Apple is accepting pre-orders for the new Mac Studio, though one critical configuration remains excluded. The M5 Ultra model with 512GB of unified memory is listed as "coming late October," which will push the maximum price well over $20,000. Currently, customers can configure the Mac Studio with M5 Ultra 36-core CPU and 80-core GPU, 256GB unified memory, and up to 16TB of SSD storage.

The base M5 Ultra model starts at $5,499, with a $1,300 upgrade for the 36-core CPU and 80-core GPU configuration. Increasing storage from 1TB to the maximum 16TB adds $7,500, bringing the current maximum price to $18,299 before taxes. Apple has not yet quoted a price for the 512GB RAM option.

While the 512GB configuration is delayed due to global chip shortages, the available high-end configurations remain exceptionally expensive. Apple Care insurance is available under a $19.99 per month base fee, though upgrades to processors, storage, or RAM are not possible after ordering.