Apple charges over 100% more to double Mac Studio M5 Ultra memory, making two 256GB units cheaper than one 512GB

Apple charges $11,500 just to double Mac Studio memory

by · TechRadar

News By Efosa Udinmwen Published 2 November 2026 2 min read

(Image credit: Apple)

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  • Two 256GB Mac Studios cost $701 less than one 512GB system.
  • Apple's $11,500 memory upgrade doubles capacity without adding another processor.
  • Two units deliver separate CPUs, GPUs, and storage for less money.

Apple's latest Mac Studio M5 Ultra configuration has attracted criticism over the substantial additional charge required to double its available memory capacity.

A 256GB version costs $10,799, while selecting 512GB adds another $11,500, bringing the total price for the model to $22,299.

That means purchasing two 256GB systems for $21,598 costs $701 less than buying one machine with equivalent combined memory capacity.

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Two computers offer more hardware for less money

The comparison has raised questions about Apple's pricing strategy, particularly since purchasing two smaller configurations provides considerably more computing hardware for less money.

Each workstation comes with its own processor, graphics capabilities and storage, allowing buyers to operate separate systems instead of upgrading memory.

The M5 Ultra configuration includes a 36-core CPU, an 80-core GPU and a 32-core Neural Engine for demanding professional workloads.

Consequently, customers purchasing two machines receive two complete processing systems, rather than paying the additional amount for increased memory capacity.

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