References to Intel's Latest Ice Lake SP Processors in Xcode 13 Beta Hint at Forthcoming Mac Pro Update

New Intel chips appropriate for a refreshed Mac Pro have been spotted in the Xcode 13 beta, and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has confirmed that Apple is indeed preparing an updated version of the Intel-based ‌Mac Pro‌.

mac pro mini feature
The chip data added to the beta is for Intel's third-generation Xeon Scalable processor, Ice Lake SP, which Intel announced back in April. According to Intel, the chip offers "advanced performance, security, efficiency, and built-in AI acceleration to handle IoT workloads and more powerful AI."

Bloomberg in January said that Apple is developing two versions of the new ‌Mac Pro‌, one that's a direct successor to the 2019 ‌Mac Pro‌ and one that offers a smaller form factor that's about half the size.


Apple is working to transition its entire Mac lineup to Apple silicon, and the smaller ‌Mac Pro‌ will feature Apple silicon chips, but it appears Apple is planning to keep at least one Intel ‌Mac Pro‌ available for the time being.

Some of the high-end Apple silicon chips that Apple is developing feature 20 or 40 computing cores with 64 or 128 core GPUs, but it is not clear if the earliest versions of ‌Mac Pro‌ chips will be able to compete with Intel's Xeon processors for heavy duty professional workloads.

This Intel-based ‌Mac Pro‌ may be one of the last Intel machines as Apple has already started transitioning the iMac, MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and MacBook Air lines to Apple silicon. Apple this year plans to release 14 and 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ models with higher-end "M2" Apple silicon chips, and there's also a larger Apple silicon ‌iMac‌ in development.

Related Roundup: Mac Pro
Buyer's Guide: Mac Pro (Caution)
Related Forum: Mac Pro

Popular Stories

Aston Martin CarPlay Ultra Screen

Apple's CarPlay Ultra to Expand to These Vehicle Brands Later This Year

Sunday February 1, 2026 10:08 am PST by
Last year, Apple launched CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. Nearly nine months later, CarPlay Ultra is still limited to Aston Martin's latest luxury vehicles, but that should change fairly soon. In May 2025, Apple said many other vehicle brands planned to offer CarPlay Ultra, including Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis. In his Powe...
Apple Logo Black

Apple's Next Launch is 'Imminent'

Sunday February 1, 2026 12:31 pm PST by
The calendar has turned to February, and a new report indicates that Apple's next product launch is "imminent," in the form of new MacBook Pro models. "All signs point to an imminent launch of next-generation MacBook Pros that retain the current form factor but deliver faster chips," Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said on Sunday. "I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated...
Apple MacBook Pro M4 hero

New MacBook Pros Reportedly Launching Alongside macOS 26.3

Sunday February 1, 2026 5:42 am PST by
Apple is planning to launch new MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips alongside macOS 26.3, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "Apple's faster MacBook Pros are planned for the macOS 26.3 release cycle," wrote Gurman, in his Power On newsletter today. "I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated for the macOS 26.3 software cycle, which runs from...
iOS 26

iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by
We are still waiting for the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate to come out, so the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week or two away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April. Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far. iOS 26.3 iPhone to Android Transfer Tool iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
14 inch MacBook Pro Keyboard

Apple Changes How You Order a Mac

Saturday January 31, 2026 10:51 am PST by
Apple recently updated its online store with a new ordering process for Macs, including the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac mini, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro. There used to be a handful of standard configurations available for each Mac, but now you must configure a Mac entirely from scratch on a feature-by-feature basis. In other words, ordering a new Mac now works much like ordering an...

Top Rated Comments

Acidsplat Avatar
61 months ago
People complaining about this are not the target demographic.
Score: 62 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Stephen.R Avatar
61 months ago

Absolute ? way to piss off every Mac Pro 2019 owner. Even as one of the first customers to order it, I didn’t receive it until feb 2020. So just over a year old and they are talking about another release. WOW what a way to get pros to spend 10k and then release an update so soon. SHOCKING. A way to basically make sure the nail is in the coffin.
I must have missed the part where the 2019 Mac Pro has a built in self destruct that triggers the moment a new model is released
Score: 37 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ruka.snow Avatar
61 months ago
It would be sensible to keep the Intel Mac Pro running for a few generations. Big companies invested into the promise to make pro software on its release and users of these machines may not be able to dump their software in the blink of a eye. I also still rather doubt that Apple can take on dedicated AMD GPU's yet.
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
now i see it Avatar
61 months ago
Xeons are battle tested and proven CPUs. If I was in the market to buy another $20K workstation, I sure wouldn't gamble my livelihood or profession on a M2 Mac Pro.
Some year down the line sure - but not yet. It's too soon
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Eso Avatar
61 months ago
So 1 year into the "2-year Apple Silicon Transition" we've gotten one chip and a rumor of updating the top end Mac with Intel. Ok.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
visualseed Avatar
61 months ago

Absolute ? way to piss off every Mac Pro 2019 owner. Even as one of the first customers to order it, I didn’t receive it until feb 2020. So just over a year old and they are talking about another release. WOW what a way to get pros to spend 10k and then release an update so soon. SHOCKING. A way to basically make sure the nail is in the coffin.
So, Apple showing they are going to continue to support the model with updates pisses you off? Did you think you were buying to one and only model and there would be no updates? If you need a tool you buy the best you can afford the moment you need it. If you can afford to wait, then you don't really need it. Pros with real work to do aren't waiting around a year to see if Apple is going to release a faster model. They are buying today to do work today and if the faster model is justified they will buy it when it arrives and upgrade.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)