Possible Upcoming Mac Pro Reference Discovered in OS X El Capitan - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Possible Upcoming Mac Pro Reference Discovered in OS X El Capitan

It's been two years since Apple launched its radically redesigned Mac Pro, but the professional-level workstation has not seen any updates since that time despite the availability of upgraded versions of many of the components used in the machine. We may be getting closer to an update, however, as Pike's Universum has discovered a reference to a new Mac code name of "AAPLJ951" within OS X El Capitan.

The identity of the Mac corresponding to that code name is not explicitly revealed in OS X, but Pike points to the similar AAPLJ90 code name for the current Mac Pro as a reason to believe this new machine is a Mac Pro.

aaplj951

The data is identical to that of the late 2015 (iMac17,1 in the same file) so it may as well be a remnant of the new iMac, but the strange thing is that the XHCI data for the late 2015 iMac is also there, which is why I believe that this is not/was not added for the/a new iMac but another Mac.

And like I said earlier in the comments, there are too many USB 3 ports defined to fit on a MacBook (Pro) and Mac Mini. This and the fact that there is already support for newer graphics chips [baked] into El Capitan… is why I think that it was added for a new Mac Pro. I personally sure hope so.

Looking toward possible specs for the next Mac Pro, it seems likely it will run on Xeon-branded Broadwell EP chips and include significantly faster graphics based on AMD's Fury platform, along with faster memory and storage and perhaps Thunderbolt 3 connectivity involving a partial shift to USB-C connectivity.

Buyer's Guide: Mac Pro (Don't Buy)
Related Forum: Mac Pro

Popular Stories

Classic Mac Pro Feature

Mac Pro Turns 20 Today, Five Months After Apple Killed It

Friday August 7, 2026 5:39 am PDT by
Apple announced the original Mac Pro 20 years ago today, with the anniversary landing five months after the company discontinued the machine for good. On August 7, 2006, Apple unveiled the first Mac Pro, powered by two dual-core 64-bit Xeon processors that Apple said made it up to twice as fast as the Power Mac G5 it replaced. It was the last Mac to complete Apple's transition from PowerPC...
Apple Logo Gradient 16x9 1

Apple Just Made an Extremely Rare Product Announcement

Thursday August 27, 2026 7:58 am PDT by
The new Mac mini and Mac Studio models unveiled by Apple this week are the company's first new Macs announced in August since 2020. It is extremely rare for Apple to announce new products of any kind in August, excluding smaller things like new color options and accessories. As mentioned, Apple's last notable August product announcement was in 2020, when it updated the 27-inch iMac and a...
Apple Surprise Shine

Apple Event: Six New Products to Expect on September 9

Thursday August 27, 2026 8:00 am PDT by
Apple has announced that it will be holding an event on Wednesday, September 9 at 10 a.m. Pacific Time, with the company widely expected to unveil the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, its first-ever foldable iPhone, and more. Other products expected to be announced at the event include an Apple Watch Series 12 with a ceramic case option, an Apple Watch Ultra 4, AirPods 5 with and without...

Top Rated Comments

141 months ago
('http://frign.de/static/tnmp/the_new_mac_pro_1440p.png')
Score: 55 Votes (Like | Disagree)
141 months ago
i am more than 100% sure in next few month we will see a revolution in macs, they have been so similar far last few years now its 10th anniversary of mbp and probably we will see amazing new mac pro with reasonable price too
I don't understand why they don't do it. Where is the non mini non pro and non imac option? Where is the pc equivalent that would go into offices and homes? I am not going to buy another imac, not going to buy the mac pro, hell no and the mini is underpowered. The whole mac strategy in 2015 is complete BS. So much so that I started making a pc for my audio stuff and it's just so frustrating. Apple gimps everything by controlling the levels of what is offered for a price, then the upgrade costs x + apple tax. I really hope there is more of a backlash soon, I'm getting sick of this. Can't be the only one.

Lots of people have money for you apple, they love the OS, don't strangle the **** out of your customers.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
141 months ago
I just really hope they drop the trashcan design for something with a little more expandability. Would love a new Mac, but refuse to buy something I need to plug external hard drives all over to expand.
The Mac Pro that you keep on pining over is NOT that expandable -- in fact the Mac Pro 2013 is much more expandable. I have a Mac Pro 2008, two graphics cards (5770).... which take up all but the lowest speed PCIe slot (a SATA card in there). All 4 hard drive bays full..... no more expansion possible. With the Mac Pro 2013 it has the two graphics cards in there and up to 36 Thunderbolt devices.... so add a Thunderbolt 4 drive bay (and I have 35 left). Or add a 24 bay one and still have 35 left.....
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
141 months ago
I just really hope they drop the trashcan design for something with a little more expandability. Would love a new Mac, but refuse to buy something I need to plug external hard drives all over to expand.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
141 months ago
The Mac Pro that you keep on pining over is NOT that expandable -- in fact the Mac Pro 2013 is much more expandable. I have a Mac Pro 2008, two graphics cards (5770).... which take up all but the lowest speed PCIe slot (a SATA card in there). All 4 hard drive bays full..... no more expansion possible. With the Mac Pro 2013 it has the two graphics cards in there and up to 36 Thunderbolt devices.... so add a Thunderbolt 4 drive bay (and I have 35 left). Or add a 24 bay one and still have 35 left.....
Or, instead of all that upgrades for MP 2013, for the same money, you buy a house.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dwarg Avatar
141 months ago
the OLD mac Mini, yes.
...
Essentially, the new Mac Mini's would cost more, to get less power than what I was currently using at the time.
...
OSx isn't a concern to me because the platform that I use doesn't have OSx compatibility anyways as my overall need is linux/unix.
I envy you. I fell in love with OS X the minute I laid eyes on her. With Apple's trend of reducing performance and upgradability while increasing prices, I start to wonder if I'm suffering some kind of Stockholm Syndrome. Why am I still here? I know they've moved on to the younger, sexier, hipper consumer electronics segment. But I keep thinking maybe they'll come back to their roots. Remember the good old days. Or maybe it would occur to them they could have one machine that emphasized function over form, you know just to see how it goes. But no, I leave the light on, night after night, while Johnny Ives "Live Photos" his flaccid junk to adoring fans on another iOS bender. While I cry in my server room clutching our cheese grater Mac Pros that we used to cherish together.

:p
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)