Apple silicon based Mac Pro details revealed: Expected specs, launch date, price, and more

A new Mac Pro, slated to come with Apple Silicon technology, has reportedly been in development for a really long time. While the tech giants are yet to officially unveil the next chapter in the extreme line of devices, the community has been busy speculating on what it could feature.

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has written extensively on what users can expect from the next generation of the Pro model. Some of it will be inherited from the existing M1 variant, which was the first one with an interenal chipset. A smaller Mac Pro was also expected, but it was launched as Mac Studio.

The upcoming model could certainly be a game-changer for those who actively use such powerful machines. More importantly, some of the new features it might contain could be a big difference maker both in terms of price and ability.

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The new Mac Pro will certainly take the performance to a new level

Apple already has the 2022 Mac Pro, which became the first model with Apple’s own chip. It’s powered by the M1 generation, which is quite good in terms of overall performance. Once the new model comes, it’s likely to be powered by the M2 Extreme chipset.

Earlier speculations had hinted that the M2 Ultra will be used in the new Mac Pro, which will feature 24 CPU cores and 76 GPU cores. The M2 Extreme will double those numbers and go up to 192 GB of memory.

Based on Gurman’s reports earlier in 2023, it is possible that Apple has discarded plans for the M2 Extreme chipset. If it turns out to be true, it could be due to the reduced potential costs. When the M1 variant launched, it started at $5,999 and then went up depending on what users choose.

While Apple hasn’t given any hint, the M2 Extreme could potentially start from $10,000 and then increase gradually. An M2 Ultra model will certainly cost less, and could be more affordable for those looking for such hardware in a strong place.

According to Gurman, the M2 Mac Pro might not have support for external GPUs. This could be disappointing for some, as it reduces the number of available options.

A huge plus of the earlier Intel-based models was the ability to use external GPUs in the first place. This could also force Apple to ensure that the internal GPU has enough power to match the expected performance level.

Of course, all such details will be known only when the release dates are announced. Speculations suggested that the new Mac Pro will be released around two years after the last Intel-based model was released. However, reports since then have suggested possible delays due to change in Apple’s manufacturing plans.

The updated dates hint at a release around the middle of 2023, but there's been no confirmation towards it. Readers are advised to wait for an official confirmation over the actual dates.

From the looks of it, the new Mac Pro will certainly be bigger and bolder than the existing models. The M2 chip has been extremely efficient to use since making its debut in the MacBook lineup, and its Ultra variant will certainly make things even more interesting.