Mac Studio Price Guide 2026: Every Model New, Used and Refurbished — and What Yours Is Worth
By Ramzan "Ray" Harji, Certified Apple Refurbisher · MacPro-LA, Hollywood · 15 years buying and selling Macs · Updated October 6, 2026
Quick answer
A used Mac Studio costs about $1,100 to $2,800 for an M1 Max or M2 Max in October 2026, $2,000 to $7,300 for an M1 Ultra or M2 Ultra depending on memory, and $4,000 to $10,000 for an M3 Ultra, with 512GB models trading at $16,000 or more. New, the 2026 Mac Studio starts at $2,499 (M5 Max) and $5,499 (M5 Ultra). Memory is the spec that moves the price most: high-RAM Mac Studios hold their value, and some sell above their original price because of the 2026 memory shortage and demand for running AI models locally.
We sold 120 Mac Studios in the last 12 months from our shop on Cahuenga Blvd in Hollywood, and we buy them back through Sell Your Mac. This page is the price sheet we wish existed: every Mac Studio Apple has made, what it cost new, what it sells for used today, and what it is worth if you sell it. We update it every month.
Mac Studio prices: every model, October 2026
| Mac Studio (chip · memory · storage) | Released | Launch price | Used / refurbished asking price | Private sales (eBay sold, Sep 10–Oct 6, 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M1 Max · 32GB · 512GB | March 2022 | $1,999 | $1,429–$1,800 | $1,100–$1,250 |
| M1 Max · 64GB · 1TB | March 2022 | — | from $2,085 | $1,650–$2,000 |
| M1 Ultra · 64GB · 1TB | March 2022 | $3,999 | from $4,697 | $1,999–$3,299 |
| M1 Ultra · 128GB | March 2022 | — | from $5,145 | $3,850–$4,600 |
| M2 Max · 32GB · 512GB | June 2023 | $1,999 | $1,870–$2,110 | $1,299–$1,699 |
| M2 Max · 64GB · 1TB | June 2023 | — | rarely listed | $2,000–$2,800 |
| M2 Ultra · 64GB · 1TB | June 2023 | $3,999 | rarely listed | $2,850–$3,600 |
| M2 Ultra · 128GB | June 2023 | — | rarely listed | $4,199–$5,399 |
| M2 Ultra · 192GB | June 2023 | — | rarely listed | $5,925–$7,300 |
| M4 Max · 36GB · 512GB | March 2025 | $1,999 (Apple now $2,499) | about $2,528 | $1,800–$2,170 |
| M4 Max · 64GB | March 2025 | — | rarely listed | $3,100–$3,700 |
| M3 Ultra · 96GB · 1TB | March 2025 | $3,999 (Apple now $5,299) | rarely listed | $4,000–$5,049 |
| M3 Ultra · 256GB | March 2025 | — | rarely listed | $7,300–$9,999 |
| M3 Ultra · 512GB | March 2025 | discontinued March 2026 | rarely listed | $16,000–$19,750 (top sales near $25,000) |
| M5 Max · 36GB · 512GB | September 2026 | $2,499 | new only | too new |
| M5 Ultra · 96GB · 1TB | September 2026 | $5,499 | new only | too new |
Supply is tight right now. On October 6, 2026, Apple's Certified Refurbished store listed no Mac Studios at all, at least one large refurbisher was sold out, and M2 Ultra and M3 Ultra units were missing from the major refurb marketplaces. If you need a high-memory Mac Studio, expect to look harder and pay more than older guides suggest.
In stock at MacPro-LA and shipping today. While Apple's refurbished store has none and other refurbishers are sold out, we have tested Mac Studios on the shelf in Hollywood, each with a 1-year warranty and free shipping. Order before the cut-off and it ships the same day, or pick it up at our showroom. See what is in stock →
How we priced this: on October 6, 2026 we checked Apple Certified Refurbished, Back Market, Amazon Renewed, OWC, Mac of All Trades and eBay completed sales. Asking prices are for working units with a warranty. Private-sale prices are what eBay buyers actually paid between September 10 and October 6, 2026. Exact value depends on RAM, storage and GPU cores.
What Mac Studios actually sold for at MacPro-LA
Asking prices are one thing. Here is what customers really paid us, on average, after discounts and returns, over the last 12 months (October 2025 to October 2026):
| Chip | Units sold | Average price paid |
|---|---|---|
| Mac Studio M1 Max (2022) | 35 | $2,417 |
| Mac Studio M2 Max (2023) | 31 | $2,549 |
| Mac Studio M4 Max (2025) | 20 | $3,175 |
| Mac Studio M1 Ultra (2022) | 13 | $4,076 |
| Mac Studio M3 Ultra (2025) | 10 | $6,998 |
Two things jump out. First, the M1 Max is still our best-selling Mac Studio, four years after launch, because 64GB of RAM for around $2,500 is hard to beat. Second, average prices are higher than most "used Mac Studio" guides suggest, because buyers want the high-memory configurations, and those hold their value.
