Mac StudioAvailable
Mac Studio M5 Max
18-core CPU / 32-core GPU, 36GB
$2,499at Apple Store
36 GB · 460 GB/s
Check pricePlatform comparison
Mac Studio vs Strix Halo for local AI
Mac Studio has more memory bandwidth (up to 1,200 GB/s vs 256 GB/s), so it generates tokens faster on the same model. Among priced configs, Strix Halo offers the most usable model memory (~96 GB vs ~72 GB). The cheapest Mac Studio we track is $2,499 (Mac Studio M5 Max, 36 GB); the cheapest Strix Halo is $2,200 (GMKtec EVO-X2, 64 GB). Prices & stock checked 2026-10-23. Prices change daily and some retailers block our checker, so always confirm on the store page.
At a glance
| Apple Mac Studio (M5 Max / M5 Ultra) | Strix Halo mini PCs (Ryzen AI Max+ 395) | |
|---|---|---|
| Machines tracked | 4 | 5 |
| Price range | $2,499–$5,499 | $2,200–$4,349 |
| Memory options | 36 GB–256 GB | 64 GB–128 GB |
| Bandwidth | 460 GB/s–1,200 GB/s | 256 GB/s |
| Usable for models (est.) | ~75% of memory | ~75% of memory |
| Software | MLX / Metal | ROCm / Vulkan |
No current price for: Mac Studio M5 Ultra. It's left out of the price ranges.
Model by model (4-bit)
| Model | Mac Studio | Strix Halo |
|---|---|---|
| Qwen3.5 9B | up to ~139 tok/sfrom $2,499 (Mac Studio M5 Max) | up to ~37 tok/sfrom $2,200 (GMKtec EVO-X2) |
| Gemma 4 12B | up to ~111 tok/sfrom $2,499 (Mac Studio M5 Max) | up to ~28 tok/sfrom $2,200 (GMKtec EVO-X2) |
| GPT-OSS 20B | up to ~119 tok/sfrom $2,499 (Mac Studio M5 Max) | up to ~69 tok/sfrom $2,200 (GMKtec EVO-X2) |
| Gemma 4 26B-A4B | up to ~114 tok/sfrom $2,499 (Mac Studio M5 Max) | up to ~61 tok/sfrom $2,200 (GMKtec EVO-X2) |
| Qwen3.8 27B | up to ~55 tok/sfrom $2,499 (Mac Studio M5 Max) | up to ~12 tok/sfrom $2,200 (GMKtec EVO-X2) |
| GLM-4.7-Flash 30B-A3B | up to ~120 tok/sfrom $2,499 (Mac Studio M5 Max) | up to ~72 tok/sfrom $2,200 (GMKtec EVO-X2) |
| Gemma 4 31B | up to ~49 tok/sfrom $2,499 (Mac Studio M5 Max) | up to ~11 tok/sfrom $2,200 (GMKtec EVO-X2) |
| Qwen3.6 35B-A3B | up to ~120 tok/sfrom $2,499 (Mac Studio M5 Max) | up to ~72 tok/sfrom $2,200 (GMKtec EVO-X2) |
| Llama 3.3 70B | up to ~23 tok/sfrom $5,499 (Mac Studio M5 Ultra) | up to ~5 tok/sfrom $2,200 (GMKtec EVO-X2) |
| Qwen3-Next 80B-A3B | up to ~120 tok/sfrom $5,499 (Mac Studio M5 Ultra) | up to ~72 tok/sfrom $3,449 (Framework Desktop DIY) |
| Llama 4 Scout 109B-A17B | up to ~60 tok/sfrom $5,499 (Mac Studio M5 Ultra) | up to ~18 tok/sfrom $3,449 (Framework Desktop DIY) |
| GPT-OSS 120B | up to ~109 tok/sfrom $5,499 (Mac Studio M5 Ultra) | up to ~55 tok/sfrom $3,449 (Framework Desktop DIY) |
| Nemotron 3 Super 120B-A12B | up to ~73 tok/sonly on a config with no current price | up to ~25 tok/sfrom $3,449 (Framework Desktop DIY) |
| Qwen3.5 122B-A10B | up to ~80 tok/sonly on a config with no current price | up to ~29 tok/sfrom $3,449 (Framework Desktop DIY) |
Fastest estimated decode across each platform's tracked configs, and the cheapest priced config that fits. How we estimate
Mac Studio configs we track
Mac StudioAvailable
Mac Studio M5 Max
18-core CPU / 40-core GPU, 48GB
$3,099at Apple Store
48 GB · 614 GB/s
Check priceMac StudioAvailable
Mac Studio M5 Ultra
30-core CPU / 64-core GPU, 96GB
$5,499at Apple Store
96 GB · 1,200 GB/s
Check priceStrix Halo configs we track
Strix HaloAvailable
GMKtec EVO-X2
Ryzen AI Max+ 395, 64GB / 1TB
$2,200at GMKtec store
64 GB · 256 GB/s
Check price
Strix HaloOut of stock
Framework Desktop DIY
Ryzen AI Max+ 395, 128GB
$3,449at Framework store
128 GB · 256 GB/s
Check priceStrix HaloAvailable
GMKtec EVO-X2
Ryzen AI Max+ 395, 128GB / 1TB
$3,500at GMKtec store
128 GB · 256 GB/s
Check price
Strix HaloAvailable
Minisforum MS-S1 Max
Ryzen AI Max+ 395, 128GB / 2TB
$3,919at Minisforum store
128 GB · 256 GB/s
Check price
Strix HaloPre-order
Beelink GTR9 Pro
Ryzen AI Max+ 395, 128GB / 2TB
$4,349at Beelink store
128 GB · 256 GB/s
Check priceFAQ
Is Mac Studio or Strix Halo better for local LLMs?
Mac Studio has more memory bandwidth (up to 1,200 GB/s vs 256 GB/s), so it generates tokens faster on the same model. Among priced configs, Strix Halo offers the most usable model memory (~96 GB vs ~72 GB).
Which is cheaper, Mac Studio or Strix Halo?
The cheapest Mac Studio we track is $2,499 (Mac Studio M5 Max, 36 GB); the cheapest Strix Halo is $2,200 (GMKtec EVO-X2, 64 GB).
Which is faster for big MoE models?
Decode speed scales with memory bandwidth, so Mac Studio is faster on any model that fits on both. Prompt processing depends on compute, where NVIDIA leads.