Is Apple’s latest Mac Studio truly a revolutionary upgrade or just a minor refresh? The latest teardown from iFixit suggests that the new M2 Max and M2 Ultra options may not offer significant improvements over their predecessors.
Indistinguishable design and components
In a recent iFixit teardown video released as a YouTube short, the host discovered that the 2023 Mac Studio with the M2 Max and M2 Ultra options is virtually identical to its predecessor, the M1 Ultra. From the outside, there are no notable differences in design, cooler, or power supply. This begs the question of whether Apple’s decision to stick with the same design signifies a lack of innovation or a conscious effort to maintain a winning formula.
SEE ALSO: Apple Launches All-New Mac Studio with M1 Ultra Chip
Familiar disassembly process
The disassembly process for the latest Mac Studio mirrors that of its predecessor. By removing the rubber base and unscrewing the aluminum case, the iFixit team gained access to the internal components. Surprisingly, they found that Apple had reused the same cooler, power supply, and heatsink. This lack of change supports the notion that the new Mac Studio is more of an incremental upgrade than a groundbreaking release.
No user-upgradeable storage
Apple has continued its trend of restricting user access to internal storage upgrades. While it is possible to remove the pre-installed storage module, the PCB and connectors use an unusual form factor. As a result, finding compatible third-party storage options can be difficult and expensive. And even if you manage to find one, there is no guarantee that MacOS will boot successfully with non-Apple storage. This limitation reduces the flexibility of the Mac Studio and limits user choice.
SEE ALSO: Apple to Replace Mac Studio with Exciting New Mac Pro
Is iFixit planning an in-depth article or video?
At this time, it remains uncertain whether iFixit will publish a detailed article or an extended video of the 2023 Mac Studio teardown. Given that the disassembly process and components are nearly identical to the previous model, it may be more beneficial to refer to their initial teardown of the first Mac Studio for a comprehensive understanding of the device’s internals.
News Source: iFixit