Which Mac Studio should you buy used in 2026?
For a Mac Studio, memory (RAM) matters more than the chip generation. RAM is fixed at purchase and can never be upgraded, so buy for the RAM you need first, then pick the newest chip you can afford with it.
- Photo editing, music production, coding, 4K video: M1 Max or M2 Max with 32GB–64GB. The best value in the lineup.
- Heavy 4K/6K/8K video, multicam, 3D: M2 Ultra or M4 Max with 64GB+. The M4 Max is faster per core; the Ultra chips have more GPU cores.
- Running local AI models (LLMs): as much unified memory as you can afford. 128GB is the practical floor for large models; the M2 Ultra (up to 192GB), M3 Ultra (up to 256GB new, 512GB used) and M5 Ultra are the machines people are buying for this, which is why their used prices are rising.
- Office, browsing, light creative work: you do not need a Mac Studio. A Mac mini will do it for less.
Maximum RAM by Mac Studio chip
A common mistake (we have seen AI chatbots repeat it) is that the Mac Studio tops out at 32GB. It does not. Base models start at 32GB or more, and the ceiling depends on the chip:
| Chip | CPU / GPU | Starting memory | Maximum memory | Memory bandwidth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M1 Max | 10-core CPU, 24- or 32-core GPU | 32GB | 64GB | 400GB/s |
| M1 Ultra | 20-core CPU, 48- or 64-core GPU | 64GB | 128GB | 800GB/s |
| M2 Max | 12-core CPU, 30- or 38-core GPU | 32GB | 96GB | 400GB/s |
| M2 Ultra | 24-core CPU, 60- or 76-core GPU | 64GB | 192GB | 800GB/s |
| M4 Max | 14 or 16-core CPU, 32- or 40-core GPU | 36GB | 128GB | 410–546GB/s |
| M3 Ultra | 28 or 32-core CPU, 60- or 80-core GPU | 96GB | 512GB at launch; 256GB since March 2026 | 819GB/s |
| M5 Max | 18-core CPU, 32- or 40-core GPU | 36GB | 128GB | 460–614GB/s |
| M5 Ultra | 30 or 36-core CPU, 64- or 80-core GPU | 96GB | 512GB (shipping late October 2026) | 1.2TB/s |
Every Mac Studio from 2022 onward is supported by macOS 27, and every model runs Apple Intelligence. The M4 Max, M3 Ultra and M5 models add Thunderbolt 5; the M5 generation adds Wi-Fi 7.
Why used Mac Studio prices went up in 2026
Used Mac Studio prices normally fall when Apple releases a new model. In 2026 the opposite happened, for three reasons:
- A memory shortage. On March 6, 2026, Apple stopped selling the 512GB M3 Ultra and raised the price of the 256GB upgrade from $1,600 to $2,000, citing memory supply. By April, top-memory configurations were quoted at 4–5 months for delivery.
- Apple raised prices mid-cycle. On June 25, 2026, Apple raised prices across the Mac line for the first time mid-generation. The Mac Studio M4 Max went from $1,999 to $2,499 and the M3 Ultra from $3,999 to $5,299. That lifted the value of every used Mac Studio with it.
- Local AI. Developers and studios running large AI models on their own machines need huge amounts of unified memory, and the Mac Studio is one of the few computers that offers it. In April 2026, used 512GB M3 Ultras were reported listed for up to $25,000, and in our check this month they were still selling for $16,000 to nearly $25,000.
The new M5 Mac Studio started shipping on September 22, 2026, but its 512GB version does not ship until late October. Until it does, high-memory used Mac Studios are likely to stay expensive.
What moves the price of a Mac Studio
- Chip tier: Max vs Ultra. An Ultra is two Max chips joined together. It roughly doubles the GPU and the price.
- RAM. The biggest swing within a chip. 64GB and 128GB+ units sell fastest and hold value best.
- Storage. Matters less than people think; external Thunderbolt SSDs are cheap. Each step (512GB → 1TB → 2TB) adds a few hundred dollars.
- GPU cores. Some chips came in two GPU versions (for example the M1 Ultra with 48 or 64 GPU cores). Check before you compare prices.
