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AtlanticFox 143K Views
Sep 23, 2026 2:46 PM

Select Stores: Apple Mac Studio Desktop (2026): M5 Max, 36GB RAM, 512GB SSD

$2,000

$2,500

20% off
(In-Store Only, Limited Stock)at Micro Center
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Deal Details
Select Micro Center Stores have Apple Mac Studio M5 Max Desktop Computer (2026, MHL64LL/A) for $1999.99 (In-Store Only).

Thanks to Community Member AtlanticFox for finding this deal.

Note: Select stores may be available for pickup. Availability may vary by location and is very limited.

Specs:
  • Apple M5 Max 18-Core CPU
  • 36GB Unified RAM
  • 512GB SSD
  • Apple M5 Max Chip 32-Core GPU
  • WiFi 7 (802.11be) + Bluetooth 6.0
  • 480 Watt Power Supply
  • SDXC Card Reader
  • macOS
  • Ports:
    • Front/Top Panel
      • 2x USB 3.2 (Gen 2 Type-C)
    • Back Panel
      • 2x USB 3.2 (Gen 1 Type-A)
      • 4x Thunderbolt 5
      • 1x HDMI 2.1
      • 1x LAN RJ45 (10 GbE)
      • 1x 3.5mm Headphone

Editor's Notes

Written by SubZero5 | Staff
  • About this deal:
    • Our research indicates that this deal is $449.01 less (18% savings) than the next best available price from a reputable merchant with prices starting from $2,449 at the time of this post.
  • About this store:
    • Details of Micro Center's return policy (here)

Original Post

Written by AtlanticFox
Community Notes
About the Poster
Deal Details
Community Notes
About the Poster
Select Micro Center Stores have Apple Mac Studio M5 Max Desktop Computer (2026, MHL64LL/A) for $1999.99 (In-Store Only).

Thanks to Community Member AtlanticFox for finding this deal.

Note: Select stores may be available for pickup. Availability may vary by location and is very limited.

Specs:
  • Apple M5 Max 18-Core CPU
  • 36GB Unified RAM
  • 512GB SSD
  • Apple M5 Max Chip 32-Core GPU
  • WiFi 7 (802.11be) + Bluetooth 6.0
  • 480 Watt Power Supply
  • SDXC Card Reader
  • macOS
  • Ports:
    • Front/Top Panel
      • 2x USB 3.2 (Gen 2 Type-C)
    • Back Panel
      • 2x USB 3.2 (Gen 1 Type-A)
      • 4x Thunderbolt 5
      • 1x HDMI 2.1
      • 1x LAN RJ45 (10 GbE)
      • 1x 3.5mm Headphone

Editor's Notes

Written by SubZero5 | Staff
  • About this deal:
    • Our research indicates that this deal is $449.01 less (18% savings) than the next best available price from a reputable merchant with prices starting from $2,449 at the time of this post.
  • About this store:
    • Details of Micro Center's return policy (here)

Original Post

Written by AtlanticFox

Community Voting

Deal Score
+309
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Why are you downvoting this deal?

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Top Comments

Caleo
6.8KComments
1.2KReputation
This is oddly reasonable. 36GB isn't super amazing but it's enough to run the decent MoE models that are targeted for 24GB VRAM (like gemma4:26b-a4b, qwen3.6:36b-a3b).. if local LLM is what you're looking to do with this.
Go to Comment
AtlanticFox
33Comments
26Reputation
It's $300 more than the Mac Mini M5 Pro. You get vastly better graphics performance, 12 GB extra RAM, better Ethernet. For $300 extra, it's a good deal for a lot of people. If it was the original price of $2.5k, I see your point more.
Go to Comment
ChaoticThrifty
35Comments
18Reputation
Get it while you can. I'm still kicking myself for not jumping on the Mac Mini and Mac Studio deals of winter 2025.
Go to Comment

Community Reviews

This Mac Studio stands out as a compact but powerful desktop for local AI, video work, and heavy productivity, with the M5 Max, 36GB unified memory, and lots of ports drawing the most praise. The 10Gb Ethernet, strong graphics, and lower throttling make it feel like a bigger step up than a Mac mini, and the price matchable $1,999 to $2,000 range looks unusually low for a fresh release. The main knocks are the fixed 36GB memory ceiling and 512GB SSD, which feel tight for larger LLMs and storage-heavy workflows. Availability and price matching have also been inconsistent, so timing and store stock matter.

Common Questions (5)

AI-generated summary based on comments from the community. Updated ago

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225 Comments

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Sep 23, 2026 3:42 PM
89 Comments
Joined Nov 2018
kashhhmoneyyySep 23, 2026 3:42 PM
89 Comments
considering this computer just released yesterday, not sure what Micro Center is doing giving 20% off of it.

