Mac Studio M3 Ultra prices diverge

Hot take: this isn't normal used-Mac depreciation; it's a thin auction for a discontinued, memory-maxed AI box. MacRumors reported on March 5, 2026 that Apple removed the 512GB memory tier and raised the 256GB upgrade price, so the 512GB SKU now behaves like an off-menu part rather than a standard used computer. The real value driver is unified memory, not storage. The 4TB SSD matters, but the buyers setting the price are the ones trying to run large local LLMs, agents, and other memory-hungry workloads. The price signals are all over the map: the thread's commenters talk about a floor around $9k and common asks in the $10k-$13k range, while public listings span from a $4,750 eBay classified ad to a £11,330 UK ask. Apple's own refurbished 256GB/4TB M3 Ultra sits at $5,609, so any clean 512GB/4TB unit has a real premium to justify. The biggest downside risk is a future M5 Ultra refresh with a restored high-memory option; if that happens, today's scarcity premium could compress fast.