# Mac Studio (M5 Ultra) for local AI

URL: https://insidethemachine.ai/machines/mac-studio-m5-ultra
Type: Mac desktop. Chip: M5 Ultra (64- or 80-core GPU). Memory: unified, options 96, 256, 512 GB. Bandwidth: 1200 GB/s. Spec source: https://www.apple.com/mac-studio/specs/ (2026-10-15).
Price: from about $5,499 (2026-10-15, approximate). Status: current.

## Which models fit

| memory GB | usable GB | models that fit | best 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 96 | 72 | 83 | Qwen3.8 27B (22.7 GB), K2 Horizon MoVA 36B-A4B (28.1 GB), Qwen3.5 27B (21.5 GB) |
| 256 | 192 | 95 | Qwen3.8-Flash-Next (125B-A6B) (140 GB), Qwen3.8 27B (22.7 GB), Nemotron 3.5 Super VL 120B-A12B (105.5 GB) |
| 512 | 384 | 102 | GLM-5.3-Flash (233 GB), Qwen3.8-Flash-Next (125B-A6B) (140 GB), MiMo-V2.6-Flash (216.4 GB) |

## Published speeds (not our tests)

- gpt-oss-120b: 108.6 tok/s decode, 2829 tok/s prompt (oMLX v0.7.0, MXFP4 (MLX), M5 Ultra 80c, 256GB, community-measured) https://omlx.ai/benchmarks/performance/bcoqxlcv (2026-10-15)
- gpt-oss-120b: 110.1 tok/s decode, 1049 tok/s prompt (oMLX v0.7.0, MXFP4 (MLX), M5 Ultra 80c, 256GB, community-measured) https://omlx.ai/benchmarks/performance/bcoqxlcv (2026-10-15)

Notes: 256GB/512GB require the 36-core CPU/80-core GPU chip. Exact 256/512GB configured prices not captured (gap).

## Questions

**What is the best local LLM for the Mac Studio (M5 Ultra)?**
With 512 GB, GLM-5.3-Flash (needs 233 GB, AA 41.8). 102 of 124 models fit. With 96 GB: Qwen3.8 27B.

**How fast is the Mac Studio (M5 Ultra) for local AI?**
Published: gpt-oss-120b at 108.6 tokens/sec (oMLX v0.7.0, M5 Ultra 80c, 256GB); gpt-oss-120b at 110.1 tokens/sec (oMLX v0.7.0, M5 Ultra 80c, 256GB). These are other people's measurements, not ours.

**How much does the Mac Studio (M5 Ultra) cost?**
From about $5,499 (as of 2026-10-15). 2026 prices are inflated by the memory-chip shortage; check before buying.