Apple supercharges Mac line with new Mac Studio desktop

Apple’s newest desktop computer, the Mac Studio, took centre stage at the tech giant’s first livestream event of 2022.

A 5G-enabled iPhone SE, an updated iPad Air and a more powerful Apple-built chip were among the products unveiled by Apple at the one-hour Peek Performance event.

But it was the desktop computer, Mac Studio, that stole the show. It is powered by the company's M1 Ultra chip, the latest addition to its silicon line-up that Apple's senior vice president of hardware engineering John Temus described as "a monster of a chip".

The Mac Studio is designed to be capable of tackling high-end work, such as rendering 3D environments and is capable of playing back 18 streams of ProRes video. The desktop also offers extensive connectivity, with four Thunderbolt ports, two USB A ports, an HDMI connection and a pro audio jack.

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It comes in two versions, one powered by the M1 Max chip and the other by the new M1 Ultra. Prices start from €2,349.

The device teams up with the new Studio Display, an €1,800 27in display that includes speakers and a camera.

Budget iPhone

The product announcements kicked off with the Apple’s budget-friendly iPhone. The third-generation iPhone SE includes the A15 Bionic chip, and 5G capabilities, future-proofing the smartphone for use with the next generation networks.

“From the very beginning we designed iPhone SE to include some of our most advanced features and technologies while delivering the iPhone experience at an incredible price,” said Apple chief executive Tim Cook. “This is important for existing users who want a smaller iPhone and great value. It’s also been an incredibly popular model with new iPhone users. And we’re continuing to add new users to iPhone at a faster pace. In fact, this past fall, we’ve added more new users to the iPhone 13 lineup than in each of the previous five launches. We’re excited for the iPhone SE to build on this momentum.”

The new iPhone SE will open for pre-orders on Friday and ship on March 18th.

Apple ditched its A-series Bionic chips for the fifth generation iPad Air, opting instead to go for its custom-designed silicon that has made an appearance in its MacBooks and iPad Pro. The move brings the the fifth generation of Apple’s popular device closer to the iPad Pro as desktop replacement.

The iPad Air also includes the company’s Centre Stage technology that keeps users centred in the frame when on video calls.

The new iPad Air will start at €709, with 64GB and 256GB configurations in both wifi and cellular models.

"With the addition of M1, iPad Air is more powerful, more capable and simply more fun than ever," Mr Cook said.

The iPad Air was introduced in 2013 as a thinner, lighter alternative to the standard iPad, but 2020 saw a major update for the tablet to bring it more in line with the iPad Pro. That included the support for the second generation Apple Pencil, and a new design that echoed the top-end iPad.