I was able to price match this at Best Buy by chatting in. Funny enough, I attempted to price match this to the apple education store, I got approved on chat to do that but my chat disconnected cause I was scrolling instagram. I chatted back in, and tried to do that again, but they said they weren't allowed to price match the apple education store, but they could price match micro center for $1999.

At first I thought they maybe confused with an older chip like m4 or m2, but I guess micro center decided to put the computer that released yesterday on sale. Granted it says sold out, so I'm not sure why Best Buy decided to price match it but my order is ready for pickup.
1
8
Sep 23, 2026 4:04 PM
135 Comments
Joined Apr 2009
dotCOMdiscountSep 23, 2026 4:04 PM
135 Comments
Quote from kashhhmoneyyy View quoted comment :
considering this computer just released yesterday, not sure what Micro Center is doing giving 20% off of it.

I was able to price match this at Best Buy by chatting in. Funny enough, I attempted to price match this to the apple education store, I got approved on chat to do that but my chat disconnected cause I was scrolling instagram. I chatted back in, and tried to do that again, but they said they weren't allowed to price match the apple education store, but they could price match micro center for $1999.

At first I thought they maybe confused with an older chip like m4 or m2, but I guess micro center decided to put the computer that released yesterday on sale. Granted it says sold out, so I'm not sure why Best Buy decided to price match it but my order is ready for pickup.
microcenter regularly sells apple computers at a discount, close to or even better than the education discounts sometimes. not sure how apple allows them to do it, but they do
Sep 23, 2026 4:07 PM
47 Comments
Joined Jun 2015

This comment has been rated as unhelpful by Slickdeals users.

Sep 23, 2026 4:17 PM
76 Comments
Joined Mar 2016
cn288Sep 23, 2026 4:17 PM
76 Comments
Was able to price match with Best Buy. I think this is a great price for the machine if you can use all this power.
Sep 23, 2026 4:19 PM
2.7K Comments
Joined Nov 2018
drsnowmonSep 23, 2026 4:19 PM
2.7K Comments
This seems like a deal after the ridiculous price increases with MacBooks.
4
Sep 23, 2026 4:23 PM
35 Comments
Joined Nov 2018
ChaoticThriftySep 23, 2026 4:23 PM
35 Comments

Our community has rated this post as helpful. If you agree, why not thank

Get it while you can. I'm still kicking myself for not jumping on the Mac Mini and Mac Studio deals of winter 2025.
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Sep 23, 2026 4:31 PM
6.8K Comments
Joined Dec 2004
CaleoSep 23, 2026 4:31 PM
6.8K Comments

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This is oddly reasonable. 36GB isn't super amazing but it's enough to run the decent MoE models that are targeted for 24GB VRAM (like gemma4:26b-a4b, qwen3.6:36b-a3b).. if local LLM is what you're looking to do with this.
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Sep 23, 2026 4:50 PM
995 Comments
Joined Oct 2010
privaterSep 23, 2026 4:50 PM
995 Comments

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This price is close to Mac mini M5 Pro custom with 24GB ram and 10G ethernet($1800) and cheaper than it with 48G ram($2400).
Not considering it's a M5 Max chip w/o performance throttle. 18 vs 15 CPU cores, 32 vs 16 GPU cores, memory bandwidth...
and a lot more ports for connectivity.

First day of release with a price cut of 20% off is huge
Last edited by privater September 23, 2026 at 12:36 PM.
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Sep 23, 2026 4:58 PM
10 Comments
Joined Jul 2016

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Original Poster
Sep 23, 2026 5:08 PM
33 Comments
Joined May 2015
AtlanticFox
Original Poster
Sep 23, 2026 5:08 PM
33 Comments
Quote from wangb1 View quoted comment :
sold out
Depends on the area. One left at my local store.
2
Sep 23, 2026 5:41 PM
17 Comments
Joined Apr 2017
PenPewPewPewSep 23, 2026 5:41 PM
17 Comments
Gah dang it, I need to find the CEO and tell him to build one in my state. Houston is a long trip
1
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Sep 23, 2026 5:47 PM
3.9K Comments
Joined Oct 2006
MacB00kemDannoSep 23, 2026 5:47 PM
3.9K Comments
3 in stock at my store (Charlotte, NC). The new Mac mini is $100 off too..

https://www.microcenter.com/produ...p-computer
1
Sep 23, 2026 5:51 PM
9 Comments
Joined Oct 2018

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Original Poster
Sep 23, 2026 6:03 PM
33 Comments
Joined May 2015
AtlanticFox
Original Poster
Sep 23, 2026 6:03 PM
33 Comments

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Quote from AmusedPear914 View quoted comment :
36 GB vram is a nonstarter for the studios,, might as well just get the mini
It's $300 more than the Mac Mini M5 Pro. You get vastly better graphics performance, 12 GB extra RAM, better Ethernet. For $300 extra, it's a good deal for a lot of people. If it was the original price of $2.5k, I see your point more.
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Sep 23, 2026 6:07 PM
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Joined Aug 2011

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