Apple is working on a new Mac Pro with an M2 "Extreme" chip, according to a recent report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
The Mac Pro is one of the last Intel-based Mac models still on sale, and a version with Apple silicon has been now anticipated for over two years. At its "Peek Performance" event earlier this year, Apple even teased the launch of the Apple silicon Mac Pro, saying "that's for another day."
According to Gurman, users will reportedly be able to configure the new Mac Pro with M2 Ultra and M2 Extreme chip options. At present, the M1 Ultra is Apple's most powerful custom silicon chip available, featuring a 20-core CPU and up to a 64-core GPU, along with a 32-core Neural Engine. Sitting above the Ultra in the chip lineup, the M2 Extreme would presumably surpass these specs to become the top-tier Apple silicon chip for maximum performance.
Gurman previously said that Apple was planning to use a custom silicon chip with 40 CPU cores, including 32 high-performance cores, and up to 128 GPU cores for the Mac Pro. This would surpass the 28 core maximum offered by the current Intel-based Mac Pro and replace powerful graphics chips made by AMD.
These specifications effectively double the capabilities of the M1 Ultra, but if it is based on the more advanced architecture behind the current M2 chip, there could be a range of other advancements in terms of core technologies, efficiency, and clock speed.
Beyond the upcoming Mac Pro, as well as the new MacBook Air and the 13-inch MacBook Pro, Gurman expects to see M2 and M2 Pro Mac mini and M2 Pro and M2 Max 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models over the next year. For more information about the new Mac Pro, see our detailed guide.
