Mac Studio M1 Max / M1 Ultra (2022): Refurbished, Specs & Repairs
The original Mac Studio, with M1 Max or M1 Ultra
The Mac Studio (2022) introduced a new kind of Mac: a compact aluminium desktop with high-end Apple silicon. It came with the M1 Max chip or the M1 Ultra, which joins two M1 Max chips together, and it has 10Gb Ethernet, four Thunderbolt 4 ports, HDMI and an SD card slot on the front.
It remains a powerful machine for video editing, music production, photography and development, and refurbished examples are now very good value. It still runs current macOS.
Every refurbished Apple silicon Mac we sell is checked by our technicians and comes with a 24-month warranty. Browse our refurbished Macs for sale, or book a repair if you already own one.
About This Model
The Mac Studio M1 Max / M1 Ultra (2022) was announced on 8 March 2022 and went on sale on 18 March 2022, with UK prices starting at £1,999 for the M1 Max model and £3,999 for the M1 Ultra model. It was replaced by the M2 Max / M2 Ultra Mac Studio in June 2023.
Complete Mac Solutions supplies refurbished Apple Macs in Bristol for home users, students and businesses across the UK. We also offer Mac repairs and can help you choose the right Mac for your work.
Which Mac Studio does this cover?
This guide covers the Mac Studio (2022) with the M1 Max or M1 Ultra chip. Choose About This Mac from the Apple menu: the chip will be shown as Apple M1 Max or Apple M1 Ultra.
It looks almost identical to the 2023, 2025 and 2026 Mac Studio models, so check the chip name rather than relying on the case. On the front, the M1 Ultra model has Thunderbolt 4 ports, while the M1 Max model has USB-C ports.
Specifications at a glance
| Chip options | M1 Max (10-core CPU, 24-core or 32-core GPU) or M1 Ultra (20-core CPU, 48-core or 64-core GPU) |
|---|---|
| Memory | M1 Max: 32GB or 64GB. M1 Ultra: 64GB or 128GB |
| Storage | M1 Max: 512GB up to 8TB. M1 Ultra: 1TB up to 8TB |
| Rear connections | Four Thunderbolt 4 ports, two USB-A ports, HDMI, 10Gb Ethernet and headphone socket |
| Front connections | SDXC card slot, plus two USB-C ports (M1 Max) or two Thunderbolt 4 ports (M1 Ultra) |
| External displays | Up to five: four 6K over Thunderbolt and one 4K over HDMI |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 |
| Size and weight | 9.5cm high, 19.7cm wide and deep; 2.7kg (M1 Max) or 3.6kg (M1 Ultra) |
Ask us to confirm the exact configuration of any refurbished machine available. Memory and storage are chosen when the Mac is built, so the configuration you buy is the one it keeps.
M1 Max or M1 Ultra?
The M1 Max model is more than enough for most video editing, photography, music production and development work, and it is the better value choice for most people.
The M1 Ultra doubles the CPU and GPU cores and memory capacity. It suits heavy 3D, multi-stream video and large projects. If you are not sure which you need, tell us what software you use and we will advise.
A Mac for Bristol students
A refurbished M1 Max Mac Studio can serve creative or postgraduate students in Bristol working on large film, music or research projects. For most courses it is more power than needed, and it needs a separate display, keyboard and mouse.
Check course software requirements before buying, and ask about our student deals.
Macs for businesses
Complete Mac Solutions supplies Macs for businesses as well as individuals. Tell us which applications, displays and peripherals your team uses so we can help you choose a suitable configuration.
The 2022 Mac Studio suits post-production houses, design studios and development teams wanting serious performance at a lower refurbished price. Its 10Gb Ethernet and four Thunderbolt ports make it easy to connect to fast shared storage and several displays.
macOS compatibility
As an Apple silicon Mac, this model runs the current version of macOS and should continue to receive macOS updates for years, unlike Intel Macs.
Some older Intel-only applications and plug-ins may not run, and Apple silicon Macs cannot run Windows through Boot Camp. Check that the software you depend on supports Apple silicon before you buy.
Memory and storage choices
The unified memory is part of the chip. 32GB on the M1 Max suits most professional work; choose 64GB or an M1 Ultra for large video, 3D or audio projects.
Neither the memory nor the internal storage can be upgraded later. Fast external drives are a practical way to add space for files and archives. Ask us about storage options before deciding.
Repairs and support
Check whether the machine is covered by AppleCare before arranging any repair, as independent work may affect what Apple will do.
Startup, power and performance problems
Failure to start, unexpected restarts or a machine that runs much slower than expected need diagnosis. Tell us what you were doing when the problem happened and whether any external devices were connected.
Fans, dust and noise
The Mac Studio is normally very quiet. Rising fan noise over time can point to dust in the intake underneath, which deserves cleaning and assessment.
Ports and connected equipment
Test the Thunderbolt, USB, HDMI and Ethernet connections you rely on, along with displays and audio interfaces. Problems can come from cables, docks or software rather than the Mac itself.
Storage and data
If you need files from a Mac that will not start, ask about data recovery before any repair or reset. Regular backups are essential, as the storage is built in.
Complete Mac Solutions can discuss Mac repairs in Bristol and help you work out the best option for your machine.
Buying a refurbished Mac Studio M1 Max / M1 Ultra (2022)
Make sure the Mac has been removed from the previous owner’s Apple Account and any business device management. Confirm the chip, GPU core count, memory and SSD capacity, and compare the price with a 2023 M2 Max model.
Complete Mac Solutions carries a large stock of refurbished Macs and has an extensive supplier network to help source suitable configurations. Many of our Macs come fully boxed, with all accessories and in fantastic condition. Packaging, accessories and condition vary between machines, so ask us to confirm what comes with the one you choose.
Explore our Apple Macs for sale or speak to us about a desktop for home, study or business. If you already own this model, we can help with repairs, storage and data recovery.
References and further reading
Compare the Mac Studio M1 Max / M1 Ultra (2022) with similar models
The 2023 M2 Max / M2 Ultra model is faster and adds HDMI 2.1 and Wi-Fi 6E. A Mac mini with an M4 Pro chip costs less and matches the M1 Max in many tasks.
- Mac Studio M2 Max / M2 Ultra (2023)
- Mac Studio M4 Max / M3 Ultra (2025)
- Mac mini M4 / M4 Pro (2024)
- MacBook Pro 16-inch M1 Max (2021)
Buy or repair a Mac Studio M1 Max / M1 Ultra (2022)
Looking for serious desktop power at a refurbished price? Ask about our current Mac Studio stock, or let us diagnose and quote for a repair on the one you already own.
Image credit
Photo: Yasu. Wikimedia Commons source · CC BY-SA 3.0. Resized and compressed to WebP.
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