For those people—and my guess is there are a lot of them—an upgraded Intel model is probably preferable to an M2 Ultra-based model, especially if Apple were to use one of Intel’s newest Xeon W-3400 or Xeon W-2400 chips. Last week, Intel unveiled its newest workstation-class chips with up to 56 cores and 112 threads. Those are excellent specs that are certain to match or beat the rumored M2 Ultra.
As my colleague Jason Cross points out, Apple would be more likely to use the W-2400 chips that top out at 24 cores due to thermals. (The highest-end Intel CPU in the Mac Pro has a thermal design power of 205 watts. The W-2400 series ranges from 120W to 225W while the W-3400 goes from 270W to 350W.) Apple prioritizes power efficiency with its M-series chips, so it would be unlikely to use a chip with such a high power draw.
But even the lower-end chip would still be an excellent upgrade over the current Mac Pro, while still offering users the expandability and after-market upgrades they need. I don’t think any potential buyers would be mad at a new Intel machine that preserves the Mac Pro’s mission yet still delivers a massive speed boost over the 2019 model Apple still sells. Intel would let users easily upgrade their current setup, retain the upgradeability they crave, and buy Apple some more time to make a proper Apple silicon model.
And if any of those buyers really want an Apple silicon machine, they can always buy a MacBook Pro to go along with it.
Tags:
Science and Technology