The M5 Max Mac Studio offers external SSD alternatives that can save you money compared with Apple’s built-in storage upgrades. Apple charges £2,990 to move the new machine from 512GB to 8TB, a figure that has become far harder to justify following the company’s June price increases.
The new Mac Studio starts at £1,970 and is available to preorder ahead of its 22 September release. Choosing the 8TB option in Apple’s configurator adds £2,990 to the base model’s price, a substantial premium on top of the standard configuration.
Why an external SSD makes sense
An external SSD adds 8TB of capacity without replacing the 512GB already fitted inside the Mac. That approach delivers greater flexibility than committing to Apple’s internal upgrade at the point of purchase.
Because the drive sits outside the machine, it can move between computers as your needs change. It can also be replaced later should you require more space or faster performance, and it remains useful even after the Mac Studio it is paired with has been retired.
Weighing up the cost
Before Apple’s June price increases, the internal storage upgrade prices were easier to justify. The current pricing structure makes the case for third-party storage stronger, particularly for those who want to keep costs down without sacrificing capacity.
The choice ultimately comes down to how you plan to work. A built-in upgrade keeps everything contained within a single device, while an external drive spreads that investment across your wider setup and preserves its value over time.
The M5 Max Mac Studio starts at £1,970, with the 8TB internal upgrade adding £2,990 to that figure.
Source
Image: appleinsider.com
