Apple quietly updated its Mac Studio configuration options this week, removing the 512GB memory upgrade. As of yesterday, there's no longer an option to buy a Mac Studio with 512GB of RAM, with the maximum memory now being capped at 256GB.
See also: Two new Apple Studio Displays may be announced in March
The Mac Studio starts with 36GB of RAM, but there were upgrades ranging from 48GB to 512GB, with the highest-end upgrades limited to the M3 Ultra chip. Now there are options ranging from 48GB to 256GB, with wait times reaching as late as May for the 256GB upgrade.
Apple has also raised the price for the 256GB RAM upgrade option. It used to cost $1,600 to upgrade from 96GB to 256GB on the high-end M3 Ultra machine, but now it costs $2,000. 512GB cost $4,000 when it was available.
Apple likely removed the 512GB memory option due to global DRAM that have dried up supply and caused prices to rise, which is probably why shipping times for a configuration with 256GB RAM are taking until May.
See also: What to expect from the new version of Mac Studio
Demand for the Mac Studio has increased due to consumers looking for machines suitable for running local AI agents, which could also be a factor in wait times.
The memory shortage is already affecting DRAM pricing, and could impact PC and smartphone sales in the coming months. Apple is able to absorb higher memory costs in the short term and is well-positioned to minimize the impact on consumers because it is better able to secure available DRAM supply from smaller companies.
See also: M5 Ultra Chip coming to Mac Studio in 2026
We're expecting the M5 Max and M5 Ultra versions of the Mac Studio in 2026, but it's still unclear when Apple might release an update.
