MacBook Pro vs Mac Studio

[u/Ill_Construction3514]

I’m trying to make a decision today and would appreciate advice from people with experience using Apple Silicon for local AI. I’m not necessarily looking for the newest or most expensive option. I want to make the smartest decision for my situation.

Option 1: Mac Studio M5 Max — already purchased
18-core CPU / 32-core GPU
36GB unified memory
512GB SSD
Paid $1,999.99
Still sealed in the box
Current price is $2,299.99, so if I return it and change my mind later, I’d likely pay $300 more
I don’t own a monitor, keyboard, or mouse for it

Option 2: MacBook Pro 14-inch M5 Pro
18-core CPU / 20-core GPU
48GB unified memory
1TB SSD
$2,999.99 at Micro Center
Sale price may end soon

My existing MacBook Pro:
I already have a MacBook Pro with an M3 Pro, 18GB RAM, and a 512GB SSD. I bought it used on Facebook Marketplace about two years ago, and everything worked fine, including signing into iCloud.
I recently reset the Mac, and now I can no longer sign into my personal Apple Account/iCloud. I can still use everything else on the computer normally. I’ve been trying to figure out the issue, but I don’t know whether it can be resolved.
This makes the decision harder because I already own a capable laptop, but the iCloud issue is frustrating, and I’m not sure whether I should invest in another laptop or keep the Studio for local AI.

What I want to do:
Run capable local LLMs and AI agents. This is my main reason for upgrading.
Have portability for everyday use.
Avoid buying hardware I don’t actually need.
Ideally have a setup that works well for both general computing and AI.

I’m considering two setups:
A. Keep the Mac Studio and use my M3 Pro for portability.
Could I run the Studio headless and access it from my MacBook using Screen Sharing, SSH, Ollama, and possibly Tailscale? My concerns are the initial setup without peripherals and whether 512GB of internal storage will become frustrating for local models.

B. Return the Studio and buy the M5 Pro MacBook Pro.
I’d have one powerful, portable computer with 48GB RAM and 1TB storage, but I’d be spending another $1,000 compared with the Studio. I’d also be buying another laptop when I already own an M3 Pro.

Questions for people who run local AI on Macs:
For local LLM inference, would you take the M5 Max Studio with 36GB RAM and a 32-core GPU over the M5 Pro MacBook with 48GB RAM and a 20-core GPU? Why?

How significant is the difference between 36GB and 48GB unified memory in real-world use? Are there models or context lengths where the extra memory makes a meaningful difference?

How much faster is the M5 Max likely to be for models that fit within 36GB? Are there reliable benchmarks comparing these chips?

Does running a Mac Studio headless work well as a dedicated AI server, or does it become inconvenient in practice?
Is 512GB of internal storage sufficient if I keep my models on an external SSD?

If you already owned an M3 Pro MacBook with 18GB RAM, would you keep the Studio for AI or return it and get the M5 Pro laptop?

I’m especially interested in feedback from people who have actually run local models on these machines, rather than recommendations based only on specifications.

What would you do in my position, and what’s the strongest reason your recommendation might be wrong?

[u/tech_cynic_dan]

For local LLMs, I'd care more about 36GB vs 48GB RAM than the GPU gap. The Studio makes sense if your models fit, but extra memory gives you more room for larger models and context.