- Condition and warranty. Open-box and AppleCare+ units command a premium. Cosmetic wear on a desktop matters less than on a laptop.
Mac Studio vs Mac mini: the short version
The Mac mini M4 Pro (up to 64GB of RAM) now covers a lot of what the M1 Max Mac Studio did. The Mac Studio still wins on GPU power, memory ceiling, front ports, 10Gb Ethernet as standard, and sustained performance under load. Full breakdown: Mac mini vs Mac Studio. Comparing chips? See our M4 Max vs M2 Max vs M2 Ultra benchmarks.
How to check a used Mac Studio before you buy
A Mac Studio is a desktop, so there is no battery, screen or keyboard to wear out. That makes it one of the safest Macs to buy used. These are the checks that matter, and the ones our Certified Apple Technicians run on every unit:
- Activation Lock and MDM: the Mac must be signed out of the previous owner's iCloud and free of any company management profile. A locked Mac Studio is a paperweight.
- Exact configuration: Apple menu → About This Mac → More Info. Confirm the chip, GPU cores, memory and storage match the listing.
- SSD health: check the drive reports healthy and the full advertised capacity.
- Every port: all Thunderbolt, USB-A, HDMI, 10Gb Ethernet, the headphone jack, and the front SD slot (Max and Ultra).
- Fans and thermals under load: run a long export or benchmark. It should stay quiet and not throttle.
- Warranty: buy with at least a 1-year warranty. Every Mac Studio we sell has one.
Selling a Mac Studio: what is yours worth?
Use the private-sales column in the table above as a guide; a dealer cash offer is normally below a private sale, because the dealer tests, warranties and resells the machine. The quickest way to get a real number for your exact configuration is to enter your specs at sellmacsforcash.com. We pay the same day in Los Angeles and ship nationwide. We buy working Mac Studios only; normal cosmetic wear is fine. Model-by-model detail: How much is a 2022 Mac Studio M1 Max worth?
Mac Studio price questions
How much is a used Mac Studio worth in 2026?
In October 2026 a used Mac Studio M1 Max sells for about $1,100 to $2,000 privately, an M2 Max for about $1,300 to $2,800, an M1 Ultra or M2 Ultra for about $2,000 to $7,300 depending on memory, and an M3 Ultra for about $4,000 to $10,000. 512GB M3 Ultras sell for $16,000 or more. Memory is the biggest factor.
What is the price of a new Mac Studio?
The current Mac Studio (2026) starts at $2,499 with the M5 Max chip, 36GB of memory and 512GB of storage, and at $5,499 with the M5 Ultra, 96GB of memory and 1TB of storage. Fully configured models cost much more.
Is the Mac Studio M1 Max still good in 2026?
Yes. The M1 Max Mac Studio is supported by macOS 27, runs Apple Intelligence, and handles photo editing, music production, coding and 4K video easily. It is our best-selling Mac Studio: we sold 35 in the last 12 months, at an average of $2,417.
Is a refurbished Mac Studio worth it?
For most buyers, yes. A Mac Studio has no battery, screen or keyboard to wear out, so a tested used unit performs like new. Buy from a seller that checks Activation Lock and MDM and gives at least a 1-year warranty.
How much RAM can a Mac Studio have?
It depends on the chip: up to 64GB (M1 Max), 128GB (M1 Ultra, M4 Max, M5 Max), 96GB (M2 Max), 192GB (M2 Ultra), and 512GB (M3 Ultra at launch, M5 Ultra). The Mac Studio does not top out at 32GB; that is the starting point on early models.
Why are used Mac Studio prices so high?
A 2026 memory shortage, Apple's June 2026 price increase, and demand from people running AI models locally. High-memory models such as the 192GB M2 Ultra and 256GB–512GB M3 Ultra have held or gained value.
Does the Mac Studio ever go on sale?
New Mac Studios are rarely discounted by Apple, though retailers occasionally take $100–$200 off. The bigger savings are on used and open-box units, and on our Mac Studio deals and clearance page.
Where can I sell my Mac Studio?
You can sell to Apple Trade In (store credit), online buyback sites, private buyers, or a refurbisher. MacPro-LA buys working Mac Studios through sellmacsforcash.com and pays the same day in Los Angeles, with free shipping nationwide.
Where can I buy a used Mac Studio in Los Angeles?
MacPro-LA has a showroom at 1947 N Cahuenga Blvd, Ste 104, Hollywood, CA 90068. MacPro-LA has Mac Studios in stock and ships the same day, while Apple's refurbished store currently has none. Every Mac Studio is tested by Certified Apple Technicians and includes a 1-year warranty, with free shipping or local pickup.
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