Apple will reportedly stick with Intel processors for the next-generation Mac Pro.
According to a reliable insider Yukki_AnS on Twitter, the next version of Apple’s Mac Pro will feature an Ice Lake Xeon W-3300 CPU, corroborating reports from earlier in the year that new Intel-based Macs were coming.
Earlier in the year, Mark Gurman of Bloomberg said that the company was working on a “pair of new Mac Pro desktop computers, its priciest Mac machines that don’t come with a screen included. One version is a direct update to the current Mac Pro and will continue to use the same design as the version launched in 2019. Apple has discussed continuing to use Intel processors for that model rather than moving to its own chips.”
Months later, the Xcode 13 beta referenced scalable Intel Ice Lake Xeon processor support, which suggested a new Mac Pro model was imminent. We’ve yet to see any concrete evidence, but unlike some Apple products like MacBook Pros and iPhones, there’s less excitement about Mac Pros, and as such, fewer stories and leaks.
The latest report indicates that Apple will move the Mac Pro to Intel Xeo W-3300 Ice Lake, offering up to 38 cores and 76 threads. If Gurman’s previous suggestions were right, Apple could indeed launch the new Mac Pro models later this year or in 2022, and even consider launching an Intel-powered and M1-powered variant.
In a separate report earlier in the year, Bloomberg suggested Apple was working on a new Mac Pro with its own custom silicon, and that it would feature 40 cores. Apple is also reportedly working on a chip with 64 and 128 cores, meaning the next-generation Mac Pro could offer a serious bump in specifications.
Are you excited to hear about the Mac Pro? What’s on your wish list? Let us know and check back soon for more.