What you need to know
- Apple has added new graphics options to its Mac Pro range.
- You can now add Radeon Pro W6800X, and W6900X to configurations.
- These deliver massive performance boosts but at a very high cost.
Apple has added new models of graphics cards to its Mac Pro configurations, adding even more graphics power to the eye-wateringly powerful (and expensive) desktop beast.
In a press release AMD stated:
AMD (NASDAQ: AMD) today announced availability of the new AMD Radeon™ PRO W6000X series GPUs for Mac Pro. The new GPU product line delivers exceptional performance and incredible visual fidelity to power a wide variety of demanding professional applications and workloads, including 3D rendering, 8K video compositing, color correction and more. Built on groundbreaking AMD RDNA 2 architecture, AMD Infinity Cache and other advanced technologies, the new workstation graphics line-up includes the AMD Radeon™ PRO W6900X and AMD Radeon™ PRO W6800X GPUs. Mac Pro users also have the option of choosing the AMD Radeon PRO W6800X Duo graphics card, a dual-GPU configuration that leverages high-speed AMD Infinity Fabric interconnect technology to deliver outstanding levels of compute performance.
The W6800X module is a $2,400 add-on, or $4,600 for two, whilst the W6900X MPX is $5,600.
The new Mac Pro is expected to be one of the last Intel Macs to make the jump to Apple silicon, with a new one reportedly on the way later next year:
Apple is set to bring Apple silicon to the Mac Pro "later next year" according to a new report, but it won't be the main Mac Pro that we've come to love. Instead, it'll be a new, smaller version of the powerhouse machine.According to Gurman's latest Power On newsletter, Apple plans to have a "revamped, smaller Mac Pro with Apple silicon" ready for "later next year," although that could presumably change as the months wind on.
The new smaller one will get Apple silicon, whilst a new Intel refresh for the larger version is also reportedly in the works. Alleged designs of the new smaller Mac Pro were leaked by Jon Prosser earlier this year.
