDT by
Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 17 series on Tuesday, September 9, and last-minute rumors about the devices continue to surface. The latest info comes from a leaker known as Majin Bu, who has shared alleged images of Apple's Clear Case for the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, or at least replicas. Image Credit: @MajinBuOfficial The images show three alleged changes compared to Apple's iP...
iphone 16 pro ghost hand

iPhone 17 Pro: 5 Reasons Not to Upgrade This Year

Monday September 1, 2025 4:35 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series this month, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming to...
iPhone 17 Pro Dark Blue and Orange

iPhone 17 Release Date, Pre-Orders, and What to Expect

Thursday August 28, 2025 4:08 am PDT by
An iPhone 17 announcement is a dead cert for September 2025 – Apple has already sent out invites for an "Awe dropping" event on Tuesday, September 9 at the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California. The timing follows Apple's trend of introducing new iPhone models annually in the fall. At the event, Apple is expected to unveil its new-generation iPhone 17, an all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17...
Apple Watch Ultra 2 Complications

Apple Watch Ultra 3 Coming Next Week: Eight Reasons to Upgrade

Thursday September 4, 2025 7:38 am PDT by
We're only days away from Apple's "Awe dropping" fall event scheduled to take place on Tuesday, September 9 – and along with the new iPhone 17 series, we're going to get a new version of the Apple Watch Ultra for the first time since 2023. By the time the Ultra 3 is unveiled, it will have been two years since the previous model arrived. The intervening period has left plenty of room for...

Top Rated Comments

Danoc Avatar
46 months ago
They should have named it Big Mac.
Score: 45 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DHagan4755 Avatar
46 months ago
This should answer the question of whether the M1 Ultra will end up in a laptop...
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kingalien Avatar
46 months ago
That's $1,000 a pound difference between the models!!
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BlueCreek Avatar
46 months ago

Interesting that they supply the same 370W power supply for both. Perhaps it is cheaper for them to just make 1 power supply. That's how they're able to pass the savings on to the customer.
Apple > savings > customer. Are not three words I would associate together.
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Brandon42 Avatar
46 months ago

That's $1,000 a pound difference between the models!!
It is an investment. When copper hits $1,250 a pound you will be kicking yourself for not buying one.

/s
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ddtmm Avatar
46 months ago
Interesting that they supply the same 370W power supply for both. Perhaps it is cheaper for them to just make 1 power supply. That's how they're able to pass the savings on to the customer.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)