Apple tests two new high-end Macs and the associated processors in advance World developer conference next week, suggesting the release of professional desktop computers is imminent.
The company is planning two new Mac models — referred to internally as the Mac 14.13 and Mac 14.14 — that will run this M2 max Processor announced in January and a processor yet to be revealed M2 Ultra Chip. This second processor would replace the M1 Ultra model currently found in the Mac Studio, a high-end desktop announced in March 2022.
The new computers are part of an effort to revamp the Mac lineup and lure in consumers during a sluggish period in the computer industry. Powerful desktop models remain the key to Apple’s appeal to professional users such as video editors or graphic designers. The company is also just days away from WWDC, the annual gathering of developers who rely on such machines to build apps.
A representative from Cupertino, California-based Apple declined to comment.
The first desktop computer in the test runs with an M2 Max processor with eight high-performance cores – components for the most demanding tasks – as well as four efficient cores and 30 graphics cores. These are the same specifications as the MacBook Pro with the M2 Max. This particular machine also has 96 gigabytes of memory and runs macOS 13.4, the version of the Mac operating system that was released just earlier this month.
The second machine tested features a so-called M2 Ultra chip, which the company has not yet announced. This 24-core component doubles the performance of the M2 Max model. The chip includes 16 high-performance cores and eight efficiency cores as well as 60 graphics cores. The company is testing it in configurations with 64 gigabytes, 128 gigabytes and 192 gigabytes of memory.
According to Bloomberg, the M2 Ultra chip will also feature a more powerful option with up to 76 graphics cores, doubling the maximum 38 cores of the current M2 Max chip.
The M2 Ultra chip was originally developed for a future version of the high-end Mac Pro desktop. This machine is currently still running intel Chips – a stumbling block in Apple’s three-year bid to use homegrown processors in its computers.
Apple has been vague about when a new Mac Pro will launch. More than a year ago it was said that an updated model would arrive “another day”. At Apple, the future Mac Pro with in-house chips will be called Mac 14.8. This suggests that the latest desktops tested are different machines, such as new versions of the Mac Studio, currently offered in M1 Max and M1 Ultra configurations.
Bloomberg reported in April that two new Mac Studio updates were in the works. Apple has also developed a 15-inch version of the MacBook Air, as well as future iterations of the 13-inch MacBook Air and a 15-inch model with a 3-nanometer M3 processor. And it’s planning a low-end 13-inch MacBook Pro and an iMac with the next-generation chip.
Next week’s developer fair begins on Monday with the unveiling of Apple’s much-anticipated mixed reality headset. The company will also unveil updates to the software running on the iPhone, iPad, apple watch And Mac. The presentation will also include several new Mac models.
As a further sign that new machines are coming onto the market soon, Apple plans to allow customers to exchange other Mac types for a gift card starting next Monday. The Macs that Apple will accept starting now: the M2 13-inch MacBook Air and the 13-inch MacBook Pro, as well as the current Mac Studio. Such a move usually announces that new versions are on the way.
© 2023 Bloomberg LP
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