The current Mac Pro debuted in 2019. However, Apple has subsequently migrated every other Mac to its chip architecture, beginning with the M1 in 2020, followed by the M1 Pro, the M2 in 2022, and M1 Max, M1 Ultra, and the M2 in 2022. The Mac Pro, which an old Intel CPU still powers, looks quite old.
Therefore it is predicted that the Mac Pro will soon receive a significant update when Apple adds its System on a Chip (SoC) to the workstation. This post will keep track of everything we learn about the upcoming Mac Pro, so reinstate this page to stay up to speed.
The release date for the new Mac Pro:
Apple's silicon-powered Mac Pro was an unexpected no-show at WWDC; the developer's conference was where the 2019 and 2013 Mac Pros were (shipping later in the year). When can we anticipate seeing the next Mac Pro?
In June 2020, Apple stated that it intended to convert all of its Macs to its CPUs within two years. This view is two years from June 2020, when Apple debuted the first M1 Mac: in November 2022. So, assuming Apple has yet to make it to its schedule, we may expect the Mac Pro to have a powerful Apple CPU before the end of 2022.
In an August 2021 Power On newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman stated that Apple is on pace to achieve its November 2022 timetable for the Apple-powered Mac Pro. So there's still a chance we'll see a new Mac Pro at an Apple event in October 2022.
However, Gurman's prognosis came in the summer of 2021; Gurman says the next Mac Pro may be available in 2023. Many people anticipate that the Mac Pro would have the upgradeability and configurable that the Mac Studio does not, which explains a higher price for comparable hardware.
Design of the New Mac Pro:
Will the next Mac Pro be designed differently? Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, who appears to have reliable sources, previously stated that Apple would not abandon the existing Mac Pro model. Given the issues Apple had the last time it reduced the size of the Mac Pro, this seems plausible. We hope the firm will only make the same error once and that the next Mac Pro will stick to the tried-and-true design.
Specifications for the New Mac Pro:
What should we anticipate from the new Mac Pro? Those Mac users using the Mac Pro will be interested in its possibilities. Will Apple be able to produce a CPU that can compete with Intel's workstation processors?
In the July 2022 Power On newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman stated that Apple would employ a new M2 Extreme processor in the extravagant Mac Pro, with the M2 Ultra obtainable at a reduced cost.
Uncertain what the specs for those processors are, but there was an earlier claim that Apple would combine two M1 Ultra to form an M1 Extreme - should it do the alike with the M2-variant, we may expect:
M2 Ultra: 24-core CPU, 80-core GPU, up to 192GB RAM (predicted).
M2 Extreme: 48-core CPU, 160-core GPU cores, up to 384GB RAM (forecast).
We go through the expectations of the M2 chip series: Everything you need to know about Apple's M2 processor.
CPU (Central Processing Unit):
The most significant number of CPU cores in a Mac Pro right now is 28, thanks to its Intel Xeon processor. The finest Mac Studio has a 20-core CPU. In comparison, AMD's high-end gaming PC CPUs can have up to 64 CPU cores.
Based on Apple merging two M1 ultras, we could notice a 40-core CPU, but now that the M2 is available, we could see a 48-core CPU. In terms of how many of those cores will be high-performance, a 2020 Bloomberg article indicated that the new CPU Apple is developing for the Mac Pro would have 32 high-performance cores - but that was for the M1, so that may be even more.
The M1 Ultra contains 20 cores, 16 high-performance, and four high-efficiency seats. As mentioned in the Bloomberg article, merging two of these M1 ultras might result in 32 high-performance and eight high-efficiency cores.
In a May 2021 report, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman predicted that the Apple silicon Mac Pro would have 20 or 40 computing cores, with 16 performance and four coherence cores.
Will an Intel processor power the next Mac Pro?:
According to Yuuki and in a July 2021 Tweet, Apple might produce a Mac Pro in 2022 that uses Intel Ice Lake Xeon W-3300 workstation CPUs. On Twitter, Brendan Shanks discovered references to Intel's Ice Lake CPUs in the Xcode 13 beta.
In response, Mark Gurman tweeted that Apple was working on a Mac Pro version with an Intel chip.
However, more than a year later, that upgrade has yet to arrive, and we do not anticipate any Intel update for the Mac Pro. If Apple continues to sell Intel-based Mac Pro versions, we may presume that will be AMD graphics, but rumors have yet to surface indicating what enhancements are in the works. We must also determine how long Apple will keep selling non-Apple silicon Macs.
RAM and storage:
RAM is a critical concern for creative professionals. The M1 Max has 64GB of RAM (or unified memory, as Apple calls it), and the M1 Ultra has 128GB of Unified Memory. If Apple can merge two M1 Ultra, we may see 256GB RAM capability.
On the other hand, the contemporary Intel Mac Pro provides up to 1.5TB of DDR4 ECC memory in 12 user-attainable DIMM slots, putting it ahead of where the next Mac Pro might theoretically be.
However, another disadvantage may cause professionals to ignore this machine: Apple needs to employ standard, user-upgradable RAM in M1-powered Macs. Instead, it uses unified memory, which is very different. On the M1 MacBook and iMac, the RAM is embedded directly into the chip rather than soldered onto the motherboard, making it quicker and more efficient. There are obvious advantages; however, for customers who need customization, there may be a need to provide slots so that RAM may be expanded, like in earlier Macs. However, we are still determining if Apple will pursue this method with the Mac Pro.
However, a significant reassessment of a Pro desktop is more plausible. The unified memory is a large part of what makes the M1 Macs so quick, but attaching the memory to the processor would considerably raise the buying price.
Apple presently provides a maximum of 8TB of storage in their Mac Pro; we anticipate this will remain. The connectors are also unlikely to change, given Apple currently provides a pair of Ethernet and ports four USB ports (two Thunderbolt 3 and two USB 3). The Mac Pro, on the other hand, includes eight PCIe x16-sized slots that accommodate a wide range of PCIe cards, allowing you to add extra ports. Although compatibility is unknown, Apple will likely offer expansion slots on an M1 Mac Pro.
Pro Display on the New Mac Pro:
When Apple released the Mac Pro in 2019, it came with an expensive companion: a Pro Display XDR with an optional stand. Apple may be working on an update, which may be even more pricey. In our separate rumor roundup, we discuss the new XDR display.
However, the rumors of a new display might refer to the Studio Display released in March.
