It has been four years since the Mac Pro has received a big update, and it’s now finally getting the upgrade it deserves. At WWDC 2023, Apple announced a new model to the lineup that not only complete its Silicon integration, but also introduces the all-new M2 Ultra chip, which is held together by two fused M2 Max dies.
Running on a 24-core CPU and up to a 76-core GPU, the chip claims to be 30 percent faster than the M1 Ultra, with 50 percent more memory and up to 800GB/s of memory bandwidth. It will be the main power source driving the new Mac Pro offering and Mac Studio, now outfitted with the M2 Max option.
Starting with the former, Apple has largely maintained the cheese grater look of the old Intel version, and ushered in improvements under the hood. The processor offers six open PCIe Gen 4 slots for expansion, eight built-in Thunderbolt ports, and support for up to six Pro Display XDRs. If fully specced out with a 76-core GPU and 192GB of memory, it will reportedly be three times faster than the existing model.
Meanwhile, the M2 Ultra version of the Mac Studio also boasts support for up to six Pro Display XDRs, alongside four Thunderbolt 4 ports, a 10GB ethernet port, an HDMI port offering 8K display at 240Hz, and two USB-A ports. Two USB-C ports and an SD card slot can be found on the front.
The new Mac Pro will retail for US$6,999 when it goes live on 13 June, with the updated Mac Studio starting at US$1,999.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
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