For the first time since Apple Silicon debuted, the M6 will launch as a standalone chip with no Pro or Max versions, marking a significant departure from Apple’s silicon roadmap.

Apple’s most powerful desktop computer is caught between an impossible supply crunch and an uncertain launch window. The M5 Ultra Mac Studio, expected to arrive in October with around 36 CPU cores and 80 GPU cores, faces a memory shortage so severe that Apple raised prices on its existing M3 Ultra model by $1,300 in a single day.